Dopamine Dressing

Dopamine Dressing

My lovely friend Leopardyemcreative who makes gorgeous handmade jewellery wrote about this in a recent blog and I love the idea! I spoke to her about it and said I loved the thought of dressing to make you feel happy and good about yourself. That bold necklace or ring that makes you smile when you look at it. Or the bright scarf that lifts your dress. The little badge on your jacket that has a motto that makes you laugh. They all help to improve your mood. This quote from pinterest backs all this up!

As a teen, I was always wearing jewellery and accessorising. I wore what I wanted, volunteering in a charity shop so thrifting right back in the 90s. I had my own style and ran with it. I had the most flamboyant bags, shoes and scarves and jewellery to match. I loved to wear odd earings and loved my one Bertie Basset fimo earing with something else in the other ear. Nowadays, mis matching earings are because I was half asleep when I got dressed. Odd socks are because I can't bear to throw one away when the other gets a hole in it. And I do co-ordinate my oddness into odd spotty, odd stripy and so on! I love this quote. This is my rule anyway!

I definitely feel I have lost my way a bit with how I dress and accessorise. I suppose I have dressed more for comfort and working in schools. I have had mornings where I throw anything on and forget to put my jewellery on, then felt bare all day, as if something was missing. I used to dress to show the real me and somewhere along the way I have kind of lost this. But now, on meeting my lovely friend Leopardyemcreative, she is reminding me to be more thoughtful about how I personalise my dressing.

I had loved over accessorising in the 80s when I was mad on Madonna. I loved her look for her first album with prints, layers, lace and beads over beads. She epitomised accessorising. She even sang 'Dress you up'. I watched this Madonna concert when I taped it and played it all the time, dancing around and wanting to be this new, fresh, amazing artist. I loved everything she wore. And her hair. Everything.

Madonna was inspired by the sirens of the 40s and 50s, just listen to Vogue. She was the Material girl, giving her version of Marilyn Monroe. 

Marilyn Monroe oozed style but also genuineness and an innocence. She looked like she had made little effort to look so good.

I can't mention the 50s without mentionning Audrey Hepburn. Another lady who danced to her own beat and was so effortlessly stylish.

Audrey Hepburn and her little black dress. Just add the accessories. I love wearing black, my staple colour. And blue to match my eyes! My sis in law is very stylish and always finds me lovely clothes when we are shopping. She swears by a black or a block colour dress. I am more a maxi dress than a little black dress!  


This is so true of all clothes. It is the person underneath that really matters.


The thing with Madonna, the Material Girl, is that she was the Queen of Pop but also the Queen of reinvention. Every album had a different style and so did she, to reflect it. I loved every stage of these reinventions, especially when we got to see her softer side too. 


The 80s were about originality and one of my fave films was 'Pretty in Pink'. I loved how Andie, played my Molly Ringwald, made her own prom dress and looked gorgeous. Love her standing with Duckie.

The 80s were also flamboyant. Right down to the puffed sleeves of Dynasty! Dressing can give you confidence, even an edge. I mean, Alexis and Crystal definitely showed they meant business here! 

So into the 90s as a teen and a grunge student, I loved jewellery and hair accessories. My friends and I even had tartan laces in our dockers. A move on from our Brosette days with the Grolsch bottle tops! I love this montage of 90s grunge wear. It brings back a lot of great memories! I loved the popstrel Debbie Gibson and had a hat like that!


All my friends remember me dressing like Debbie Gibson and still remind me now! I love her here, rocking the double denim. Which me and my friends still do! I thought, the other day, that I love wearing my denim jacket. It is kind of like a coat of armour, protecting me!

There were so many fab women singing in the 80s and 90s, shaking their stuff and telling the world that 'we wanna have fun'! The bold, bright style of Cyndi Lauper has stayed with me too. My fave song of hers is 'She Bop'. A song as wonderfully quirky as her style!

The 90s were ace in that you could show your style, dress wise and music genres wise in different areas and no one judged you. You were free to be different people, yet still the same personon different nights and with different folk. I embraced the student night on a Wednesday, togged up in dockers and charity shop grunge clothes, dancing to Morrissey and Nirvana and drinking pints. Then Friday and Saturday, dressed for the night club with my chunky heels and lace dress for a night on the town, drinking alcopops and shots, singing along to The Rhythm of the Night and Show me Love. When I think of this 90s fashion, I thinl of the fab All Saints. I loved what they sang and what they wore. 


My daughter and her friends have embraced the resurgance of the 90s, the music and the clothes. She has asked me why I didn't save my clothes for her! Buying some of these now, at expensive prices, I wished I had! I do love seeing them though, dressed similarly to how we did.

I love it when fashion styles of the different decades come back around. I feel the 80s were a bit of a nod to the feminine 50s with an added twist. The 2020s are definitely a big nod to the 90s!

Dressing and accessorising was a fab way of expressing your different selves. No one is ever one dimensional. We used our clothes and accessories to express a part of us and to bond with others. A way of dressing up to fit the situation. Add some jewellery and you felt like you dazzled. Even if the beads were £1 in the Debenhams sale! It really didn't matter. If they felt good on you, they didn't need to be designer. If they added a bit of pizazz to your outfit and made you smile, like Jessie J sang, 'it's not about the price tag'. 



I love complimenting other women and was the same as a teenager with my friends and girls I sae on a night out. Wearing jewellery and accessories is a good way of gaining compliments that lift you up and make you feel good about yourself.


It is also a great way to start a conversation with someone. I was on supply a bit ago and feeling nervous in the staff room. I saw a lady wearing a pair of one of my fave upcycled earings from Brownfish and I commented. She was amazed I had recognised them and we started talking, finding a common ground. 

I am like this with hair colour too, since I went pink and purple. When I see someone with blue, purple or pink hair, I just have to compliment them there and then! And tattoos! It is lovely seeing that person smile and appreciate the compliment. 

I tend to compliment other women on night's out or in cafes, in the ladies. I was once ages in the toilets at Cannon Hall garden centre as I struck up a lovely conversation with a purple haired lady! When I am out, I get talking to everyone. My hubby and family are like, 

Do you know them?

No, I just complimented their bag and we got talking!

I can't mention compliments without adding this quote from the amazing, witty Dame Maggie Smith as Lady Grantham. 

As I got older and slowly went up in dress sizes, I was put off clothes shopping a bit and was more conscious which shops I could frequent. I still went into Topshop and would pretend look at their clothes but only really looking at the jewellery and accessories. I would buy a pair of earings, knowing they would fit me! This quote has always made me laugh!


Another good thing is shown in this next quote. So true! I mean, I am embracing ageing and my wrinkles, or laughter lines but it is a good point!


A very inspiring lady has a few things to say about wearing jewellery and accessories and I am sure both friends Leopardyemcreative and Hiddentreasuresjewells would agree! 

Another of her brilliant quotes is on questionning how much jewellery one should own, she has a fab answer! I have got back wearing bracelets since ordering from Leopardyemcreative so yes!

I love everything handmade, especially my jewellery. My two friends make lovely jewellery from new and old materials. I love it when pieces have been upcycled. Every piece is unique and made with love.



I love supporting handmade jewellery small businesses. You feel you are wearing unique pieces that have been lovingly made. 


I love buying from Leopardyemcreative. Her pieces are so bright and colourful. I have used a few photos from her facebook page. I love this one that shows her upcycled pieces. 


She packs her jewellery so well, even putting in a Care card. 


Here are a few of her fab selection of handmade necklaces and earings. Which to choose? 



All of them please!


When I first went on Etsy, I saw this fab necklace and finally bought it with some of my birthday money. Reminds me of a birthday cake! Emma is so good at layering necklaces, as seen here. 


She personalises and makes jewellery to order. She also holds brill workshops in libraries. I love my mish mosh bracelet I made!


The other small business I regularly support is Hidden treasures jewels on facebook. Two lovely ladies, mum and daughter, creating gorgeous, unique jewellery pieces. I have bought these recently, along with some other earings.


I really love this necklace too. I love dragonflies. 


They also make lovely bracelets too like this one. All individual. 


My other lovely talented friend is Clovermoon Crafts on facebook. I met her at college last year and she is so bright and bubbly. She loves to crotchet and crotcheted us all some gorgeous daisy earings at the end of the course. Here is a photo of some of the different products, mainly crotched that she makes to sell.



She has just launched online and creates other pieces as well as jewellery. Like the coasters above. I love these prints that she makes from photos. This one of her shows off her handmade daisy earings so well.



I support a few other handmade jewellery small businesses that I love. Brownfish jewellery makes gorgeous, upcycled jewellery from old tins. I have some lovely pieces from her from various gift shops and craft fairs. I love to see the tin they came from!


Look at those gorgeous colours and designs! I love the assymetrical ones and have a few pairs.


Here are two gorgeous pairs of her upcycled earinngs I ordered in lockdown. I love the patterns from the tins so much. 


All the jewellery I buy on Facebook, Etsy or folksy are always so thoughtfully wrapped. Like these from Brownfish Designs. 



I love this quote! Every jewellery maker takes their time over presenting and wrapping their pieces. Hidden treasure jewels puts little beads and stickers in the box but I can't find a photo! 


Laura's jewellery is amazing. On first glance, it is very pretty. Then you read some of the nessages and they make you laugh! I bought the first necklace here! Excuse the language!


I also love her pretty animal jewellery and bought a fox necklace like this one. 



I love the small business Diana Dury on facebook. I found her a few years ago where she upcycles pots and creates jewellery pieces from cups and plates. 



She also creates upcylced pieces from tins and metal. Her designs are so funky and bright! 


Pots in pieces is a lovely small business too. Their facebook page also had so many lovely upcycled pieces to choose from too. Love this vintage saucer that became a gorgeous necklace!


An old friend Thundermoon jewellery, who is so talented, creates bespoke jewellery from gorgeous gem stones. I love seeing the stages of designing and creating she shares on instagram and facebook. Her silver jewellery with precious stones are lovingly made.


 I love amethyst and love the amethyst stone in this necklace so much. 


I do love gems and jewels and I love finding rings in antique shops. I love the different colours, especially sapphire, my birth stone, amethyst and emerald. I love how the rings hold stories of the women who wore them. I love the old, delicate boxes they are held in too. 


I have lovely memories, sitting at my gran's table in her front room, emptying her jewellery box and playing with all her sparkling beads, clip on earings and broaches. Such a wonderful memory!


I remember having smaller jewellery boxes with the ballerina turning. I loved all the different levels and hidden compartments. On looking for vintage children's jewellery boxes, I found those and loved them all!


I still have a few now that I love using. I would love this one, especially if this jewellery came with it! 


I looked on pinterest for stories about jewellery and this book looks so lovely.


Jewellery handed down through generations is so special. I have a few of my lovely gran's rings, her emerald one being my favourite. I love wearing it and thinking of her. I also have my mum's sapphire engagement ring with its little box from a Leeds jewellery shop in the late 60s. I treasure all these pieces so much.


I love talking to mum about her jewellery heirlooms and the stories behind the jewellery. All lovely memories held in these pieces of the people we loved before. 



When I look back on all the jewellery I have kept throughout my life, it shows the different stages I was in. From my christening bracelet to my necklace pendant as a young girl, my coral ring as a teenager, my liquorice allsorts necklace as a student and my grown upsapphire earings from my bro and sis in law in my 20s. Right up to now with my handmade pieces. They all intermingle into one but individually, they all tell a story. When I got them and who bought me them. Lots of lovely holiday jewellery too. Fab menories!


I feel I need to go and look at all my gorgeous jewellery now! I mainly have handmade and vintage jewellery but I do also have some lovely newer pieces. I love the chunky, silver Danon range that is sold in the gorgeous Kingston Jewellers in Barnsley. Such a lovely jewellery shop, full to the brim with fabulous pieces! 


Just down from here is the lovely Ryans Jewellers, down the Victorian Arcade. Again, always a lovely welcome and I always take my rings to be resized. I have had a tendency in the past, to buy a tiny, vintage ring which only fits on my little finger, to then have it resized! The coloured gemstone rings from here are so gorgeous. 



I visited Brighton a few years ago and was transfixed by the amount of jewellers shops in such a small area. I kept walking around, gazing into the windows, homing in on this particular emerald and diamond ring. I did think, momentarily that I had never been bothered about being a footballer's wife but I was tempted that day!


Writing this blog, I was reminded of the fab Annie song. Because you do need that smile to complete your look! And a big cup of coffee in the morning to help you too!



I also saw this lovely quote on pinterest and I really do have to agree! I have some lovely friend accessories when I go out!














Comments

  1. Love the jewellery reminds me of the sixties (flower power)and the clothes, boots and accessories etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A fab era for fashion the 60s!

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  2. Wow to those silver jewellery with stones. I don't remember which is my birth stone... I must search for this .
    Miriam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooh yes. Find out which ond is your birth stone. So many lovely precious stones.

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  3. I found strange stones I have never heard of them :-))) Very strange names for me.
    I was born in August.
    Miriam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It says 3 stones but I know peridot, a green colour and for strength!

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