Dress for the feel-good factor

THE PARTY’S OVER . January has arrived, meaning it’s time to pack away your sequins, get an early night and start eating your greens again. It’s a bumpy ride back to reality.

But, who said the fun had to end? Admittedly, there are fewer opportunities to go out-out every night of the week but, at least where your wardrobe’s concerned, the party spirit can continue. They say dress for the job you want, but this January we’re dressing for the mood we want: happy.

If you make one style resolution this year, it should be to embrace happy fashion. Optimism was the key takeaway from the S/S ’20 shows, where twirling, dancing, smiling models in equally upbeat clothes dominated the runway. ‘Tonight is a reminder of the joy in dressing up,’ read the press notes for Marc Jacobs’ spring/summer collection, a dazzling symphony of a show that included everything from fantastical florals to explosive dresses, as well as jaunty hats and surreal sunglasses.

There’s a serious message behind the buoyant designs, however. Joyful clothes are a potent antidote to darkness – both literal and metaphorical. ‘Geopolitical events have taken a direct punch at our joy over the past few years. There is a collective fatigue in response to these demoralising realities,’ says Tamu Mcpherson, founder of All The Pretty Bird, who will be embracing feelgood fashion in neon Christopher John Rogers and Marni crochet this season. ‘Our sense of optimism is an act of resistance.’

Browns buying director Ida Petersson agrees. ‘Designers showed that there is a ray of sunshine under the darkest clouds,’ she said. And the good vibes are spreading. ‘The S/S collections feel full of possibilities, positivity and a desire for change,’ says Emma Kidd, director of creative at Selfridges, which has launched its Happy New Decade campaign. ‘Our way of approaching this year, and the next 10, is with a sense of fun, joy and curiosity.’ That means everything from light therapy to exclusive pieces from the likes of Victoria Beckham reimagined in Selfridges’ signature sunshine yellow.

Certainly, colour is the easiest way to lift one’s spirits. Go ahead and just try wearing a zingy fluoro frock with a frown. Difficult, no? Danish designer Stine Goya has already got the memo. ‘Copenhagen gets dark – seriously dark come January – so for me the perfect remedy is to sling on something playful, bold and bright to lift my spirits,’ she says. ‘When it’s dark and cold, I feel much happier wearing a coat in pink.’ Anna Singh, co-founder of Chinti & Parker agrees: ‘Dressing in bright hues is the ultimate mood booster to blast January blues.’

For Ida, happy dressing also means breaking the rules. Instead of living in sloppy sweats and sensible shoes, she’ll be keeping her party pieces on rotation for a while longer, notably the jewel-coloured satin pumps from Amina Muaddi, Manolo Blahnik and Aquazzura. ‘A good shoe is a great way to do happy dressing no matter how many mince pies you ate!’ she says. But why stop there? Give those party dresses extra mileage by teaming them with stompy, go-anywhere boots, or pep up denim and a simple sweater by adding mega-watt jewels.

And don’t forget your non-negotiable accessory: a smile. Keep it up and you might actually enjoy January.