Perpetual Color: The Mechanics of Dopamine Dressing
Style savants Magda Kaczmarska and Kai McPhee describe how embracing energetic palettes unlocked their creativity and well-being.
As the warm days of summer start to fade, the arrival of fall doesn’t have to signal a shift into darker modes of dressing. Bright hues, psychedelic patterns and playful illustrations from brands like Marni and KidSuper show how colorful fashion can generate feelings of optimism irrespective of season. Cultural creatives in all corners of the globe often reflect this point of view as well. Enter Magda Kaczmarska and Kai McPhee.
Kaczmarska is a London-based content creator and stylist who has a knack for theatrics. Her Instagram is a Lynchian fever dream where bold dressing and unlikely combinations are pushed to the limit. Bordering on performance art, Kaczmarska has splashed red wine over herself in a T-shirt by Los Angeles brand Praying; ground inner city traffic to a halt in a Sinéad O'Dwyer look; and waded through a swimming pool in a wedding dress. Her unapologetic approach to self-styling has not only attracted her a loyal audience online, but also work with joy-seeking brands like Jacquemus, Marc Jacobs and Betsey Johnson.
McPhee’s approach to color is more rooted in everyday living, though no less authentic. Born in Baltimore and based in New York, the 22-year-old designer’s style draws on the city’s underground DIY aesthetics, merging unconventional vintage pieces, expressive beauty looks and an array of niche emerging brands.
Below, the two speak on their favorite designers, dressing to feel good and why a quiet night in is always better than a big night out.
Describe your personal style.
Fun, experimental and conceptual—but always evolving. I’m a sucker for a theme. For example, this summer I’ve been obsessing over fruit prints. My love for editorial fashion also influences the way I dress. I focus on how an outfit will build into something more visually stimulating and usually aim for a creative outcome, like wearing something busy, bright and printed, then shooting it underwater. I don’t like to take fashion too seriously.
Your favorite statement color?
It changes a lot, but I constantly find myself gravitating toward the color pink. It’s the easiest color for me to style. Right now I’m also enjoying wearing head-to-toe red, which was definitely influenced by the Euros.
Who are your favorite designers and why?
Since I’m heavy in my conceptual phase, I would say Loewe and JW Anderson are the top contenders; I just think Jonathan Anderson’s mind is brilliant. Also, the most recent Moschino show has to be one of the best runways I’ve seen in a while, and I’m very excited about their new creative director, Adrian Appiolaza.
How do you express yourself through color?
Colorful fashion has been a serotonin booster for me over the years. I used to only truly feel comfortable wearing black when I was younger, probably because I was pretty self-conscious and struggled with my mental health. But as I got happier and fell more in love with fashion, I opened up to colorful styles. Don’t get me wrong, though, I do still love wearing black.
Where do you get style inspiration from?
My style has morphed so much over the years and has definitely been influenced by trends and cultures. Right now, I love looking back at iconic pop culture moments from the 2000s. TV and film inspire me a lot too, so rewatching shows like The Simple Life, Skins, Gilmore Girls and Sex in the City has been a great bit of style research.
Quiet night in or big night out?
I want to be the girl who says big night out, but it’ll always be for a quiet night in.
Style advice for the color-shy?
To have good style you obviously don’t need to wear color, but if it’s something you want to introduce more of into your wardrobe, just ease into it with subtle tones like blush pinks, muted blues and powder greens. Also, think about which colors would complement your skin undertones—give that a Google and get yourself into a color theory hole!
Best thing about summer?
The vitamin D! I am so deficient.
Describe your personal style.
Playful, eclectic and rebellious.
Your favorite statement color?
Red.
Who are your favorite designers and why?
Thom Browne, Marc Jacobs and Martine Rose because they make fashion so much fun. They are all pretty rebellious, and I love that they don’t follow the rules and challenge what it means to be a designer.
How do you express yourself through color?
A lot of times, I associate color with my mood, so I usually wear black when I'm not in the best mood or if I want to feel super comfy. When I'm feeling good or want to feel better, I try to put on brighter colors to cheer myself up.
Where do you get style inspiration from?
Currently, I’m inspired by punk aesthetics. I really love how rebellious that style is. I also get inspired just by experiencing life: watching strangers walk by, noticing the color palettes in stores, patterns in nature, just everything.
Quiet night in or big night out?
Quiet night in.
Style advice for the color-shy?
Find a color that compliments you and slowly try to bring it into your closet—even small things like a hat or a bag. As you get comfortable with that color, try adding more tones to it.
Best thing about summer?
Being outside. When it’s a perfect sunny day, life feels better.
Perpetual Color: The Mechanics of Dopamine Dressing is part of GOAT’s exploration of POP COLORS. Discover more about the vibrant movement through 10 maximalist designers pushing the boundaries of boldness and the abstract euphoria of photographer Arielle Bobb-Willis.