Among the simple pleasures in life, being tactile is high on my list. It costs nothing, yet brings pleasure in so many ways.
I’m talking about giving someone a hug, or a pat on the back, wrapping your hand around a cold glass of bubbly, and trying on clothes in a local boutique. Researchers have found that tactile experiences can stimulate areas of the brain involved in sensory processing and cognitive function.
That’s all great, however I’m talking about the buzz, the pleasure, the satisfaction that comes from physical touch. Actually touching or holding something increases levels of dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters that help regulate the brain’s pleasure centre, and your mood.
Metropol Editor, Lynda Papesch
That’s part of the scientific explanation, however for many it is just about doing things that make you and others feel good. Indulging in a frothy hot chocolate, relaxing at your local spa, shopping with the girls, a blokes’ fishing trip, or reading your Metropol magazine in front of a warm fire, all bring tangible, tactile pleasure.
The same cannot be said for some experiences, such as online fashion shopping. I know women whose drawers are full of garments bought online, unwanted because they don’t fit, aren’t properly made, or not what they wanted. Many don’t bother to send them back so, tags intact, they end up in op shops or find their way into unsanctioned landfills such as Chile’s Atacama Desert.
Actually venturing out, into a boutique (or five) and physically trying something on is usually highly pleasurable for the buyer and the seller. Check out the following pages for some our top fashion retailers.
