Get Happy!

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS

For the most part, the global covid-19 pandemic is finally over, and rather than locked up and isolated, we are back to going out and socializing.

And that alone is reason enough to don your favorite glad rags and put on a gleeful face.

Whether you are decking yourself out in La La Land yellow or adding an image of your favorite cartoon character to an otherwise humdrum wardrobe ensemble, social scientists have found that dopamine dressing in overtly fun garments can actually help lift your mood and make your feel happier.

So, without further ado, here are some very jubilant ways, to, in the immortal words of Judy Garland, “forget your troubles, come on get happy, just chase all your cares away.”

Looney Handbags

Fresh off the resounding success of his Iconos (Icons) collection, released just last month as a tribute to Mexico’s iconic fashion-forward, national trend-setting women, Jaime Ibiza has done it again, this time with a joyful burst of childhood memories.

Ibiza’s new, ultra-adorable, feel-good Looney Tunes collection of clutches, satchels, wristlets, totes and just-big-enough-to-hold-everything-you-need-without-looking-like-an-alpinist backpacks — which the Guadalajara-based Ibiza introduced on Thursday, Nov. 4, with a lavish media breakfast, replete with special guest stars Bugs Bunny, Sylvester and Tweety Bird in tow — is a welcome throwback to more happy-go-lucky times, when cuddly little cartoon characters were a youthful breath of fun and fantasy, rather than fodder for political correctness debates.

“I had originally planned to release this collection last year, but because of the covid-19 pandemic, I had to pospone it,” Ibiza told Pulse News Mexico during the launching event at the Carolo restaurant in Plaza Carso. “But in the end, it worked out because I think that right now people want something happy and fun in their wardrobe, and these purses are exactly that.”

The bags, in muted shades of blacks, browns, grays and off-whites, with bright yellow, orange and blue interiors matched to the emblematic images of the Loony Tunes gang embossed on the sides, are the epitome of wholesomeness and nostalgic pleasure, perfect for urban casual dressing, but sedate enough to transition to work mode or even a night out on the town, thanks to Ibiza’s well-tailored designs and superior craftmanship. The purses’ prototypical gold metallic clasps and trim, along with Ibiza’s trademark cloverleaf crest, immediately identify them as timeless designer classics, making them attractive to women of all ages.

With the sole exception of a super-handy, bag-in-bag tote and some pull-tie backpack purses embellished with a colorful array of beloved Looney Tune cast members, the the bags are solid colors with thick, interchangeable shoulder straps embroidered with either Ibiza’s label or Porky Pig’s abiding signoff of “That’s All Folks!¨

Ibiza’s vibrant Looney Tunes collection ignites a sense of cheerfulness for fans of the quirky high-energy Warner Brothers cartoon characters and their playful animated antics, capturing the core of a trending fashion theme that is sure to endure as a style favorite for years to come.

The new collection is available at Liverpool and other select stores across Mexico, as well as through Jaime Ibiza’s website.

Happiness is a Warm Elephant

In India, the pot-bellied, elephant-headed deity Ganesh is considered essential to human happiness, since he is the god of fresh beginnings and the remover of all obstacles.

So what better way to get your glad on than to wear elephant-themed clothing?

Sadly, Africa’s real-life elephants are severely endangered, and by some estimates these lofty and majestic pachyderms could vanish from that continent within the next 20 years due to the ivory poaching, climate change and the progressive destruction of their habitat. And their Asian cousins, Thai elephants, while not as severly endangered, face an equally gloomy fate as overworked tourist attractions.

The Mexican clothing brand, Elepanta, developed by activist Ricardo Herrera, is out to help save these stately creatures and offer them a more natural existence through a creative wear-your-awareness campaign. Inspired by nature and dedicated to elephant conservation, the Elepanta brand, includes a range of rainbow-hued, make-me-happy, vaporous harem pants, blouses, shorts, swimsuits, beachwear, jewelry and other accessories in soft, airy textures and love-the-earth patterns.

Best of all, Elepanta donates a portion of every single sale to the Save Elephant Foundation, a nonprofit based out of Thailand that is working to protect elephants around the globe, making the brand’s offerings apparel-with-a-conscience, and that is definitely a happy bonus.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Men can get into a playful spirit with the new sporty swimwear collection of the Acapulco-based Ugly Duckling line.

These light, quick-dry swim shorts and short-sleeved shirts are 100 percent Mexican designs, using made-to-order fabrics from Colombia. From soft pastels to bold Hawaiian-style prints, the Ugly Duckling line has something for every taste, and comes in extra small to extra large sizes. And all the suits are lined with a special antibacterial cloth that protects against potential infections and chafing.

And as a fun twist, every single Ugly Duckling garment has a tiny duck hidden somewhere on it, usually in an unexpected location. Of course, the real trick is to try to find the occulted duck before waddling off to parade about in your personal beachy mallard style.

Light as Art

Lighting plays an major role in how you feel, and can dress up your home and surroundings with a distinctively artistic and cheery note, the ambiental equivalent of Prozac.

That is the premise behind a new temporary exhibit presented by the high-end Maison Diez, an exclusive Mexico-based illumination company.

In cooperation with an international team of interior designers and the Comex paint company, Maison Diez has transformed a once-abandoned, 100-year-old mansion in Mexico City’s Colonia Roma into a contemporary museum of light-as-art experiences. Each room expresses a different theme and shows how lighting fixtures can become standout centerpieces. Interplaying with color, shapes and both natural and artificial light, the Maison Diez exhibit is well worth exploring and could serve as inspiration for brightening up your own abode.

Tours of the exhibit are available by appointment only through the end of December.