How to dress your way out of mid-term blues

Cambridge is FREEZING, your will to live is depleting at an alarming rate, work is building up to dizzying heights, and when was the last time you did laundry? That's right, week 5 is almost here – and one way to defeat those blues is to give your wardrobe, and by proxy, yourself, a pep talk.

What you wear can have an amazing effect on your mood – bright colours to cheer you up, comfy fabrics to keep you feeling cosy, new accessories to give a little bit of pop to your everyday look. Whether it's the outfit you need to force yourself out of bed for your 9am, the study sesh in the library ensemble to keep you happy and focussed, or just something guaranteed to get your photo on our weekly Best Dressed at Cindies column, The Tab has you covered.

Bright colours to brighten your day

Colour psychology is experiencing a resurgence in fashion at the moment – see Adidas' Adicolour campaign, or the block colours that dominated NYFW – and it's hard to deny the mood-boosting effects of a sunshine-y yellow, or a confident ruby-red. Leave cool colours behind for warm, bright tones – Cambridge in February might be an unsightly mass of browns and ice-y blues, but that doesn't mean you can't bring sunshine back to your wardrobe.

No hard feelings t-shirt – Topshop, £14.

Stay positive with this simple, but colourful addition to your wardrobe – reminding you to chill out once in a while, as well as giving you the added lift of a soft-tone yellow and a cosy, comfy fabric. Easily styled, for days when you need something low-effort but mood-boosting – this will look good paired with anything, and will keep you feeling like sunshine all day long.

Red plisse culottes – Nobody's Child, £12.50

These bright red trousers are straight-up Valentines' Day material – regardless of whether or not you have a date. Red is punchy, confidence-boosting, and keeps you feeling bold and brave in the face of 9ams and essay deadlines. Swish down Kings' Parade in these and brighten up your, and everyone else's, day.

Knitted cardigan – ASOS, £32

I know, I know – I, too, have had mixed feelings about cardigans ever since I stopped being eight years old. But this one is cosy, bright, and beautiful – the perfect foil to Antarctic trips to Mainsbury's for some very necessary 80p cookies, keeping you warm and at the centre of everyone's attention. The long sleeves are eminently snuggle-able, the knit is luxuriously soft, and – I cannot stress this enough – yellow is THE way forward for when February blues are getting you down.

Sparkles & glitter – a guaranteed Cindies magnet

NIP+FAB highlighter – ASOS, £12.99

Okay, so not strictly an item of clothing, but this highlighter is INSANE – like pouring liquid gold all over yourself, except less in a Game of Thrones way and more of in a luxurious highlighted cheekbone kind of way. The amazing thing about liquid highlighter is that its buildable and easy to use – a little dab on your cheekbones for a soft finish, a few drops in your foundation for a dewy, natural look, or layers upon layers on cheekbones, nose, cupid's bow, eye corners, and anywhere else you want to SHINE, for ultimate light-and-eye-catching shine. Being a disco ball is literally guaranteed to lift your mood.

Mini skirt and top – Forever 21, £16 and £14

Possibly not the most weather-appropriate ensemble in this list, but just throw on a pair of tights and a very big, very furry (faux, of course) coat (and yes, you will probably resign it to the cloakroom on arrival, but £2 is definitely worth NOT contracting hypothermia while also looking STELLAR). This two-tone co-ord is lovely – iridescent when it hits the light, alternating between white, pink, and mint green, the kind of outfit you can't stop admiring when you wear it. Ideal.