Remember back in the day when “dressing up your dog” meant purchasing your pup a special Halloween costume or buying a holiday sweater? Not more than a decade ago, if you did more than seasonal attire for your dog, other dog owners might cast a wary eye (or even smirks) your way.
Well, those days are long gone and dressing up your pet has entered everyday pet life. But we’re not talking costumes here; we’re talking really nice, comfortable, and stylish attire for your pets.
YOU DON’T NEED A REASON OR A SEASON
Dressing up your dog is today’s new normal. How do we know pet attire has become mainstream? One clue is that leading fashion designers for HUMANS are creating wildly successful pet clothing lines. Who are these designers, you ask? The names may (or may not) surprise you, and include Barbour, Moncler, Prada, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Temellini, Heron Preston, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Moschino and more.
Another indicator that pet attire is fashionable is a recent study conducted by Fortune Business Insights. The study discloses that pet attire has a booming global market size of $5.01 billion in 2020 that is expected to reach $7.0 billion by 2028. And what is it that us pet owners are buying? Coats and jackets (22.65%) followed by sweaters and hoodies, shirts, and tops and then “others.”
HISTORY OF DOG ATTIRE
- 6000 B.C. The oldest known depiction of a dog collar is on rock art panels in the Shuwaymis region of what is today Saudi Arabia.
- 1570 – 1069 B.C. Dog collars in Egypt are now works of art with intricate designs and ornamentation and often inscribed with the dogs’ names.
- 612 B.C. Ornate collars began appearing in Mesopotamia with upper-class owners.
- 559 to 331 B.C. Dogs of the upper class in Persia were made of gold and given fine linen to wear.
- 16th Century Europe – Dogs had been considered more utilitarian until the Renaissance when dog collars began to become more refined; however, it wasn’t until the 18th century that upper-class owners purchased ornate collars for their dogs.
- 2003 First pet fashion show is held in New York City.
- 2012 Pet clothing becomes more mainstream and exceeded the $47.5 million mark.
- 2020 Pet apparel global market hits $5.01 billion in sales.
- 2028 Expected pet apparel global market to reach $7.0 billion.
For more information on the history of the dog collar, check out Joshua Mark’s article: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1605/a-brief-history-of-the-dog-collar/
FLORIDA TRENDS (JUST SO YOU’RE IN THE KNOW)
We live in Florida, and as Floridians, we enjoy our nice weather and love to walk our dogs. And why not have a little fun while we’re out and about with our dogs?
“Dressing our companion animals can be an extension of the person’s style, interests and even lifestyle,” notes longtime pet boutique owner, Michelle Kownacki. In her 23 years of owning Paws Pet Boutique (www.pawspetboutique.com ), she relates that the options for dog wear have expanded greatly.
The movement started about 20 years ago, she notes, when functional pieces, such as collars, leashes, and ID tags, “began to grow to include more designs and styles connected with the person’s lifestyle and interests.” She explains that a person who enjoyed boating might seek out a collar/leash to share that interest through their dog’s apparel. “From that point, categories like harnesses, bandannas, winter wear, t-shirts and even dresses began broadening with more options over the years.”
“Daily walks and outings are a reason to style your dog,” says Deana Skinner, owner/CEO of Sniff N Tug (www.sniffntug.com and IG:@sniffntug ). “Dog lovers are proud of their fur babies and love to showcase their cuteness.” Skinner adds, “Dressing up creates the perfect photo opp.”
Jacksonville Beach pet apparel designer, Brittanie Holtz, owner of The Sunny Dog Co (www.etsy.com/shop/thesunnydogco and IG:@thesunnydogco ) sees bandanas as one of the biggest trends right now in our area. “Anything from light floral prints to pastel or more neutral designs” is trending, and with the Jaguars having a winning season, Holtz relates that a top seller is a watercolor painted football print: “It’s different than just a standard football print and people love it!”
Another trend is personalization, says Holtz. “Having their dog’s name on the bandana or little sayings have been a huge hit.”
NOT JUST FOR LITTLES ANYMORE
Though owners of small and medium dogs “seem to gravitate more to fashionable accessories, fashion is not breed specific,” relates Skinner, adding that “all breeds appreciate style.”
“There are options out there for all size dogs,” notes Kownacki. “From our experience, people with smaller dogs tend to explore more apparel categories than those with larger dogs. However, functional outerwear, like a raincoat, can be of interest to people with any size dog because it’s the person who has to dry off the dog!” She adds that unique collars are also enjoyed by people and dogs of all sizes, “It’s an easy way to make a fashion statement!”
Matching sets, such as collar and leash sets, as well as coordinating sets (collar and leash matching with custom tag, and a coordinating, comfortable walking harness) are other ways larger breed dog owners can have some fun and change up looks with the seasons without completely breaking the bank. And bandanas are always in fashion and can easily be changed on a whim.
FLORIDA DOG MODELS WEIGH IN ON FASHION
Local 904 dog model, Fern, a chihuahua/papillon/unknown breed mix (IG: JustFerningAround ) has been modeling for Sniff N Tug since the fall of 2022, says his human, Stephanie Means. A 2021 Top 10 Finalist in People Magazine’s “Cutest Rescue Dog Competition,” Fern appears on dog brand Instagram pages, notes Means. “He’s always been a good model because he isn’t camera shy,” explains Means, noting that “he has a natural head tilt when I say his secret favorite words.”
Does Fern have a favorite style? His mom loves bandannas, as they are comfortable and wearable no matter the temperature, she says, and they aren’t a huge investment. Fern also loves the Sniff N Tug harnesses (the tropical harnesses and leashes, especially) and he favors the brand Lucy and Co. (www.lucyand.co and IG:@lucyand.co ).
Floridian dog model Finn (Finnegan Rienzi IG: @mydood_finnegan ), a red mini-goldendoodle, can be spotted wearing the latest in Florida fashion for many different pet fashion designers.
In particular, Finn likes to rock bowties. Finn’s human, Maria Rienzi, remarks that their love of bowties started when she saw a picture of Finn from his breeder wearing, “a bowtie with a huge smile on his face.” She adds that “still to this day, my favorite item to buy Finn is a bowtie. It fits his personality so well and I can’t help but smile looking at him.”
What are Finn’s other fashion statements? “The first two items I made sure I had for Finn here in Florida were a raincoat and a life jacket from Ruffwear.” As those locals who have lived through a rainy season or two here in Jacksonville, a breathable raincoat is a terrific addition to those with coated breeds. And the dog raincoat is a perfect example of functional and fashionable attire.
(You can visit all Finn’s recommendations here: https://linktr.ee/mydood_finnegan )
PERSONAL PET CHOICE
Dress up or not? From wearing a matching collar/harness and leash with specialty ID tags, to designer sweaters, and everything in between – how and why you dress up your dog boils down to this – it’s an extension of you (the owner) and a reflection of what you love most about your dog’s character.
“Dressing companion animals can be an extension of the person’s style, interests and even lifestyle. Plus, it’s an easy way to have a little fun in life!” says Kownacki. “One client recently mentioned that they like to dress their pup in cute pieces because it’s an easy way to meet people when you’re out with your dog. The extra dog attention doesn’t hurt either!”
Michelle Kownacki / www.pawspetboutique.com
- About the Author
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Author of more than 28 dog and dog training books, writer of hundreds of dogcentric magazine articles, and internationally awarded pet photographer of more than 1000 canines, Joan H. Walker relates that her life has literally gone to the dogs.
When she’s not photographing or writing about dogs, she is, you guessed it, spending time with her dogs. Walker is currently owned by four Havanese and is the chief pawtographer at Jacksonville, Florida’s The PAWtographers.
