|
Sometimes, fashion requires more than fur
November
6, 2008
For warm-blooded Southerners, a hint of cold weather has us grabbing
winter wear even though the thermometer registers only 50 degrees.
For some reason, we can't wait to walk down the street sporting our
stylish new coat as if we're in New York rather than New Orleans.
Pet lovers often extend this clothing fetish to include animals of
the household.
A few years ago, my partner and I were in one of the big chain pet
stores when our eyes were transfixed by the most stylish dog jacket
we'd ever seen. We couldn't resist getting that faux-leather bomber
jacket for our pit bull Lola. We had images of Amelia Earhart flying
in our heads.
The first minute of that first cold snap of the winter season, we
pulled out her jacket and took her out for a walk so that she could
be admired, fawned over and maybe even picked up by a Hollywood
agent looking for the next big canine star. Rin Tin Tin move over.
Heres comes Lola, the fighter pilot.
In December 2004, when New Orleans experienced a rare, albeit brief
snowfall, Lola's bomber jacket was the perfect accessory, until her
fellow canine housemate Caesar, not even a year old, decided it was
more fun to tear the coat off Lola's back than enjoy snowflakes.
Dressing our pets in outerwear, whether out of vanity or necessity,
is big business. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association
estimates that people will spend more than $43 billion on pets this
year, including food, vet care, grooming and luxury items, including
outerwear.
For smaller breed dogs with short-hair coats, such as Chihuahuas or
dachshunds, even a slight chill in the air can seem reason enough to
bring out the sweaters. And in truly cold climates, where some pets'
paw pads can be sensitive to de-icing salts and chemicals, footwear
is not unheard of.
To clothe or not to clothe is a decision that our pets may determine
for us. Many will resist the layered look. My feline pet Pepper
would issue a backhand that would rival Venus Williams if I tried to
clothe her.
-
Gloria Dauphin
|
