"Doggy Style"

Now that I got your attention!

Fashion truly has gone to the dogs these days... (couldn't resist THAT one!)...
Now when I heard about "Pet Fashion Week," I just knew I had to go. I arrived in Chelsea this afternoon and headed to the venue. It was basically a trade show for buyers and store-owners to see what's trendy in pet fashions. As expected, the room was filled with an array of frilly doggie dresses, burberry-style coats, faux fur coats (oh the irony,) blinged out collars, (Swarovski was even an event sponsor!) cutesy carriers and more "canine couture" than you could shake a tail at. For the truly pampered pooch, there was even an array of spa products - because we know how stressful life can be (LOL!!!) However, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would find such items as doggy sunglasses, neck ties (yes, neck ties!!) necklaces, and even HELMETS - for the occasional pooch that likes to hop on the back of his owner's hog (yes, there was even a woman there who takes her dog on her motorcycle with her!!) The evening was being capped off with a runway fashion show but I decided to skip figuring I'd seen enough (lol.) I have to say I was very disappointed with the seemingly blatant abscence of items for cats. I even approached one vendor, picked up a knitted sweater vest and said "can I put this on my cat? He has a lion cut and gets cold in the winter" (IT'S TRUE!!! LOL) and the man responded "you DON'T dress cats" with a scowl. (umm, ok well YOU may not, but I DO hee hee.) Even as I walked through the aisles and aisles of doggie accessories, I felt like I didn't belong - like they were all whispering "there's a cat lover among us!!" I wanted to say 'hey, we're really not that different! really!'

So for all you pet lovers that ARE interested, the trends I spotted were very indicative of what's happening in the fashion world today: animal prints are the new neutral (now your furry friends really can be king of the jungle aka your home,) the more blinged out the better and there is and never will be a shortage of ridiculous ways you can dress up your pet (thanks Paris Hilton for starting this trend.) I even wrote a piece for the Wag which was published in May about wigs and in my research, discovered there is now a company making wigs for dogs!!! (in case they are embarassed by their receeding hairlines??!!!)

However, near the end of the afternoon I did run into a publisher who handed me a new book called the "Gay's Guide to Dogs" (seriously! It's really cute and funny!) and of course, I told him about the book I am working on (which has nothing to do with animals) and he was actually interested and agreed to look @ my proposal (woohoo!) So something good did come out of the day - even for a cat person like me. :)

But the question we must ask - what's next? Louis Vuitton horse saddles??