We, in America, seem to love dressing things up. This is especially true when it comes to our faithful four-legged friends.
It's pretty commonplace to see someone's canine companion accompany him or her to a coffee shop, on a park bench, bus or train.
Then again, it also isn't so extraordinary to observe passers-by with a phone in their hand, and an iPod plugged into their head. Sometimes our laptops even accompany us to coffee shops or on park benches, buses and trains.
Electronic companion, canine companion — same thing?
A person's idea of relaxing at home can involve both. For some, relaxing translates to having the TV on, computer in lap and cell phone no further than an arm's length away. (Hey, as long as you're sitting down, right?) Others may also like to curl up with their pets.
The comfort we seek in our own homes, combined with our love of gadgets and being lazy, a new niche market seems to have emerged — blankets with sleeves.
These inventions allow us to eat, drink, text, talk on the phone, type papers or Facebook chat, without having to remove our arms from the warmth of a blanket. Could life get any easier? One such brand, the Snuggie, has even begun to warrant attention in the fashion world — and not just for humans.
During fashion week in September, both human and canine models walked these unusual-looking fleece fashion statements down the runway. That's right, pups in Snuggies made it to fashion week — an opportunity many human models just might kill for.
"Fashion forward" versions of the blanket with sleeves were shown to introduce new colors and patterns including animal prints, tie-dye and camouflage. Some even had college logos.
Recently, stores such as Walgreens have become stocked with the "Snuggie Designer Series" or "Snuggie Wild Side," as they've been named. The series includes camel, zebra and leopard print Snuggies. For dogs, the Snuggie is available in four sizes and two colors.
Why dress our furry friends in a blanket with sleeves? Besides the fact that seeing a dog in a Snuggie could melt just about anyone's heart, they're supposedly used to keep pets warm. Snuggies for humans, on the other hand, do keep us warm, but also make us look like wizards adorned in fleece. (I know you've seen the infomercials.)
As long as Snuggies don't start leaving the house on people, things are under control. Snuggies for dogs, on the other hand, are one of the most adorable accessories someone can purchase for their pooch, and no dog should leave the house without one. Perhaps we'll be seeing more "fashionable" versions of the dog Snuggie before long. After all, the Fashion Institute of Technology has a fairly new major in pet product development.
Since adorning technology with different cases and skins is old news, pet clothing could be the next emerging market on the horizon. And you mean to tell me college graduates are worried about the lack of jobs?
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