Even dogs are sporting high fashion

It’s furry, it’s cute and it has a tendency to rummage through your closet when you’re not… It’s furry, it’s cute and it has a tendency to rummage through your closet when you’re not home. Surprisingly, it’s not your unshaven roommate – it’s your inquisitive dog, who just might be trying on your clothing as we speak.

Just when you think you’ve heard enough men complain about women taking their styles (ties, cuff links, wife beaters), a new breed of fashionistas has taken over everyone’s style, and the craziness is just beginning.

Allow me to introduce the modern day, perfectly posh pet that flaunts pearl necklaces, fedoras and Polo vests, all while prancing on polished nails. And according to designer Isaac Mizrahi, who has a canine haute couture line for Target Corp., pet fashion is ahead of us by a season.

Now more than ever, clothing stores are equipping their merchandise with high-fashion clothing and accessories for dogs and cats. Gone are the days of basic dog blankets and simple sweaters; clothing stores are making fashion statements for the bitch with flair.

Even online boutiques like dogmcuk.com and thepetspizzazz.com, are providing fashion-forward merchandise for the nouveau canine lifestyle. Complete with Halloween costumes and a velvet tuxedo with a hot pink gown for the soon to be doggy-style wedding, we aren’t the only ones concerned with living the high life.

The newfound takeover became apparent to me during a brisk walk to my Pilates class one Tuesday afternoon. Upon seeing a dog in a zebra printed dress, I blinked twice and assumed the dreadful hike to the Pete had finally gotten to me.

But it wasn’t Cardiac Hill that made me lose my stream of consciousness. Right before my eyes was a high-class tail-wagger laced in-lace. Originally thinking the owner had psychological problems, I soon realized it wasn’t just her – it’s America’s addiction.

Anyone who saw VH1’s “Fabulous Life of Celebrity Pets” knows that spending $300 on a cashmere sweater with pearls and $100,000 on a diamond-encrusted collar has become a reality – even if the prime offenders are the insanely rich and famous Paris Hilton and Hilary Swank.

Since when have we started catering to the fashionable whims of a domestic animal? Maybe I missed the memo, but shouldn’t Bowwow be treated as a mere household pet and not a fashion icon?

I have sincere adoration for fashion, and I hustle for nice things, but I fear that pet owners will go overboard. Before you know it, Fido will bark for Gucci and Prada, turning pet owners into obsessive-compulsive, beyond-ridiculous problems.

In my research, I decided to take a trip to Petsmart and get the skinny on the new pup fashion that everyone’s barking about. Much to my surprise, I was completely bewildered by the growing trend. Now, I understand that pets are a part of our families and that they deserve the best the world has to offer, but dog booties, faux-fur coats and fleece pajamas are way more than over the top.

Gooby Pet Fashion, commonly known as the Gap and Banana Republic for dogs, produces one-of-a-kind pet fashions infused with Health Guard, a 100 percent safe chemical that helps fight off fleas and ticks. With the collaboration between functionality and safety, you can be sure to find leather sandals and rubber rain boots to protect your pet’s paws from inclement weather.

Sound a bit weird?

Not for harrybarker.com, where you and your dog can have similar shirts, jackets and even bath robes. And if your senior pet has joint problems and a bad back, she can rest comfortably on the Harry Barker futon. With a selection of fashionable, removable slipcovers and a 3 inch orthopedic foam mattress with zipper side closures, harrybarker.com caters to your pampered pooch.

Of course prices vary, but most of the pet merchandise ranges from $32- $70, with Petsmart being the most inexpensive.

So what’s next, a dog fashion show in New York during the infamous fashion week, or how about a Global Pet Expo where vendors and buyers can gather to revel in pet trends? Oh, wait, these things happened last year.

Well, I guess Rover might need a walk-in closet after all – just like the rest of us.

Deena doesn’t own a pet, but she loves looking at the cute dog outfits and often wishes she had a brown Maltese to fit in her purse. E-mail her at dmc18@pitt.edu and tell her about your pet fashion finds.