|
Click Here
for more Articles
|
|
|
|
The
Trickiest Gift On Your Shopping List - Clothes!
|
|
by:
Carolyn Schweitzer
|
Thinking of Giving Clothes as a Gift? There's
one Recipient on your Gift List Who's Sure to be Thrilled.
When it comes to the art of giving, a gift of clothes is fraught with
peril. We've all had encounters from the receiving end. We all have
stories to tell. If you don't, you will, just give it time.
Mine started early. My grandmother, having survived the Depression,
knew how to stretch a dollar. Buying clothes for her grandkids meant
getting everything 3 or 4 sizes too big so we could "grow into it". We
endured our baggy clothes, with the sleeves and pant legs rolled up,
until we were finally big enough to wear them with dignity. By which
time we'd more or less destroyed them.
Then there's my husband. Heaven forbid I should try to give the man a
Polo shirt with an uneven hemline. Polos are usually made longer in the
back to help them stay "tucked", but hubby goes un-tucked -- always. He
shuns any shirt that breaks his rule, no matter how subtly. For an
otherwise easy-going guy, it's almost perverse.
If you must give clothes this season, there's one giftee on your list
sure to look great in any outfit you buy him. He'll wear your gift with
pride and appreciation, head held high and tail wagging.
That's right, your dog. Or your best friend's dog. It's so easy it's
almost a no-brainer.
Dogs love any kind of attention you lavish on them. So, Spike will wear
his outfit - whether it's cute or ridiculous - as soon as he sees how
happy it makes his owner. Fido will eat up all that extra attention he
gets from strangers. And Fifi might even learn to Vogue for the
camera.
Clothes shopping for dogs is a lot like clothes shopping for babies.
Unless you're going for practicality, cuteness is the bottom line. And
it's easy to accomplish, given that any dog wearing clothes looks
pretty darned cute.
Choices in dog clothes range from winter sweaters to football jerseys
and summer tees. You can get a set of flannel PJ's for bedtime or a
terry robe for after bath. There's even an entire line of Harley
clothes for dogs, complete with leather cap and studded collar. Dog
costumes made for parties and holidays are just too cute for
words.
If you really want your gift to be a hit with admirers, accessorize.
Try a designer dog collar and maybe a cool pair of sunglasses--they
make them just for dogs. And I recently heard that leg warmers are
making a come back.
Got a mischievous sense of humor? Making the baby look too silly might
be a no-no, but it's good clean fun when it comes to dressing up your
dog.
There's really only a couple of rules you'll need to keep in mind when
shopping for dog clothes. One is that if the dog in question is an avid
chewer, you should avoid buying him anything too tempting. Shiny
buttons, fringe, and feathers are examples that come to mind. An object
that can easily be chewed off and swallowed becomes a choking hazard or
can get stuck in the dog's digestive tract.
The other rule is that any dog, no matter how tolerant, will be more
comfortable wearing clothes that fit. Proper fit typically requires
measuring from the dog's collar to the base of her tail for length.
Most garment's girth can be adjusted with velcro tabs, but could still
be an issue with a barrel-chested breed such as a bulldog. Measurements
are in inches.
Remember that a dog will never "diet down" into an outfit that's too
small , or -- unless you're shopping for a puppy or a pregnant female
-- "grow into" an item that's too big. (Sorry, Grandma.)
Oh, and one more thing--if you're handy with a sewing machine, you can
make your own dog clothes creations. Just don't forget to
include an opening for the dog to relieve himself. Don't laugh, it
happens a lot!
Now, if you're shopping for your own dog, you're all set. If you're
buying clothes for someone else's dog, I've got a few more tips for you.
Surveys conducted on the subject of gift preferences of men and women
have shown that men prefer gifts that are more playful or practical.
So, if the dog's owner is male this might translate into a doggie
Harley jacket or a reflective hunting vest (more on practical clothing
in another article!).
Women, on the other hand, prefer gifts that are beautiful, memorable,
and personal--except if the woman is someone you don't know well. The
more distant the relationship between giver and receiver, the riskier
it is to give a personal gift. So, be they man or woman, if you don't
know the dog owner very well, you probably shouldn't be buying dog
clothes.
This leaves us with the woman who's a loved one, dear friend, or close
personal acquaintance. It shouldn't be hard to find an item for her dog
that's either beautiful or memorable or both, and it will of course be
personal!
I hope you'll have fun picking out something nice for the canine on
your shopping list. If you get a chance, send me a photo. I love cute
doggie pics and I'll add them to my site. Think of it as a gift that
I'm sure to appreciate!
About the author:
© 2004, Carolyn Schweitzer. Lifelong dog-lover,
power-shopper, and former family dentist Carolyn Schweitzer is owner
and editor of Great-Dog-Gift.com If you need inspiration for dog
clothes, visit her at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/dog_clothes.html.
The site offers a wide range of choices for dog gift shoppers, plus
shopping and gift-giving tips. (Also advice on dog care and feeding.)
She's always looking for new dog gift ideas and dog stories to share
with her readers. You can reach her by email at
netbrainer@verizon.net.
Circulated by Article Emporium
|
|
