Dog Fashion: A Brief History

Last week a batch of photographs cataloged at the Library of Congress was released to the public. This collection features bulldogs dressed as people in attire that was very popular in the time frame they were taken. The intriguing thing about these photographs is that they were taken around 1905, when cameras were only affordable for the wealthy and creative photography was very scarce. The first cameras were very different from modern cameras; you had to remain frozen in one position for a number of minutes before the picture was taken. This is  very different from modern cameras where you can take numerous pictures instantly. One would wonder how the photographer got the dogs to remain completely still for so long, with a pipe in their mouth no less!
 After seeing these photos that are more than a century old, you may ponder just how far back dog fashion is embedded in history and the answer might shock you! Dog clothing is not a new manifestation; its background reaches back all the way to 520 A.D! When King Arthur ruled over Great Britain, dogs were employed in the military and law enforcement and donned protective clothing to keep them shielded from injury, cold temperatures and dampness. Dog collars date back even longer, at least to 3100 B.C. Ancient Egyptians embellished their canines in collars that were fashioned out of leather with copper, bronze, and gold adornments. These were not operative collars for guidance or identification, they were proclamations of wealth. Detailed artwork illustrates the Royal courts of Europe with dogs clad in bejeweled dog collars and dog coats. Princess Victoria corresponded in 1833 of donning her spoiled pup in a jacket and pants. At that time, in 19th century Paris, you could readily find dog specialty shops catering to pet fashion for the well to do. Popular writers transcribed in detail articles pertaining to dog fashion and what ensembles were proper for particular occasions.
 While the canine fashion industry has witnessed an enormous growth spurt in the past decade, dog fashion itself has existed for thousands of years. Where it used to be limited strictly to royalty and the wealthy using only the finest textiles and valuable gems, recent technology and innovations have encouraged mass production and affordable materials. This has allowed dog clothing to be readily available for the middle class consumer. Though a lot of clothing is used for operative reasons - protection, warmth and dryness, and medical reasons- designer dog clothing is in huge demand and options are limitless. Dog fashion is a flourishing industry and is here to stay!