One of my four jobs is dog-sitting, which I love and take very seriously. However, after a stint of back-to-back dog-sitting gigs, I noted to a friend, "If I had a dog of my own in the city, I'd give it about two weeks before I'm taking her on walks in my underwear."
When I wrote How Hot Do You Look At Home? last year, a few readers were appalled that I'd suggest that the aesthetics of the inhabitants might influence the style, feel, and experience of a home, but most people had cute and interesting things to say. One commenter wrote, "If you want to take a sample of what people wear while they're at home, look at what people are wearing to walk their dogs at 6am or 10pm. I have seen people go out in less clothing than would be appropriate at the beach, all the way to smoking jackets and things to be found on street style blogs." While I find this insightful and adorable, I think having to take the dogs out at intervals adds a delicious element of randomness to our ensembles. Maybe I'm lounging in a perfectly-appropriate nightgown and slippers… but if one of the dogs needs to go out, I'll throw on gym shoes, a hoodie, and maybe my winter dress coat, with some inside-out leggings pulled on underneath it all. If I'm sleeping in proper pyjamas but one of the older dogs needs to go out in the middle of the night, then perhaps I'll add rainboots, a sweatshirt, and my trench coat. Street style bloggers, get a load of me!
I guess it's really the late-night/early-morning dog walks that I'm discussing here. When it's so late nobody's out, or when it's so early it's still dark, it's hard to get motivated to start your outfit from scratch. Just throw on layers as needed! I would never run to the corner store or the mailbox in such a disheveled state, but somehow having a dog at my side says, "I'm basically still at home, everybody". Home is where your dog is!
What do you consider acceptable for taking your dogs out, day or night? Does this change if you have friends/colleagues/crushes in your neighborhood? Are you like the lady in red above, and look more pulled-together taking your dogs out than the rest of us will on our wedding days? Do you secretly love the fashion mash-ups you see on other dog-owners? Tell all!
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Clothing is acceptable. I really dislike seeing people roll out of bed and walk the dog in pajamas. This is the public space people, out of respect for others (as well as yourself) put some freakin' clothes on.
I haven't given this a lot of thought as we have a fenced yard, so when my dogs need to "go," I can stay safely inside and for the most part out of view of my neighbors. But I've had some pretty exciting ensembles on while going on a cleaning binge (paint and bleach marked clothes, smeared day-old makeup, etc) and taking out the garbage.
Okay I live in an extremely cold part of Canada - minus 40 with the windchill this morning. Right now I just throw the dog out the back door but I'm soon moving to another very cold city and will be living in an apartment that will mean I'll have to walk him. And he's big and will definitely need fairly long walks.
So the other day in a used clothing store, I saw a huge, long, real fur coat for only $200. Now I would never buy a fur coat for every day wear but you can't beat them for warmth on really cold days. Plus it would cover EVERYTHING. I could go out in my jammies with my fur coat thrown overtop and I'd look dressed up.
I haven't bought it yet because I'm concerned about people throwing paint on me. But it's tempting. That and my big mukluks, a big furry hat with ear lops, a pair of embroidered native mitts and I'd be ready for winter. No scratch the mitts, I need the kind of mitts that are gloves underneath and have a mittlike flap over them so I can hold the leash and pick up poop.
This is the reason I only wear dedicated sleepwear on special occasions.
If you sleep in something fit to go running in, all you have to do in the morning is to put your running shoes on when you take the dog out. You're not likely to catch me walking the dogs in blue pyjamas decorated with little pink albatrosses. :-P
When I'm at home, I can lounge in whatever pajamas I want. When I go outside, even if it's to run to CVS, I put on real pants. I think it's trashy for people to be in public wearing pajamas. I once encountered an entire family of tourists getting on the subway in pajamas. Do you have no pride?
I walk my dog in whatever I'm wearing at the time. The content on AT is getting pretty tenuous.
I don't have an animal to walk, but I just had to say that I love, love that puppy's face! So stinkin' cute :)
I don't care if a dog sitter dresses like Herb Tarlek as long as they pick up after their dog.
Oh man, I'm so guilty of the walking fashion disaster. I'll put on a robe if it's late and I've just showered, I'll wear booty shorts with snow boots and a thin t-shirt and my roommate's too-small jacket if it's cold, I'll stand juuuust outside the door to my backyard with a t-shirt and sans pants... It's exciting. I always hope it's either too dark or I'm too concealed for anyone to see me. (Not to mention the lack of makeup and creative hair arrangements.)
All my neighbors know what my pajamas look like. That's how I roll, baby! But I'm not walking around in negligees, or anything. Knit pants or shorts, comfy tshirt, fleece thrown on if it's chilly. Of course, it's those weekend mornings, full on messy pj's and crazy hair brief "just out for a quick pee and back" walks that I tend to bump into the most neighbors. Ack!
I concur with Maybe Sunday!
I got a chuckle out of reading this. I used to be such a fashionista with my corporate job but now that I get to work out of my home full time everyday I'm dressed in what I would consider my pj's (lounge pants, cami w/ built in bra shelf and a hoodie) w/ slippers and always a robe thrown on top of it. For the most part I can hide myself up against the back of the house while I keep an eye on my dogs and make sure the coyote's don't get them but when I walk across the yard to the barn to feed the horses all the neighbors and anyone driving past will get a full view of me in my pj's and robe and you know what...I could care less! It's not like I'm naked, I'm just far too lazy to get "properly dressed" every time I have to take that stroll.
My dogs first walk of the day, which is just an around the block potty break is done in more or less whatever I was sleeping in. Sometimes that's PJs and I throw on a coat or a sweatshirt. In the summer it's cotton shorts and a tank top. When I wake up my dog wants to go out immediately and his comfort trumps my style. I don't buy into the whole wearing pjs or sweat pants is disrespectful in public thing. If you are going to a nice restaurant or meeting a friend then appropriate clothing is necessary, but going to CVS or picking up dog poop in my PJs isn't hurting anyone.
Later in the day walks, I'm typically dressed, though depending on what I'm wearing at home it's anything from yoga pants to dress clothes.
I'm just glad the dog's being taken for a walk. :(
Like pinkalbatross, I also sleep in exercise clothes because they're comfortable and duel purpose.
Taking the dog for a walk, a REAL walk, as in doing your job as a pet owner and providing your dog with sufficient exercise, requires pretty much the same clothes you'd wear to the gym. Not easy to do in "dedicated" pjs (as worded perfectly by pinkalbatross) or work clothes and heels.
/soapbox
Maybe I'm weird but I wear the same pjs for a few nights in a row...I don't have enough potential sleepwear items to get them sweaty and dirty every day with dog walks. For our morning walks, it's sweats in the winter and shorts in the summer with yesterday's t-shirt. For a mid-day stroll 'n sniff or bathroom break I'll add sneakers to whatever I'm already wearing. Can't recall the last time we had to out in the middle of the night...an adult dog on scheduled meals means we'd only need to go out at night if she's sick.
I think a lot of it depends on location and density of people. I used to live in a dense rowhouse neighborhood, and wouldn't you know it, while walking my dog at midnight or 1am, my good freind/neighbor was walking his dog and said, "nice PJs". I was wearing my blackwatch plaid flannel PJ pants with essentially a parka over them -- it was about 10-20 degrees outside. Now I will only wear jeans when walking the dog, no matter wear I am.
I bought a pair of bright pink Hunter boots with the excuse of wearing them to let the dogs out. So happy to have a fenced in yard now as well! But I live in Denver so everyone is pretty much always in North Face and workout clothes.
We live in a condo complex and if my dogs need to go out to go to the bathroom, I usually just take them out in whatever I'm wearing, pajamas included. If we're venturing beyond our front yard though, on a walk or something, I'll put on jeans and a hoodie.
I think that it doesn't really matter what you wear when walking the dog wether it's pajamas or your heals after a late night out. I believe that modesty is key though. If you wouldn't wear it in front of your Grandmother or to school drop off, you shouldn't wear it in the neighborhood.
I don't care what other people wear. If they are comfortable naked I will learn to be comfortable with them being naked. If they dress in pink feathers and sequin bikini I'll cheer for that eccentric flamingos.
To whoever said they just throw their dog outside and don't have to walk it: dogs are social creatures and having proper, long, regular walks i.e. once a day at the least is about much more than going to the toilet. This is when your dog socialises, takes in new smells, marks territory and becomes used to strangers, children, cars and things. It's really important if you want a happy and well adjusted pet.
And fur coat person, you could save $200 and a not run the risk of people throwing paint over you by just getting dressed to walk your dog.
As I live in an inelegant, somewhat raffish part of my city, what I wear is not an issue. PJ's on early morning or very late short p-walks with elder Chihuahua, but then a more running to Tarzhay-type outfit if it's a complete round-the-block with the big dogs. A neighbor across the street brings her puppies out (they often breed their Siberians) while wearing "clothing" that makes the homeless pushing grocery carts down the street look nearly posh.
I wear whatever I want, because life is too short to worry about what other people think of my dog-walking attire.
I do, however, pick up after him, because unlike my personal clothing choices, that *is* something that affects other people.
There was some mention of coyotes and barns and horses... I suspect these dogs have quite a lot of stimulation and socialization, especially with an owner who works from home.
Ruth Tooth, my dog gets a lot of socialization. When I said I throw him out the back door I was referring to him getting his business done first thing in the morning or late at night. I also take him to the dog park and for walks in the park. Such judgemental comments for knowing so little of the back story.
And with regard to dressing for walking the dog, at minus 40 I'm suggesting that no matter what you dress in, you're going to be cold unless you have a very good outercoat and a fur coat sure would be that. Like I said, I'd never buy a fur coat new and I am actually vegetarian quite often, but an old fur coat? For minus 40 degree walks, can't beat it.
beatrix, absolutely agree.
This is one of those issues for me, like proper grammar, where I'm inclined to judge harshly. Then I remember I'm trying to be a better person so I pull back and remind myself it doesn't really matter. I try not to put on my PJs until the dog has had her last walk of the night, but I fail sometimes. Oh well.
I live in a cold climate, my style doesn't change much but to get through the weather I'm normally dresses in: yoga tights, tank top and sweater, tall fuzzy socks. When I need to take the dog out for walks or bathroom breaks I throw on my wool cape coat and sorel boots. I stay warm, its fast and everything is normally covered from the boots and coat except my knees. During the summer I do the same but have rain boots and a nice long trench coat that breaks mid thigh.
Oh gawd I'm so guilty of taking my pooch out in pjs. BUT I wear a coat over it! :) And I dont walk her like that. It's just a quick step out front. To walk her... I live in yoga pants and sneaks. I need to be comfy because we walk far! :)
I guess this depends on where you live. Maybe someone doesn't want to see people walking around in their PJs and ragged hoodie on the Upper East Side during daylight. When I lived in NYC I took my dog out after I was dressed for work. But now I don't live in NY and my dogs are older and expect to be let out within 5 minutes after my feet hit the floor in the morning. I am not going to change clothes between waking up and taking a shower. Maybe if your PJs are a flannel adult onesie with bunny feet... I think its more likely that people will find PJs that resemble street clothes (lounge pants and a t-shirt as opposed to a lace teddy, for example) if their daily lives involve dog walking.
This has absolutely nothing to do with living in an apartment. Okay, now that my simple rant is done, I'll answer the post. If it's the morning during the week, I'm fully dressed for work when I walk the dog. If it's the evening, it's black yoga pants and a tee in the warmer months or sweatshirt in the cooler months. Right now we have below freezing temps, so regardless of what I'm wearing I've got a red down jacket over it, a turquoise fleece beanie on my head, and most likely a pair of old Ugg boots on my feet. Being warm trumps being fashionable, though I always manage to look cute and pulled together.
AT, what is happening to you this week? First the what to do with the kids when you have a flu post and now this? I have a dog, contemplate this question, but refuse to answer it. Dog walking fashion is not why I come to this blog.
I have a full-time office job but also work as a "freelance dogsitter" through Dog Vacay, taking care of dogs in my home. I don't have a yard, so we go on lots of walks. In the morning and at night right before bed, I look TERRIBLE. I live in Minneapolis, so it's super cold. Sweat pants, rain boots, strange layers of sweaters and sweatshirts, no bra. It's awful. I have friends, my boyfriend, and neighbors who recognize me in the neighborhood, but oh well. But on leisurely weekend walks, when I'm wearing real clothes and bundled up in a cute winter coat and hat, the right dog makes me feel like a catalog model. There have been outfits and dogs that felt very, very L.L. Bean (a yellow lab, a spaniel).
Fun post!
It kind of does, actually! Living in an apartment with a dog is a unique thing. With no yard, you can't take the dog out and still be at home, hence the crazy, inconvenient early morning and late night walks, when you don't want to be out in public. I constantly have to assure my dogsitting clients that even though I live in an apartment, I can still take good care of their dogs.
Couldn't agree with you more-taking your dog "out" and taking her/him on an actual walk are two different things. I run with mine, but even when we are walking, I'm in my running attire. Anything else is just not practical or comfortable for a 3+ mile walk at a very quick pace.
I don't have a dog, but this winter I've devolved into taking my kid to preschool in a similar state as some of the dog-walkers here. This is the beauty of a long winter coat! The downside is that I have to have face-to-face contact with actual people, some of whom I know personally. Oh, well.
I have two whippets, who have lovely, matching (and rather expensive) coats that they wear in the winter, so I am usually the least fashionable of the three of us. The worst was when we lived in a shared house, and some of the other flatmates would leave the backyard gates open. The whippets would make a break for it, and I would have to chase them around the neighbourhood in whatever I happened to be wearing at the time. Yes, my neighbours got used to seeing me sprinting around the block in my PJ's, yelling "Treat! Come get a treat!" at the top of my lungs.
@Whipperwill, that mental image made me laugh, because I too have sprinted around the neighborhood like a crazy person yelling "the T word," as we call it (our dog knows and loves the word "treat")!
Hilarious! Just this morning as i got out of the shower i caught my pup in mid squat & raced her to the backyard wearing nothing but a towel. Thank goodness we have a fence!!!
@Amy Frances, I still don't get what this has to do with home design, apartment design, or anything else on apartment therapy unless they have started a pet channel, but dear god I hope not.
Yes, I have a dog, live in a city, don't have a yard. Don't see what that or what I wear when I walk my dog has anything to do with this site. I think it is more of a what not to wear topic.
May be not relevant to AT, but it's still funny...
Even tho' I live in a house with a fenced yard, sleeping in sweats & a T paid off big time a few months ago. I let the dogs out at noon for a pee--I work nights & sleep days--when they started barking like a pack of rabid wolves; the meter reader was in the yard. I ran out, got between the dogs & the pepper spray, put them on sit-stays, & then escorted them back inside, apoogizing to the meter reader with every breath. Poor man. I may have looked like a slob, but at least I was decent.
we have the cutest mini salt and pepper schauzer girl. to match her royal cuteness, we dress up to walk her, be it am or pm.
in general, i put thoughts into my outfits when i go out, even it was dog walking or grocery shopping. i have a closet full of cute clothes therefore it's a sin not to put them on display whenever chance i can. the only time i'd wear my lounge outfit (for my indoor cat that sheds like crazy) out is to take the trash to the apt dumpster.
This post just cracked me up because I'm a relatively new dog owner and have been pondering the same question. My dog adoption took place at the same time I started a yoga class. Having never tried yoga before I needed the proper attire and have since found it is a perfect ensemble for either my early morning walks or evening walks. For me, it is at least more put together than wearing a coat over my pajamas and equally comfortable for evening just spent lounging around the house too. The fact that my dog usually only barks at strangers when it is dark out is another reason I don't care to wear my pajamas out. She draws as much attention as possible to both of us!
I'm forced to assume that you live in a very conservative area (at least clothing wise). My pajamas are far more "presentable" in public space than many other people that I assume you might criticize in a lot of urban areas.
I live in rainy Seattle and there are many mornings when I clamor into my boyfriend's rain gear without much on underneath to take the dog out. While I wouldn't take a stroll through the park in pajamas, at 6AM I have no problem taking the dog out on a relatively main thoroughfare in my PJs!
I don't really see anybody walking dogs in PJ's. Myself, I would never walk the dogs in my PJ's but mostly because I do a "serious walk" (about 3 km through a conservation area) from spring to late fall, and I need to be comfortable. I wear either jeans or, in warmer weather, shorts (the cargo style, down to my knees). I need pockets for poopie bags (my dogs are rather productive in this department) and even before I didn't need to wear orthotics I would wear decent sneakers (decent in sense of well designed, supportive, comfortable - Merrell's are my choice).
Last year, I ran into a lady with a smaller dog and we chatted for a bit; and when she gave me her card and told me she was a dog walker. I was absolutely horrified because the lady was wearing a dress and FLIP FLOPS. What kind of walk does the dog get if you were flip flops? I thought "well, lady, I am sure not going to hire you".
I have to admit that here and there I am lazy and put the garbage to the curb wearing my PJ but that is usually very early in the morning when most people are still asleep. Sometimes, I also go out into the yard wearing my PJ's to pick up poop and I am sure my neighbours have spotted me but I have really nice neighbours on both sides and I know they cannot care less what I wear in my own backyard.
@Jackie
- I hope you will buy the $200 coat. (I thought Ruth's response to you was a bit rude). I would think that people who live in the same area would know better than to throw paint at you because nothing protects as real fur does. I am in s-w Ontario but the other day we had around -25 C (with widnchill) and I was grateful that all I need to do is to open the back door and the dogs will take care of themselves. (they were back at the door in 1 minute).
@Whipperwill
- hah, you made me laugh, that is exactly what I used to say (that my dogs are better dressed than me). I used to make greyhound coats.
I would appreciate if you could shoot me an email: boligee_piper and I use hotmail.
I think it's pretty cute when people are still in their PJs with sleep hair, walking their dogs.
I lived in a city when we first got our dog and it was not long before I realized I was letting him out in my pjs. But I will admit it was a bit of shock to walk out of my door, THEN remember that there were people in work clothes five feet away. There was lots of embarrassed retreating. Now I live in a very secluded home and I have to say the transition was a bit liberating.
nice one Bubusu-
All this judgement is ridiculous. Choose what you want to wear, when you want to wear it. Just don't choose what I am supposed to wear and when I need to wear it.
And if you are going to judge me at 5:30 am on a -25C Toronto morning when I am up with our Labrador and I have a slight smear of mascara under my eyes or a dishevelled look ... I don't care, that's your deal.
A lot of people have already said this, but just to add another voice--yeah I only buy pajamas/lounge clothes that can be worn in public (NYC for me). Lots of yoga pants and track pants. My vice though is that I don't wear a bra at home, so jackets (stiff but light weight or super-puffy for winter) are an essential part of my dog-walking wardrobe. But also as lots of people have said, that's because I have an old dog and often have to walk her at the drop of a hat.
I walk my dog in whatever I feel like, all that matters is that the poop gets picked up.. And I don't wear anything to bed.
I'm not for fur, but having lived in Canada, I understand how cold it can get. And fur makes a difference. A secondhand fur coat should be acceptable. I have a fox fur hat that I bought whilst living in Canada 25 years ago (it was still quite acceptable then to wear fur). It still looks new. And if it is minus 10 or colder and need to go on a long walk, I would not hesitate to wear it. Now wearing a fur coat in Monte Carlo is absolutely ridiculous, and is definitely cruelty against animals. There is no excuse to wear fur when the climate does not justify it.
I usually take my dachshund out in my workout clothes in the morning. I am guilty of the PJs though but mostly due to my apartments fire alarms tendancy to go off at 3 am at least once a month (try getting dressed with a howling dog). Afternoons are usually in work clothes. I don't think it much matters as long as your bits are covered, I don't judge.
Weird question. I get dressed every morning properly and thus I walk my dogs in real clothes. They need 2-2.5 hours a day so it's a major part of my day and not quick. They don't run my schedule, they go out when I take them because they are well trained and do not need to go out at odd times or urgently unless they are unwell. We do have a fenced garden because I would never live anywhere which didn't with a dog as it is unfair to them, in my opinion. I have never seen anyone walking in pyjamas. It's wellies and waterproofs at this time of year in the UK.
I regularly walk my dog at or after 1 A.M. I'm an insomniac and it's relaxing. My go to ensemble is yoga pants/running pants with a tshirt. I also have an oversized pullover fisherman style fleece that I wear when it's cold.
There is a jazz club on my block. Several nights a week I watch drunk people loudly leave in the most ridiculous clothing imaginable. If they want to judge me that's fine. I am judging them too. I don't give a hoot what people wear, just be respectful of your surroundings and don't yell.
I found this blog because I was looking for tshirts with sleeves that have built-in bras....so just throw on in the morning for dog walking before shower, etc. The easier the better, right? Does anyone know of a company that makes such an item? Or do I have to invent it???