pamperedpuppy // luxury lifestyles for dogs

Date Gowns from Le PuppyPoo

In Lady and the Tramp, one of my all-time favorite dog movies, Tramp is a bit of a rounder, yes? Street smart bloke? Probably dated - and broken - dozens of doggie hearts all over the city? Meanwhile, Lady is a Lady. She stays at home with her adoring owners, doesn't go out, doesn't date, and is a good little princess. (Well, until she meets Tramp, anyway...)

I wish I could tell you that this movie didn't influence my decision to get a girl dog rather than a boy, but I can't. I wanted a sweet little princess who wasn't allowed to go on dates. (You should have seen the fights we had about this when she was a teenager!)

The folks at Le PuppyPoo have decided to make it that much harder on me: they sent along not one, but two Hot Date Gowns for the princess to try out.

(Like the princess pug isn't headache enough - all on her own - without going on dates!)

Ah, but the life of a reviewer is such that we just don't get a choice. ;) Luckily, the dresses are kinda cute, so that made it easier for both of us.

The Hot Date gown is a style I haven't really seen before in dog wear, and that's saying a lot! It's a totally unique style, kind of boxy, with elastic at the neck and the waist. In fact, they're a little shapeless on purpose, so they can be worn a variety of ways; tucked under, loose and flowing, or even inside and out (each style reverses completely so that you can wear the colors swapped). They have a vaguely Asian esthetic - reminds me of a hipster youth in downtown Hong Kong, perhaps decked out in a similar shirt with a pair of sleek pencil-thin pants.

Both neck and waist are ruffled lightly in a contrasting color; extra strips of material hang from the opening in the neck to allow you to tie a jaunty bow.

Made from shimmering, elegant fabrics, the Hot Date gown comes in two color combinations: Perfume Mint (with a contrasting cream color), or Sweet Pink (with a soft blue to contrast). It's an incredibly lightweight style; the fabric is very soft and light.

Sizing fit rather well, particularly considering this is an all-one-piece item (no snaps, no velcro) in a fabric that isn't stretchy. This is where the boxy shape comes into play, its flowing cut allowing a number of shapes and sizes in the same dress.

The bow was a little awkward to tie; if we had one thing to change with this gown, the tie would be it. We understand, from a making-clothing point of view, why the ties were so thick (they're the same thickness as the material used at the neck) but the extra bulk made for awkward tying and a heavy bow at the neck; we'd love to see the fabric narrow at the tie so it's easier.

Quality, as with the other items we've reviewed from Le Puppypoo, was excellent.

Shall I allow the pug to date? She did twirl most convincingly in her Hot Date gown, batting her pretty little pug eyelashes at me and insisting that she'd be a good girl. But I had to put my foot down and tell her no. Until a Tramp comes into her life and takes the choice out of my hands, I'm keeping her the little Princess I always wanted. She can wear the gowns

You can find out more about Le PuppyPoo from their web site at www.lepuppypoo.com. Tell them Merry sent you!