Business Dog Outfit

Do you have a hard working pup at home in need of some casual-Friday duds? This Instructable will show you how to turn your old work clothes into the professional look your dog so desperately needs to score that promotion to middle management. All you need is an old button-down shirt and matching cardigan and he'll be shooting up the corporate ladder in no time!

I would only suggest creating a fun outfit like this for a pup that enjoys wearing cool-kid clothes and won't mind trying a few things on while you fiddle with your creation! My dog P.Nut is fairly experienced with sweaters and jackets after an unusually cold winter so he is patient about having things buttoned and doesn't seem bothered by the feeling of an extra layer (the one exception being that super-man t-shirt I tried getting him at PetSmart) If your dog seems irritated when you dress them or tries to bite or pull off outfits its probably a sign that they are not quite as forgiving and I'd advise against trying to take their wardrobe to the next level.

I had an old button-down and a soft, worn-out cardigan from Uniqlo but I'd suggest going with any pieces that you are comfortable cutting up and that won't be too stiff or scratchy for your pup!

I used an existing sweater that fits my dog P.Nut comfortably as a template for his new outfit. It helped me to measure the width needed for the new garment as well as to figure out the placement of the arm-holes for his fancy-schmantzy cuffed sleeves. I'd suggest using any dog outfit you have around, provided its about as stretchy as the material you plan on creating your new clothes out of. IE. I'd avoid using a doggy rain-coat as a template for converting a sweater, since the difference in material will probably alter the fit significantly.

I discovered that the two front-panels of my cardigan were just about the same width as P.Nut's sweater which made cutting out my two pattern pieces an easy job. I used a pair of sharp sewing shears to separate the front panels from the sweater-back along their seams.

Pin the two outer seams together and use a matching thread color to sew up the back of the sweater. I used my sewing machine but hand sewing is probably fine as well. Since this sweater is a button up you can leave the front un-altered for fastening it to your professional pup.

Using the dog sweater as a guide, cut two vertical slits in the newly assembled sweater in which to insert the sleeves. To prepare the shirt sleeves I cut them off just 2 inches below the cuffs and pinned them along the contours of the arm slits in the sweater. You can then sew them in by hand or with a careful straight stitch on your sewing machine (if you are doing this on a machine you may need to do this in steps as you turn the sleeve and adjust your presser-foot).

Prepare the shirt collar by cutting it off just below the yoke and pinning it to the inner edge of of the sweater collar! Attach it with a single seam along the lower part of the yoke and reinforce the corners just below the yoke to give the appearance of the shirt peeking out with the top shirt button left intact.

Your pup's new professional attire is now ready! Have your model give it a spin and watch your office productivity sky-rocket!