From Pumpkins to Prison Stripes: Illinois Pets Go All In for Halloween

In twenty-first century America dressing up your pet for Halloween isn’t a wild idea; it’s downright common. How mainstream has this gotten? In my own home, my wife swore she would never be that pet owner who doted on and babied her dog. “Never” is a big word and a long time. She is most definitely the doting pet owner she swore she'd never be. This includes clothes for the dogs.

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Some dogs are down for dressing up and being silly because you like it.  They trust you completely, and just roll with what you have for them. Others are independent enough that they react to clothes or costumes as if they are being punished. That’s not fun for anyone – and isn’t social media friendly. Although as I type that, I could probably find a page dedicated to pets hating their Halloween costumes.

Good boy with a gourd helmet....

As with Halloween costumes for humans, the more local you can make it, the better chance it will be loved. In Illinois, in this season, a recently jailed former Speaker Mike Madigan could be highlighted with a prisoner outfit. Maybe the current orange jumpsuit, or the old school black and white stripes would hit more comedically for "Old Man Mike".

Classic Chicago Dog - Mike Madigan on lockdown - Pet Bears fan

Sports teams always work, and some sports teams like the Chicago Bears, Cubs, Fighting Illini, Bulls, Blackhawks probably have pet clothes you can purchase. Food works in Illinois too. Pumpkins (and the pumpkin continues to be a wildly popular pet costume), Chicago hot dog is a layup too. Bottle of Malort? Italian beef sandwich? What is going on locally in your town that people are talking about? In Quincy, Illinois road work has dominated conversations for months. So how about a pet with road block signs and an orange cone for a hat? Everyone will understand and love it.

Lilo & Stitch - Jurassic World - Wednesday - The Pitt

What dogs have been high profile in media this year? Crypto from “Superman” fits. But putting your pet into the recognizable clothes of a popular human character will grab attention. A Minecraft costume for your pet? I bet they are out there, (I’m looking at you, Etsy). “Wednesday”, “The Pitt”, “White Lotus”, “Landman” just to name a few TV shows. Stitch from “Lilo & Stitch”, “Superman”, “F1”, “Jurassic World”  dinosaurs work too. Your pet as a television or movie character is also a great way to meet people who also like those shows/movies, and give you a jumping off point to begin conversation.