GLAMOURPUSS
THE ENCHANTING WORLD OF KITTY WIGS
by JULIE JACKSON
Photographs by JILL JOHNSON
for KAZ
Foreword
by HEATHER ARMSTRONG of DOOCE.COM
Id like to imagine that the human tendency to anthropomorphize pets goes back to prehistoric times, specifically the scenario of a woman out gathering berries who stumbles across a den of baby lions and cant resist picking them up, scratching their bellies, and dressing them in elaborate gowns made from decorative foliage, right before the mama lion notices what is going on and makes her displeasure known. This would at least explain why I experience uncontrollable urges to dress my dogs in my daughters clothing and why one of the most important questions my family asks itself each year is, How much are we willing to spend on Halloween costumes for the dogs? And every year the answer to that question is embarrassing.
Ive made a modest living taking photographs of my two dogs Chuck and Coco dressed in various robes or shawls, and Chuck can often summon enough concentration to balance a beer bottle on top of his head. Both of them love this time we spend together because they are handsomely rewarded for their hard work, and in turn the fans of these photos get to join in on the fun of looking at a dog with a blender perched precariously between his ears.
Recently I took a set of photographs of Chuck, our male Super Mutt, in various seductive poses with a Kitty Wig on his head. And that is seemingly incongruous in so many ways, beginning with the fact that fitting his head into the wig was like trying to squeeze a whale through a keyhole. Also, Chucks personality is not so much that of a seductive temptress as it is a moody and misunderstood prepubescent. But those photographs received by far the most response from fans, as if suddenly I had just given them what they hadnt known theyd been looking for all their lives: a picture of an animal in a ridiculous wig. Dont be surprised when you start to feel that same emotion when turning the pages in this book.
Holly Golightly:
HOW DO I LOOK?
Paul Varjak:
I MUST SAY IM AMAZED.
Breakfast at Tiffanys
If youve spent any time around a cat, you know they have much bigger things on their tiny minds than birds and squirrels. But what, exactly?
The daily distractions of being stuck in a feline body appear harmless enough to the average observer, but look closely: what is it our feline counterparts do most? To what activity do they devote more than 18 hours a day? Sleep. Its not like theyre cleaning house or making a living, so its never really seemed fair to me why they get to sleep so much while we tend to their worldly needs.
And how do we know if theyre content? Theres the occasional grateful head bonk or muffin-making episode, but why wont they speak to us? Just look at those pursed lips and squinty eyes. You and I both know they can talkheck, theyre probably fluent in Latin, the little skunks.
Your cats not sleeping because shes tired. Sleep is an escape from her daily routine. Your cat is dreamingdreaming of much bigger things than you or I will ever know. Armed only with an inanimate mouse toy or two, were basically competing against our cats naptime delusions of grandeur. No wonder they sleep all the time, and you can bet theyd roll their eyes at us if they could.
So heres my idea: Kitty Wigs: where feline desires and human imagination meet.
Kitty Wigs are a bridge into your cats imagination. Its a chance for your cat to show you what its really made of, and maybe even what it dreams about.
Why not introduce a glamorous hairstyle to spark your pets imagination while you snap some photos? The world is overcrowded with insulting T-shirts and booties for dogs and fluffy collars with bells for cats that make them look like court jesters. Your fabulous feline is so much better than that, and you both know it.
Kitty Wigs are not only a way to add something sublime to your cats character, but they provide a way for you to spend more quality time togetherto dream together. Its an opportunity for you to show your cat new adventures, to show her that you understand her need to escape the dullness of everyday life and that you absolutely know shes worth much more than a pile of even the best cat toys money can buy.
While putting this book together, every time we tried a new wig on a familiar cat, we found they expressed much more than we could have imagined. The inner divas and demons are all there in the photos.
We think were onto something. Imagine a line of Kitty Wig boutiques stretching from Dubai to Denver. Kitty Wigs take your relationship with your cat to another level, where every day is a new photo shoot.
THINK BIG.
THINK KITTY WIGS.
THEYVE GOT TO REALIZE WERE MUCH MORE THAN JUST MODELS, UP HERE ON THE RUNWAY WORKING TWELVE-HOUR DAYS, LIVING ON SKINNY LATTES AND CHEWING GUM.
SURE, THIS WIG MAKES ME A HOT NUMBER, BUT MY TUMMYS STILL GROWLING. SO WHAT IF I TOOK A BITE OUT OF THOSE FLOWERS, WHO WILL NOTICE? THEY TASTE LIKE SALMON. TOTALLY WORTH IT.
Boone
Fishstick
I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHEN MY MEDS FELL INTO THE TOILET. NOW I CANT GET MY WIG ON STRAIGHT. BUT IT LOOKS OKAY, RIGHT?
Orange Cat
Note to self: Paris during Fashion Week is always too exhausting. Next year, stay home and buy magazines instead.
Bacon
SOMETIMES IVE GOT TO BE SOMEONE ELSE FOR A WHILE. AFTER A TOUGH DAY OF BORING MEETINGS AND WHINY CLIENTS, THERES NOTHING BETTER THAN DONNING THE BLUE BEAUTY AND HITTING MY FAVORITE DIVE.
Chicken
PINK,
SHE EEZ ZE COLOUR DU JOUR, NON?
TRS CHIC, TRS CHANEL, TRS BELLE!
After a long day at Salon le Mew, le carpethow you say?she matches le drapes.
CEST MAGNIFIQUE!
Tugboat
Crystal
What do you mean, FLOCK OF SEAGULLS? Dont make me bite you, punk!