Heads up, friends: Binxties is run by one of my closest friends, so I am biased. Not sponsored, no commission, no affiliate links — just something I genuinely love. 💛
Hey friends, it’s Lizzie! There is a trend I did not see coming and have fully surrendered to: dressing to match your pet. Not in a costume way. In a “we clearly belong to each other” way. And it turns out there is a whole beautiful product category built around it now.
Why this is suddenly everywhere
Our pets are in our photos constantly. They are in the holiday card, the apartment tour, the get-ready-with-me happening in the background. Once an animal is a recurring character in your life on camera, you start thinking about how they look in frame — the same way you think about what you are wearing.
That is the real driver here. The camera is always on, and the dog is always in the shot. Might as well let them look wonderful.
What “matching” actually means now
The version I love is not literal. Nobody needs a human-sized bow tie. What works is a shared palette or a shared material — a tweed on their collar and a neutral on you, or a citrus print on them and a warm tone on you. Coordinated, not costumed.
Binxties is the clearest example I have seen of a brand building for this on purpose. Their pet line covers bow ties and collar sets in the $15–$25 range, and then there is a second collection, Mr. Binx’s Boutique, made entirely for the human. Their own tagline for it is “timeless elegance, for both ends of the leash,” which is about as lovely a mission statement as you will find.
Why quality matters more than you would think
My sister’s Pomeranian wears one of theirs, so I have watched a Binxties piece hold up in real life rather than just in a product photo.
It has structure. The fabric feels substantial, the stitching is neat, and the bow still holds its shape after plenty of wear — which is genuinely rare in this category, where a lot of pet bow ties go limp or fray within a season. His still looks new.
These are reasonably priced for what they are, and you really do get what you pay for. A well-made piece at $25 that still looks beautiful a year later is better value than replacing a flimsy one every few months, and it is the one you will actually keep reaching for.
How to do it beautifully
- Pick one shared element, not three. A color, or a texture. Matching the pattern and the color and the vibe tips it into costume.
- Let the pet wear the bolder piece. They can carry a bright citrus print far better than you can. You go neutral and let them be the accent.
- Think about your backdrop. If your photos are mostly beach and sand, coastal tones will sing and a deep maroon will fight the setting.
- Small human pieces work best. Earrings, a bag charm, a hair clip. The nod should be discoverable, not announced.
Pieces that pair beautifully
If you want concrete combinations, these are the ones I would put together:
- Heritage Tweed Bow Tie ($25) on them, Pearl Society Choker ($26) on you. Autumn photos, very put-together.
- Florida Citrus Collar Set ($25) on them, plain white or linen on you. Let the citrus do everything.
- Any collar set on them, Dapper Cat or Dapper Dog Hair Clips ($6) on you. A lovely, low-commitment way into the whole idea.
- Maroon Luxe Canine Scarf ($28) and a Pawfect Walk Crossbody ($32) for actual walks, where you want both hands free anyway.
The practical stuff worth knowing
Two things I would want told to me before ordering. First, if you have a cat, get a breakaway collar — it releases if the collar snags, and it is the most important safety feature in this category. Binxties builds their feline sets that way, which I appreciate. Second, measure your pet’s neck with a soft tape rather than guessing, since all sales are final.
How to actually photograph it
Since the whole point is that this ends up in pictures, a few things that make a real difference:
- Get down to their eye level. Shooting down at a pet flattens them and makes the collar disappear. Crouch. It is the single biggest upgrade.
- Shoot in soft light. Early morning or the hour before sunset. Harsh midday sun blows out light fur and buries detail in dark fur.
- Have someone hold their attention just above the lens — a treat, a toy, a noise. You want ears up and eyes forward, and you have about four seconds.
- Take more than you think you need. Animals blink, turn, and yawn at the worst moments. Thirty photos for one great one is completely normal.
- Frame for the accessory. If the bow tie is the point, get closer than feels natural.
And if you are shooting alone and cannot hold a phone and a treat at the same time, a tracking tripod solves it — I wrote about the one I use in my Pivo Pod review.
Is this worth doing?
Honestly? It is a small, well-made thing that makes your photos better and makes an ordinary Tuesday walk feel a little like an occasion. That is a lovely return on $25. And if you already photograph your pet constantly — and if you are reading this, you probably do — you will get a great deal of use out of one good bow tie.
You can see the whole collection at binxties.co. My friend Becks runs it, and she also hosts the Branding with Becks podcast, which is well worth your time if you are building anything of your own.
Frequently asked
Isn’t matching your pet a little much?
Done literally, maybe. Done as a shared color or texture, it simply reads as intentional and pulled together. That is the whole difference.
What if my pet hates wearing things?
Plenty do at first. A bow tie that clips onto an existing collar is far easier to introduce than a whole new collar, and you can put it on for photos and take it off after.
Do they last?
Yes. My sister’s Pomeranian has worn his through regular use and it still holds its shape and color.
Easiest way to start?
A single bow tie for them, or the $6 hair clips for you. You do not need the full set to see whether you love it.
