Two Italian Greyhounds on a bed in navy quilted winter coats, one with a rainbow striped snood, beside a red coat

Custom Italian Greyhound Clothes vs Ready to Wear: Which Is Right for Your Sighthound?

October 29, 2026

Choose ready to wear when your Iggy fits one of our standard sizes and you want the outfit soon, since those listings ship the next business day. Choose custom Italian Greyhound clothes when your dog falls between sizes, is a Biggy-Iggy, a whippet, a greyhound or another breed, or when you want a specific fabric and style; custom pieces are made to order from your measurements, typically ship in about 4 weeks, and are not returnable because they are cut for one dog.

Both lines come from our shop. The difference is who the garment is sized for: a standard Iggy size, or your dog in particular. Here is how each one works, side by side, and which sighthounds tend to do better with each.

Key takeaways

Ready to Wear comes in standard Iggy sizes, ships the next business day, and most styles are in limited supply.
Custom listings need your dog's measurements plus your fabric and style choices, and are made to order.
Custom items typically ship in about 4 weeks; timing varies with how busy the shop is, quantity and design complexity.
Custom pieces are made to measure, so they are not returnable.
Not an Iggy, or a fit that is hard to pin down? Start with the Custom Order Quote form.

Why Fit Matters So Much for Sighthounds

VCA Animal Hospitals notes that Italian Greyhounds cannot tolerate cold weather and dislike getting wet, and calls them the reason dog coats and sweaters exist. Warmth only works when a garment actually stays on the body, and that is where sighthounds get tricky.

The Italian Greyhound breed standard calls for a long, slender neck, a deep and narrow chest and a definite tuck-up at the flanks. The AKC describes whippets with the same deep chest and trim waist, and greyhounds with a deep chest curving into a tightly tucked waist. A garment drafted for a more evenly shaped dog gaps at the chest or slides backward on all three.

How Ready to Wear Works

Listings whose title starts with Ready to Wear come in standard Iggy sizes, ship the next business day, and most are available in limited supply, so a print you love may not come back in your size. Some prints are only offered as ready to wear, as their listings note.

Sizing starts with back length, measured from the base of the neck to the base of the tail. Our standard Iggy sizes run from XS (back length under 12.5 in, under 8 lb) through L (17 to 18 in, 16 to 20 lb); the Italian Greyhound size chart post explains each size. Always read the size details in each product description and check the size guide before you order.

Two Italian Greyhounds by a brick wall in pink and pale peach sleeveless fleece vests — Ready to wear sleeveless fleece vests come in standard Iggy sizes and ship the next business day.

A few ready to wear pieces go beyond the Iggy range. Our XL fleece vests, for example, list their finished neck, chest and length right in the description, which makes it easy to compare against a whippet's measurements. Browse everything in stock in the Ready to Wear collection.

How Custom Italian Greyhound Clothes Work

Listings whose title starts with Custom are made to order. You send your dog's measurements along with your fabric and style selections, and the piece is made to order for your dog. The four numbers to take are neck, chest, back length and leg length; our four-step measuring guide shows where each one goes.

Fabric is the fun part. Each fabric we offer has its own swatch page, from cotton lycra and fleece to sherpa, quilted nylon and UV sun fabric, and you can see them all on the fabrics page. This is the same tailored approach our founder brought from more than 40 years of sewing and tailoring human clothing before she began designing for Italian Greyhounds in 2012.

Two Italian Greyhounds in custom suits with bow ties and top hats, one orange and one blue — Two Iggies in matching custom suits with bow ties and top hats, one orange and one blue.

Timing, and what happens in a mixed order

Custom production time varies with how busy the shop is, the quantity you order and how complex the design is. Custom items typically ship in about 4 weeks. When an order holds more than one piece, it ships when the item with the longest production time is ready.

That last point matters if you combine ready to wear and custom in one order: the ready to wear piece waits for the custom one. If you need something on your dog this week, keep that in mind before adding it to a custom order.

Why custom pieces are not returnable

Custom items are made to measure for one dog, so they cannot be returned. That makes accurate measurements the most important step. Measure with your dog standing, take each number twice, and if a figure looks odd, measure again before you order.

Custom vs Ready to Wear at a Glance

Feature	Ready to Wear	Custom
Sizing	Standard Iggy sizes	Your dog's measurements
You choose	Size and print in stock	Fabric and style
Ships	Next business day	Typically about 4 weeks, varies
Supply	Mostly limited	Made to order

Who Should Choose Custom Dog Clothes

Dogs between sizes

Real dogs do not always land on a chart row. A back length of 13 in sits between our XS and S, and 16.5 in falls between M and L. Weight and back length can also point to different sizes on a deep-chested dog. The AKC notes that fitting one brand or style does not mean the sizing will carry over to another, which is where made to measure dog clothes help.

Biggy-Iggies

The AKC lists Italian Greyhounds at 13 to 15 inches tall and 7 to 14 pounds, and our L size covers a back length of 17 to 18 in and 16 to 20 lb. We call a large Italian Greyhound a Biggy-Iggy, and when your dog's measurements run past our L, custom is the straightforward answer.

Whippets and greyhounds

Our size chart lists a whippet back length of 20 to 22 in and a greyhound back length of 26 to 28 in. According to the AKC, whippets stand 18 to 22 inches at the shoulder and greyhounds 27 to 30 inches, so there is a wide range within each breed. Pieces like our Greyhound or Whippet XL and XXL 2 legged tops are made for those bigger frames.

Black and white Whippet in a grey pizza and burger print 2 legged top with yellow and grey striped sleeves — A whippet in a custom pizza and burger print 2 legged top with yellow and grey striped sleeves.

Custom greyhound coats are a good example of tailored dog clothing earning its keep. Our greyhound blanket style walking coat is made to your Grey's specific measurements, has a double Velcro closing for a secure fit, and can be ordered with a leash opening that lines up with an existing harness ring when you send those measurements.

Other breeds, mixes and unusual fits

We specialize in Italian Greyhounds, but we also make outfits for Chiggys (Chihuahua and Italian Greyhound mixes) and other small, medium and larger breeds. Those fits go through the Custom Order Quote form. Our guide to custom clothes for hard to fit small dogs covers what to send.

When you want a particular fabric or look

If you have a color, print or style in mind, custom is where you get to choose it. A matching outfit for a wedding, a team color or a fabric from the swatch pages all start in the Custom collection.

Brindle Greyhound by a tree in a blue and green tartan blanket style fleece winter walking coat with navy collar — A brindle greyhound in a tartan blanket style fleece walking coat with a navy collar, made to the dog's own measurements.

Who Should Choose Ready to Wear

Your Iggy sits squarely in one size. If back length and weight both land in the same row of the chart, ready to wear is a quick, easy win.
You need it soon. A cold snap, a trip or a party this weekend is a job for a piece that ships the next business day.
You fell for a print. Some prints are only offered as ready to wear, and supply is limited.
You are buying a gift and know the size. Ready to wear ships fast, so it works for last-minute presents.

If you are shopping for someone else and do not know their dog's measurements, the Little Milo's Closet gift card lets them choose later. It is made for exactly the case where the new pup has not arrived yet. For more present ideas, see our gift guide for Italian Greyhound lovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do custom Italian Greyhound clothes take?

Custom items typically ship in about 4 weeks. Production time varies with how busy the shop is, the quantity ordered and the complexity of the design. An order ships when its longest-production item is ready.

Can I return a custom dog outfit?

No. Custom items are made to measure for your dog, so they are not returnable. Measure carefully, and use the measuring guide and size guide before you order.

What should I do if my Iggy is between sizes?

Read the size details in the product description first, since each style is cut a little differently. If your dog still falls between two sizes, a custom piece made from your measurements is the most reliable fix.

Do you make custom greyhound coats?

Yes. Our greyhound blanket style walking coat is made to your greyhound's specific measurements, and whippets and greyhounds also have custom tops and bodysuits. Our size chart lists greyhound back lengths of 26 to 28 in.

Can I order made to measure clothes for a dog that is not a sighthound?

Yes. We make outfits for Chiggys and other small, medium and larger breeds. Send your dog's details through the Custom Order Quote form to get started.

Ready When You Are

If your Iggy fits a standard size and you want it on its way by the next business day, start in the Ready to Wear collection. If your dog is between sizes, bigger than our L, a whippet, a greyhound or a breed we have never dressed, take the four measurements and choose a Custom listing, or send us a quote request. Either way, the fit is the point.

Sources and Further Reading

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