Halloween outfits for pets tend to fail at the same point: the animal cannot walk in them. A cloak sidesteps that entirely. It sits over the shoulders and back, leaves all four legs free, and comes off in one movement when your dog or cat has had enough of the photographs, which is usually a good while before the party is over.

This one is printed with pumpkins and has bat wings stitched to the shoulders, so it reads as a costume from across a room without needing a hood, a hat or anything across the face. Nothing covers the eyes, ears or mouth. With no sleeves there is nothing to trap a leg if your pet decides to bolt for the stairs mid-photograph, and it lifts off in a second, which is the feature that actually matters on the night.

• Pumpkin-print cloak with bat wings at the shoulders
• Over-the-back cut, all four legs left free
• No hood and no face covering
• Cloak offered in small and medium
• Suits dogs and cats of a similar build

On sizing and safety. Costumes are for short supervised periods only, never on an unattended pet, never overnight and never during rough play. Chest girth measured behind the front legs decides the fit, so check the guide before ordering.

Who it's for: Owners after a photograph and a doorstep reaction on Halloween night, from a pet who will tolerate roughly ten minutes of dressing up.