Our Story

Made for dog owners who get it.

The Better Mess was born out of a very specific kind of joy. Life with a dog who brings the chaos, but you wouldn't change them for the world.

The big characters in small bodies. 
The teddy bears built like tanks.
The reason why the sock you put on is suspiciously damp. 
The leaver of muddy paws on your newly cleaned floor.
The ones who look at you like you're the best thing that ever happened to them. While the remnants of their latest victim is strewn across the living room.

Welcome you to The Better Mess. We are so happy to have you here. 

The Idea

While we were falling in love with our pup Winnie and the absolute carnage this tiny furry menace could cause, we started looking for tops that showed our love for her. 

We couldn't find what we were looking for. 

We wanted something a little more personal. Not necessarily something with her face on it. Not something that screamed 'DOG MUM'. 

Something that we could show off a bit of her personality. Of the quirks that make her, HER.

That's when we decided to make what was missing.

We created a collection of tops for dog lovers who like something a bit fun and a healthy dose of relatable truth. It’s apparel made for people who love their dogs for exactly who they are, even when that includes shredded paper and a freshly dug hole in the garden.

From a dark room to The Better Mess

Why ‘The Better Mess’?

Well, for us, it couldn't be anything else.

If we're being completely honest, it started in a very dark place. The Better Mess bloomed following a couple of severe mental health crisis', at a time when simply wanting to carry on living felt like an uphill battle. After one really rough winter, including a two-month spell on a psychiatric ward, I was handed what was quite literally a lifeline in the March. It came in the form of a four-legged focus called Winnie.

Despite being in a 'recovery space,' life still felt very overwhelming to navigate. But focusing entirely on her gave me a sense of purpose. Slowly, and at first without me even realizing it, joy snuck back in too. 

Winnie taught me that life is inherently messy. I had spent my entire adult life resisting the mess because I had equated it with failure. Anything less than perfect was failure. But Winnie wasn't 'perfect', but it was those imperfection that my love for her filled the most space.

It is the beautiful, chaotic, joyful pieces of life (the ones that make you sigh with frustration while a smile still spreads across your face) that matter most. And are the most fun.

Embracing the Mess 

This brand is a love letter to that realisation, to all the dogs and their owners who live it. 

To all the dogs who can be a bit of a dick, and all the owner never question why we would die for them. 

We aren't here to help you with a 'perfect' life with a 'perfect' look.

We're here to help you show off that beautiful mess you already have.

Winnie didn't magically cure the chaos or fix the problems, but she managed to step right into them and make The Better Mess.