Shopping With New York's Most Stylish Dog Trainer
An afternoon at Outline with Elisabeth Weiss.
Outline is one of my favorite stores in New York to visit. I would go all the time if I lived a little closer, although it’s probably best for my bank account that I don’t. Opened by friends Margaret Austin, Hannah Rieke, and Julia Edelman in 2022, the space is sunny and welcoming, and the selection includes hard-to-find brands like the Row, Molly Goddard, Our Legacy, Auralee, and Super Yaya. It’s the only place in New York where you can actually try on a Flore Flore t-shirt and a rare space that appeals to everyone from cool Cobble Hill moms to 30-somethings looking for something different to wear to a wedding.
Margaret used to be a women’s buyer for Opening Ceremony and Totokaelo and Hannah has a background in set design. They met as teenagers and have been friends ever since. Julia, who set up the store’s beautiful backyard garden and now has her own separate floral design studio, met Margaret at ballet camp in middle school. So shopping at Outline often feels like one big friendly hang.
During a visit to the store this fall, Margaret and Hannah told me about one of their favorite customers, Elisabeth Weiss, a former professional violinist from Vienna turned dog trainer extraordinaire. Oh, you have to meet her, they said. Elisabeth trained Margaret’s dogs, Wolfie and Bean. “I didn't make enough money as a violinist,” Elisabeth told me of her career pivot one afternoon this summer. “Also, I had a dog that tried to kill my other dog.”
Now the owner of DogRelations, Elisabeth’s first client was none other than the late Lou Reed, whose rat terrier, Lolabelle, was dying of pancreatic cancer when they first met. Of course, Elisabeth believes that dogs, like people, find music comforting, and has made a career out of training them to play various instruments like the piano with their paws and noses. (“Target training,” as it’s called, is said to build a dog’s self-confidence.) When Lou Reed came home to find a previously downtrodden Lolabelle playing one of his many keyboards, he asked Elisabeth to come back every day. “I didn’t know who Lou Reed was,” she told New York magazine in 2014. “I only care about the dog.”
In addition to music and dogs, Elisabeth also cares deeply about clothes. On the day we met at Outline, she showed up wearing a sheer polka dot Miu Miu skirt over Urban Savage ruffle leggings (I’m buying these for myself) with a cropped Alaïa hoodie. On her feet, she wore chunky slip-on Balenciaga sneakers. And on her wrist, she wore a Hair of the Dog scrunchie. “It’s for my dogs, actually,” she explained. “Zeldi and Snorri have long hair.” (With the help of the Outline team, Elisabeth has reached out to the knitwear designer Gabriele Skucas to see if she can fashion a sweater out of Snorri’s hair.)
This summer, Elisabeth is moving back to Vienna, so I tagged along for one of her final visits (for now) to her favorite store. Below is a bittersweet recap of our afternoon playing dress-up…
Emilia: How would you describe your style?
Elisabeth: I’d say, Eclectic. I like to buy pieces that are a little different, but also timeless, so you don't know what season they are. I like to mix things together and be a little funky. I never feel comfortable in a suit or jacket that's boxy. It’s just not me.
Other than Outline, what are some of your favorite stores in New York?
Obviously, Miu Miu. There's also a fairly new place in the meatpacking district called two : minds that’s sort of unisex. I tend to fall into places when I see something, or someone will give me a recommendation. Linda Rodin told me to check out Frankie Shop, for example, so I did, and they seem to have really cool stuff.
Are there any stores you loved that have closed?
There used to be one on 14th Street called Aesthete. It was excellent. I also used to buy vintage from a woman named Ellen Christine. She's a milliner and she had a store on 18th Street where she had an enormous amount of vintage. But I don’t wear vintage much anymore because with dogs, a puppy will jump on me and rip it, and that’s the end of that.
And what do you like about Outline?
Well, the people. I like that it covers a whole gamut of styles, so everybody can probably find what they want. I love the fact that they're so totally non-pushy. They’re not like: Oh, it looks great on you! Or, It’s the last one we have; if you don’t get it you’ll regret it for the rest of your life! That kind of thing. I hate that. I also like that they use real people as models. I'm very worried about the uniformity of what people want to look like today. It’s almost a robot-like beauty ideal. It's so sad. And that's not happening at Outline. I’ve learned about emerging brands like Super Yaya and Toogood here. I’ve also bought some Engineered Garments and Dries boots.
You must have some pretty great dog-walking outfits.
I don't like to look like a hiker. A lot of dog trainers are practical, but they look really disheveled. I hope that’s not part of my look. My entire style of training is geared towards city life; it's not at all like hiking.
Do you think you’ll dress differently when you move to Vienna?
I'm hoping to dress up a bit more because here, sometimes I walk out in my pajamas. I think that the way you dress makes you feel different as a person as you step out into the world, and comfort is a big contributing factor. If it's not comfortable, you can't feel good about yourself, right?
That day, Elisabeth walked away with a pair of Margiela ballet flats. “The ones with the cloven hoof toe,” she clarified.
A Crazy Postscript…
While emailing Elisabeth about this newsletter draft, I mentioned that I used to own the printed Miu Miu dress she’s wearing in the headshot on her website. “I sold mine to the RealReal!!” she replied.
WAIT. I BOUGHT THIS DRESS ON THE REALREAL! AND THEN SOLD IT TO MARGRET! WHO PULLED UP THIS PHOTO OF ELISABETH WHEN I DROPPED IT OFF! WHICH IS HOW THIS STORY EVEN HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!
A full-circle moment. I’m not sure if it’s the exact same dress, but I mean, what are the odds!?!?! It’s the same size. T’was fate!
NEXT TIME: Two great stories inspired by the Rachel Comey sample sale.
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Speaking of Lolabelle - the great Laurie Anderson (Lou reed’s partner) made a beautiful film in her honor exploring grief motherhood and so much more called Heart of A Dog that everyone must watch.
Loved this story & sorry we are losing her to Vienna .. my dogs would love to play the piano