Adult animal onesies: which animal should you choose?

An adult animal onesie is chosen first and foremost by the face you'll have when you pull up the hood: a shark's jaws, a crocodile's snout, a giraffe's horns or a monkey's round ears. But the animal isn't the only thing that matters. The fabric, the fastening and above all your height decide whether you'll wear the onesie every evening or just once. This guide runs through the animals in the shop, who they're made for and how to find your size.

Which animal for which personality?

Pick the animal that's most like you, or the one that will make the people you live with laugh. Here are the shop's adult styles, from the most spectacular to the most restrained.

The shark, for those who love making an entrance

The Shark Kigurumi is made of blue flannel, with a padded dorsal fin on the back and a tail fin at the rear. Its hood is an open mouth lined with white fabric teeth: pulled up, it looks as if you're being swallowed. Pushed back, it makes a cushion behind your neck, handy in front of a film. It has pockets on the sides.

The crocodile, for deadpan humour

The Crocodile Onesie is made of olive green flannel, with a yellow belly, scales stitched all the way down the back and a tail. The hood has a padded snout, white teeth, nostrils and appliqué eyes.

The giraffe, for gentle souls

The Giraffe Kigurumi is made of light fleece printed with orange spots on a cream background, with a large white belly. The hood has two little round horns, ears that stick out and a padded snout; a pompom tail is attached at the back. It's the least scary style in the range, and the brightest.

The monkey, for taller frames

The Monkey Kigurumi is made of brown fleece with a beige front panel, a long tail and a hood with big round ears. Its cut is very roomy at the hips. It's also the animal kigurumi that goes up the highest in size: up to 189 cm tall in XL.

Panda, tiger, bear, dinosaur or capybara, for winter

The Family Fleece Onesie comes in five animals: black and white panda, ginger tiger, brown bear with a cream belly, dinosaur and capybara. The animal's ears are on the hood and a paw is appliquéd on the front pocket. The product page says it clearly: this is winter loungewear, not a party costume. It comes in women's, men's and kids' sizes, so you can dress several people as the same animal.

Photo: Ron Lach / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

For sleeping, lounging or going out?

All these adult animal onesies are one-piece, hooded and roomy. How you'll use yours is what separates the animals.

• For sleeping: go for a fabric that won't make you sweat. The shark's flannel is described as "medium-weight", comfortable right against the skin. At night, the hood can stay pushed back behind your neck.
• For winter evenings at home: the Family Fleece Onesie is made of thick fleece, the only one in the selection described that way on its product page. It fastens with a full-length zip.
• For a fancy dress party: as an adult animal costume, the shark and the crocodile can be recognised from across the room. Our article on the animal-themed fancy dress party suggests duos and an activity, and the one on the couples' Halloween costume pairs up several of these animals.

The fastening matters day to day too. The giraffe and the monkey fasten with press studs all the way down the front: you open them up wide to step in.

Adult animal onesies compared

For a definition of the kigurumi and how it differs from a plain onesie, read our article what is a kigurumi and how to choose one.

Adult animal onesies for women or men: finding the right size

For a onesie, height matters more than your usual clothing size. The shark, crocodile, giraffe and monkey kigurumis have a unisex cut: you choose the size according to how tall you are, not according to the women's or men's section.

1. Measure your height, barefoot, with your back against a wall.
2. Compare it with the chart on the product page. The shark also gives a recommended weight for each size (from 40–55 kg in S to 70–85 kg in XL).
3. Between two sizes, take the larger one. The monkey and crocodile product pages recommend it. A slightly long leg can be rolled up; a onesie that's too short pulls at the shoulders when you sit down.
4. Check the upper limit. Above 178 cm, the shark will be short; the monkey (up to 189 cm) or the Family Fleece Onesie in a men's size (up to 185 cm in 3XL) will suit you better.

The Family Fleece Onesie is the only one with separate women's and men's sizes. Women's sizes run from S (145–155 cm) to XL, men's from L (165–172 cm) to 3XL (180–185 cm). Our guide to choosing the right adult onesie size explains how to take your measurements.

Before you wear it

Wash the onesie before wearing it for the first time: every product page says machine wash at 30 °C on a delicate cycle and air dry. Our tips for keeping fleece soft are in how to wash and care for fleece pyjamas.

Think about slippers too: for the shark, the crocodile and the giraffe, the ones you see in the photos are not included.

Finally, a roomy hooded onesie can easily get too close to a candle. The London Fire Brigade recommends keeping candles away from anything that can catch fire, clothing included, and presents LED candles as a safer alternative (London Fire Brigade, Candles).

In short

To choose an adult animal onesie, start from your personality and how you'll wear it: the Shark Kigurumi or the Crocodile Onesie to get noticed, the Giraffe Kigurumi for something gentler, the Monkey Kigurumi for tall frames, the Family Fleece Onesie for winter at home. Then choose your size based on your height, and the larger one if in doubt. Every style is in the shop.

Cover photo: D Coetzee / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)