put on the dog

To behave extravagantly, lavishly, or self-importantly; to make an ostentatious production or appearance. My wife always feels like she has to put on the dog whenever my parents come to visit. During the economic boom, you had people from all walks of life putting on the dog. All that ended when the crash hit, though.

to make things extra special or dress formally for a special event. Frank's really putting on the dog for the big party Friday night. They really put on the ritz for us.

Also, put on the ritz. Behave in an elegant, extravagant manner, as in We'll have to put on the dog when our daughter's in-laws visit, or They really put on the ritz for the wedding reception. The allusion in the first of these slangy terms, first recorded in 1865, is unclear, although it has been suggested that the newly rich displayed their wealth by keeping pampered lapdogs. The second term, from the 1920s, alludes to the large, luxurious hotels founded by and named for César Ritz (1850-1918), which still exist in Paris, London, and many other major cities.

If someone puts on the dog, they act as though they are rich or important. We were all earning good money, buying expensive suits and putting on the dog.

To make an ostentatious display of elegance, wealth, or culture.

To put on a showy display. The term originated in America around the time of the Civil War, but its ultimate origin has been lost. At least one writer believes it came from the custom of the newly wealthy to display their prosperity by keeping extravagantly pampered pets. In any event, Lyman H. Bagg catalogued it as college slang in his Four Years at Yale (ca. 1869), in which he wrote, “To put on the dog is to make a flashy display, to cut a swell.”