© Sarah Lee The Snuggie.
The Snuggie looks like a combination of a fleece hospital gown (it's backless!) and Jedi robe, but since its debut in October more than 4m have been sold.
Sales surged after the first airings of a two-minute infomercial featuring a woman driven to despair by the difficulties of wearing a blanket. She couldn't answer the phone, play backgammon or eat popcorn without exposing her arms to cold air.
Tribute videos, mocking and exultant, promptly appeared on YouTube. Ellen DeGeneres donned a Snuggie on her chatshow and Jay Leno talked about it too. The ads found an audience among millions of Americans spending more time at home and wanting to save money on their heating bills.
No wonder - motivation to do anything but loaf dissipates the second I shrug into a Snuggie. It's like wearing a hug. The length makes walking any further than the fridge unimaginable, and if that's not enough to keep you indoors, the quizzical looks from fellow shoppers certainly are. "It does look a bit ridiculous," one passerby offers.
The success of the Snuggie has brought competitors. The Toasty Wrap, tartan Cuddlewrap and reversible Snug Sack have sold out. Then there's the Slanket, which claims to predate the Snuggie. "They knocked us off," says Gary Clegg, who says he invented the Slanket in 2006. "They saw our success - we did the work for them and they knew it would work on TV." For now, Slankets are the option available to UK shoppers, although the makers of the Snuggie have plans for expansion.
What will they think of next? Snuggie-style innovators could start by addressing the draught - a back panel would help. A zip would combat static-cling, and leg holes would make it more street-worthy.
There you have it, perfect for British winters - a ski suit.
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