diff --git a/src/app/HomePage.js b/src/app/HomePage.js
index c5ebb95..c752c3b 100644
--- a/src/app/HomePage.js
+++ b/src/app/HomePage.js
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ function StartOutfitForm({ onChange }) {
           colorId={colorId}
           idealPose={idealPose}
           showPlaceholders
+          colorPlaceholderText="Blue"
+          speciesPlaceholderText="Acara"
           onChange={(species, color, isValid, closestPose) => {
             setSpeciesId(species.id);
             setColorId(color.id);
diff --git a/src/app/ItemPage.js b/src/app/ItemPage.js
index 13305ad..bca1e9c 100644
--- a/src/app/ItemPage.js
+++ b/src/app/ItemPage.js
@@ -443,41 +443,64 @@ function ItemPageOutfitPreview({ itemId }) {
     []
   );
   const [petState, setPetState] = React.useState({
-    // Start by looking up Acara appearance data.
-    speciesId: "1",
-    colorId: "8",
-    pose: idealPose,
+    // We'll fill this in once the canonical appearance data arrives.
+    speciesId: null,
+    colorId: null,
+    pose: null,
   });
 
   // Start by loading the "canonical" pet and item appearance for the outfit
   // preview. We'll use this to initialize both the preview and the picker.
-  const { loading, error, data } = useQuery(gql`
-    query ItemPageOutfitPreview($itemId: ID!) {
-      item(id: $itemId) {
-        id
-        canonicalAppearance {
+  const { loading, error } = useQuery(
+    gql`
+      query ItemPageOutfitPreview($itemId: ID!) {
+        item(id: $itemId) {
           id
-          ...ItemAppearanceFragment
-          body {
+          canonicalAppearance {
             id
-            canonicalAppearance {
+            ...ItemAppearanceForOutfitPreview
+            body {
               id
-              ...PetAppearanceFragment
+              canonicalAppearance {
+                id
+                species {
+                  id
+                }
+                color {
+                  id
+                }
+                pose
+
+                ...PetAppearanceForOutfitPreview
+              }
             }
           }
         }
       }
-    }
 
-    ${itemAppearanceFragment}
-    ${petAppearanceFragment}
-  `);
+      ${itemAppearanceFragment}
+      ${petAppearanceFragment}
+    `,
+    {
+      variables: { itemId },
+      onCompleted: (data) => {
+        const canonicalBody = data?.item?.canonicalAppearance?.body;
+        const canonicalPetAppearance = canonicalBody?.canonicalAppearance;
+
+        setPetState({
+          speciesId: canonicalPetAppearance?.species?.id,
+          colorId: canonicalPetAppearance?.color?.id,
+          pose: canonicalPetAppearance?.pose,
+        });
+      },
+    }
+  );
 
   // To check whether the item is compatible with this pet, query for the
   // appearance, but only against the cache. That way, we don't send a
   // redundant network request just for this (the OutfitPreview component will
   // handle it!), but we'll get an update once it arrives in the cache.
-  const { cachedData } = useQuery(
+  const { data: cachedData } = useQuery(
     gql`
       query ItemPageOutfitPreview_CacheOnly(
         $itemId: ID!
@@ -500,17 +523,29 @@ function ItemPageOutfitPreview({ itemId }) {
         colorId: petState.colorId,
       },
       fetchPolicy: "cache-only",
+      onCompleted: (data) => console.log("data", data),
     }
   );
 
+  const borderColor = useColorModeValue("green.700", "green.400");
+  const errorColor = useColorModeValue("red.600", "red.400");
+
+  if (error) {
+    return <Box color="red.400">{error.message}</Box>;
+  }
+
   // If the layers are null-y, then we're still loading. Otherwise, if the
   // layers are an empty array, then we're incomaptible. Or, if they're a
   // non-empty array, then we're compatible!
   const layers = cachedData?.item?.appearanceOn?.layers;
   const isIncompatible = Array.isArray(layers) && layers.length === 0;
-
-  const borderColor = useColorModeValue("green.700", "green.400");
-  const errorColor = useColorModeValue("red.600", "red.400");
+  console.log(
+    petState.speciesId,
+    petState.colorId,
+    itemId,
+    layers,
+    isIncompatible
+  );
 
   return (
     <VStack spacing="3" width="100%">
@@ -531,6 +566,7 @@ function ItemPageOutfitPreview({ itemId }) {
             colorId={petState.colorId}
             pose={petState.pose}
             wornItemIds={[itemId]}
+            isLoading={loading}
             spinnerVariant="corner"
             loadingDelayMs={2000}
           />
diff --git a/src/app/components/OutfitPreview.js b/src/app/components/OutfitPreview.js
index d87fdbb..7957baa 100644
--- a/src/app/components/OutfitPreview.js
+++ b/src/app/components/OutfitPreview.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function OutfitPreview({
   pose,
   wornItemIds,
   appearanceId = null,
+  isLoading = false,
   placeholder,
   loadingDelayMs,
   spinnerVariant,
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ function OutfitPreview({
 
   return (
     <OutfitLayers
-      loading={loading || loading2}
+      loading={isLoading || loading || loading2}
       visibleLayers={loadedLayers}
       placeholder={placeholder}
       loadingDelayMs={loadingDelayMs}
diff --git a/src/app/components/SpeciesColorPicker.js b/src/app/components/SpeciesColorPicker.js
index e072b56..e5e517a 100644
--- a/src/app/components/SpeciesColorPicker.js
+++ b/src/app/components/SpeciesColorPicker.js
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ function SpeciesColorPicker({
   colorId,
   idealPose,
   showPlaceholders = false,
+  colorPlaceholderText = "",
+  speciesPlaceholderText = "",
   stateMustAlwaysBeValid = false,
   isDisabled = false,
   size = "md",
@@ -84,7 +86,12 @@ function SpeciesColorPicker({
         _hover={{
           borderColor: "green.400",
         }}
-        isInvalid={valids && !pairIsValid(valids, speciesId, colorId)}
+        isInvalid={
+          valids &&
+          speciesId &&
+          colorId &&
+          !pairIsValid(valids, speciesId, colorId)
+        }
         isDisabled={isDisabled || isLoading}
         errorBorderColor="red.300"
         {...props}
@@ -165,7 +172,7 @@ function SpeciesColorPicker({
   // supported colors for a species makes sense, but the other way around feels
   // confusing and restrictive.)
   let visibleColors = allColors;
-  if (stateMustAlwaysBeValid && valids) {
+  if (stateMustAlwaysBeValid && valids && speciesId) {
     visibleColors = visibleColors.filter(
       (c) => getValidPoses(valids, speciesId, c.id).size > 0
     );
@@ -180,13 +187,19 @@ function SpeciesColorPicker({
         isDisabled={isDisabled}
         onChange={onChangeColor}
       >
-        {allColors.length === 0 && (
-          <>
-            {/* The default case, and a long name for sizing! */}
-            <option>Blue</option>
-            <option>Dimensional</option>
-          </>
-        )}
+        {
+          // If the selected color isn't in the set we have here, show the
+          // placeholder. (Can happen during loading, or if an invalid color ID
+          // like null is intentionally provided while the real value loads.)
+          !visibleColors.some((c) => c.id === colorId) && (
+            <option>{colorPlaceholderText}</option>
+          )
+        }
+        {
+          // A long name for sizing! Should appear below the placeholder, out
+          // of view.
+          visibleColors.length === 0 && <option>Dimensional</option>
+        }
         {visibleColors.map((color) => (
           <option key={color.id} value={color.id}>
             {color.name}
@@ -201,13 +214,20 @@ function SpeciesColorPicker({
         isDisabled={isDisabled}
         onChange={onChangeSpecies}
       >
-        {allSpecies.length === 0 && (
-          <>
-            {/* The default case, and a long name for sizing! */}
-            <option>Acara</option>
-            <option>Tuskaninny</option>
-          </>
-        )}
+        {
+          // If the selected species isn't in the set we have here, show the
+          // placeholder. (Can happen during loading, or if an invalid species
+          // ID like null is intentionally provided while the real value
+          // loads.)
+          !allSpecies.some((s) => s.id === speciesId) && (
+            <option>{speciesPlaceholderText}</option>
+          )
+        }
+        {
+          // A long name for sizing! Should appear below the placeholder, out
+          // of view.
+          allSpecies.length === 0 && <option>Tuskaninny</option>
+        }
         {allSpecies.map((species) => (
           <option key={species.id} value={species.id}>
             {species.name}