Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at
12:52 am
A popular mode of celebration for children and adults alike, fancy dress parties have long been held around the world. Indeed, encouraging people to dress up in various styles of costumes, and encompassing an array of themes ranging from famous movies stars and influential cultural trends to superheroes and bizarre fashions, they are a great way to add a twist to any form of celebration. Having become firmly entrenched in Western culture, it is thought that they originated in Victorian times, although many believe their roots can be traced back to the masked balls of the eighteenth century. It wasn´t until the 1940s, however, that the trend for throwing fancy dress parties really took off. Whereas they used to be mainly held for occasions like Halloween, nowadays they are a common occurrence with everyone from the Royal Family and A list celebrities to students and the middle-aged eager to hide their personalities under the disguise of different characters. And, with the range of material on offer, there is plenty of scope to be original every time. According to the fancy dress experts, one of the easiest parties to throw, and one which is wide ranging in scope, is the army-themed party. In fact, it is ideal for bigger gatherings, in which lots of people are expected to attend, simply because there is no limit as to what you can do. Therefore, whether you are a fancy dress fanatic, willing to spend time and money on your costume, or someone who is less inclined to putting in too much effort, it is relatively easy to pull of the military look! There is also plenty of room for imagination, meaning you can look as silly or as serious as you want to. For example, if you don´t have many resources or the time, then you can cheaply and quickly create an army effect by donning a pair of combat trousers or mini-skirt and a t-shirt. Just remember to stick to neutral colours, like khaki. Make-up can also go a long way to recreating a camouflage effect, without the need for additional props. However, if you want to go all out, then make sure you do your research. It is relatively easy to create an inexpensive yet effective army look and with the range of paraphernalia available, you can really customize your costume. This is perfect, since there is less chance of going to the party dressed in exactly the same outfit as everyone else. So, if you want to hold a party, why not opt for army fancy dress? With the sky the limit in terms of what you can create, it is a great theme and one which will really help to get the imaginations of your friends and family going!
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at
12:28 am
Fancy dress or costume parties are really popular all over the world, in recent years people have been really creative whenever there has been a family or friend’s birthday, Halloween even New Year’s Eve parties. There are some parties that tend to stick to a theme such as super heroes but the funniest and most interesting costumes tend to come about from parties where there is no theme and can make for plenty of laughs and intriguing photos from the party.
A lot of parties will have plenty of different costumes, sometimes even the dreaded clash where two people wear the same outfit, but in the end it is all a bit of fun and everyone tends to have a great time at a fancy dress party. If you’re going to one soon then here are a few ideas for inspiration if you haven’t decided on what you are going to go as just yet.
Super Heroes (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman) Super heroes are perfect for fancy dress parties, especially the big kids that want to act out their childhood dreams of dressing up as Batman complete with the cape and trademark bat ears. A super hero themed fancy dress party is a popular choice as there are plenty of movie and comic book heroes and villains to choose from. Your party may end up looking like a meeting of the Justice League but a function room full of superheroes eating buffet food is sure to raise a few smiles!
Pirates Another popular costume ideas is dressing up like a pirate, you can speak like a pirate if you want but the iconic dress sense of swashbucklers and sea dogs is easy to achieve, the popularity of this category is possibly down to the recent Pirates of the Caribbean movies, where a lot of the men will be vying for the role of Captain Jack Sparrow.
Music Icons and pop stars When you think of pop stars and fancy dress a lot of people will instantly think of funny Elvis Presley costumes whether they are the slender early Elvis or hilariously large Elvis suits from the later years. There are a whole lot of modern and classic pop stars you can dress as for fancy dress parties from Madonna to dressing up like cast members from the musical Grease.
These are just a few ideas that have proved popular in the past but that shouldn’t limit you, let your imagination roam wild and see if you can come up with an original idea of your own or buy one of the many funny costumes that are available online.
There are lots of fancy dress costumes available for adults as well as childrens fancy dress costumes that you could choose from online for your next fancy dress party.
Friday, November 13th, 2009 at
12:39 am
Flapper dresses are a fantastic choice for a fancy dress party. Why not choose to host a 1920s themed bash, complete with cocktails and swinging jazz music.
The 1920s conjures up an image of cool sophistication and this would be a great idea for a party with a difference. Ladies could wear the wonderfully flattering dropped waist dresses, decorated with beading and fringing that looks great when you are doing the Charleston. It is really easy to make a ribbon headband with a feather attached. Don’t forget the string of pearls around your neck and maybe a cigarette holder (just don’t light the cigarette – it looks cool but we now know different eh?).
Gentleman will look cool in the loose fitting suits of the era. Add a boater hat and you can’t fail to look dashing and debonair. Just thinking about it makes me swoon. Men really did look good during that era. Everyone took the time to get dressed up to the nines. They really took pride in their appearance. Oh to be young and single during the roaring 20s.
If you are looking for examples of 1920s cool, then just think of the film Chicago, starring Renee Zellwegger, Catherine Zeta Jones and Richard Gere. Both ladies sported the short bob hair style of the time and the make-up was perfect, especially the bright red lipstick.
So get those cocktail glassed filled with champagne, put on some Cole Porter music and get swinging.
Visit Olivia Madden to read more about flapper dresses.
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