Blog for Fancy Dress Costumes

If the 1950s was the decade when rock and roll was born, then the 1980s can be said to be the era when rock truly came of age! And with the advent of the music video, walkmen and cds rock truly began to take over the world. Of course all this is a boon for 1980s fancy dress, and with some of truly recognizable 80s rock and roll looks – why not rock out?

The 80s was known for all kind of rock music, each with their own distinct styles – it really is true to say that the 80s was a decade where style became as important to rock and roll as the music.

For example, the Gothic style with its truly unique fashions first appeared on the scene in the 80s, and it is a great template for a really individual kind of 1980s fancy dress. Unlike many other kinds of 1980s fancy dress outfits, the Gothic look can be fairly easily replicated, with, for example, the use of black eyeliner and leggings.

Whilst the Gothic look was a look for the introverted, the 80s was also a decade for the rock extrovert. If you really want to make an impact at a 1980s fancy dress parties then some choice mullet wigs and ripped jeans are a fabulous way to create truly edgy fancy dress costumes.

At Fancy Dress Ball we’ve got loads of eighties outfits and accessories which make achieving that 80s rock look a breeze.

Whether its because of Madonna’s Like a Virgin phase or Billy Idol’s White Wedding video, the bride look as a serious eighties fancy dress edge to it. Unlike many other kinds of eighties fancy dress however (rather than looking a little clownish), dressed as an 80’s bride you’re bound to look stunning.

There are many way to interpret wedding dress eighties fancy dress costumes. On the one hand you could draw upon that 80’s pop queen madonna inspiration, and pair the look with some other Madonna embellishments, for example oversize bangles, or teaseled hair.

Alternatively you could opt for the Billy Idol wedding dress look, which is all about bleach blonde hair and a sexy edge. With this look in mind, you might want to go to your eighties fancy dress party with a partner decked out as that 80’s male icon Billy Idol replete with bleached blonde hair and leather pants.

If you really want to make an impact with your wedding dress 80’s fancy dress look then you could opt for the zombie bride look. Whilst this will have a similar edge to it as the White Wedding or Like a Virgin look, it will got that little bit further to create a style that is as scary as it is provocative. In order to achieve this look you might consider putting tears in your dress and even daubing it with fake blood.

The 80’s was an age of excess and therefore no 80 fancy dress costumes should be without a wild child edge. Achieving this wild child look can be a challenge, depending on the lengths your willing to go to; which is where Fancy Dress Ball comes in with great wigs and 80’s fancy dress costumes to make achieving the wild child look a breeze.

Perhaps the easiest way to channel your inner wild child is by wearing an appropriate wig. At Fancy Dress Ball we’ve got loads of great wigs that will turn even the most staid of 80’s fancy dress costumes into a wild party outfit! When choosing a wig for an 80’s fancy dress costume, you should be looking at bright colours and wild styles – just like those 80’s rock icons.

Of course wigs aren’t the be all and end all of the wild child look, and if you really want to go the whole hog when it comes to your 80’s fancy dress costumes then you might consider some great 80’s wild child accessories. With this in mind, some brightly coloured bangles or oversize earrings are a great way add a little sassiness to 80’s fancy dress costumes.

As a final point, if your really want your eighties fancy dress costumes to have a wild child edge then its going to take a little more than wigs and accessories. To complete your wild child outfit, you need a little of that wild child attitude!

When it comes to 80’s fancy dress, it isn’t just the clothes that make an impression. The accessories can often make all the difference, and if you choose them wisely you’ll have no problem creating the perfect outfit to really impress at that party.

The accessories can make or break any 80’s fancy dress outfit, and they could be just the thing to take it up to the next level. They could even turn a regular outfit into something that’s perfectly suited to the decade, giving you the ultimate 80’s costumes without having to spend a fortune.

If you want to really nail the 80’s look, you need to be thinking big, bold and fun. Wigs are always a good addition to any outfit, and hats or visors are sure to go down well. Girls need to think neon, with leg warmers and tutus all being acceptable, or if you’re going for a wild child look go for lace and plenty of jewellery to turn your outfit into something that Madonna would be proud of.

As you can see, accessories are essential if you want to have the perfect 80’s fancy dress outfit. But, if you really want to find the right accessories then you need to know where to find them, and that’s why you need to come to us here at Fancy Dress Ball. We have plenty of accessories to choose from that will let you channel the 80’s to perfection, so come to us and get ready to find just what you’re looking for.

If there’s one thing that’s going to impress at any eighties fancy dress party, it’s getting the perfect outfit to emulate the decade. You want to get the ultimate look to really create a stir, and you always need to make the most of your 80’s costume if you really want to impress.

By making the most of it, I mean don’t be afraid to take it to the next level. Anyone can slap on a tutu or a wig, but to really hit the right note your eighties fancy dress needs to go so much further than that. Try emulating a specific star or style of the decade, and get all the accessories that you can to perfectly recreate the look.

This was a decade that was all about having fun, so make sure it shines through in your costume. You want to go all out to ensure that you’ve captured the essence of the decade perfectly, and if you put in extra effort it’s bound to be noticed.

But, to really make the most of your 1980’s fancy dress costumes, you need to know where you can find the perfect costume. It’s only by having a fantastic selection of outfits to choose from that you can be sure you’ve made the right decision, and that’s why you need to come to us here at Fancy Dress Ball.

We have an exceptional range of 80’s costumes for you to choose from that will always go down well at any party, and with plenty of accessories you can’t fail to look the part. So, come to us today and let us kit you out for the perfect 80’s party.

Fancy dress parties are the perfect excuse to let your hair down and wear the kind of outrageous outfits that you wouldn’t even consider on a daily basis. 80’s costumes can be even more fun, and if you spend the time to plan your outfit you really can go all out.

There are a number of routes you could go down when choosing your 80’s costumes. You could take your inspiration from TV, film or music stars of the era or you could simply take some of the styles of the decade and make them your own. The choice really is yours, and there are plenty of 80’s outfits you could go for that are guaranteed to create an impression.

But, don’t be afraid to go a little wilder than you normally would. The 80’s was the decade of partying and having fun, so let that shine through in your outfit. Go for outrageous wigs, far-out makeup, and skirts that are just that bit shorter than you’d normally dare – anything that can take your 80’s outfit to the next level should definitely be considered.

But, the only way you can really go all out is if you know where you can find plenty of 1980’s fancy dress costumes to suit. That’s why you need to come to us here at Fancy Dress Ball, because with so many outrageous options to choose from you’ll be well and truly spoilt for choice. Come to us today, and get ready to stand out from the crowd.

Everybody is mad for the 1980’s at the moment and 80’s fancy dress is going down a storm. All of your old 80’s favourites like Rocky, BA Baracus and Boy George are turning up at 80’s fancy dress parties up and down the country. One 80’s icon who every girl wants to emulate at fancy dress parties is Madonna. Madonna was innovative in her fashion as well as her music so there are many ‘looks’ to choose from. You can even mix and match clothes from different eras to make a killer Madonna costume.  To make sure that you are the number one Material Girl at the party, give your outfit some finishing touches.

Hair & make-up

Your hair should be radically wavy and tied up using a big ribbon that is finished in a bow on top of your head.  You will also need some very heavy eye makeup such as browns for eye shadow and heavy black eyeliner and mascara.  Lips need to be bright red and don’t forget to pencil on the trademark mole.

Accessories

Dangly earrings that didn’t match were a favourite of Madonna, with one earring bigger than the other.  Of course, there are the necklaces to consider, with crosses being a theme, as well as strings of fake pearls. To finish, find lots of bracelets, elastic bands and studded leather straps, and top off with some lace fingerless gloves.

And there you go, a Madonna costume worthy of Madge herself! For a wide range of fancy dress costumes and accessories to emulate your favourite 80s icon, browse the Fancy Dress Ball website and you’re guaranteed to find what you’re looking for.

Whilst the 80s for many was a decade of bright colours and flamboyant attitudes, this is perhaps a little stereotypical. In fact, the 1980s was a little more complicated. There was, for example, a thriving alternative scene, and gothic fashion really began to come into its own.

With this in mind a gothic themed eighties fancy dress party is a great theme for anyone who wants to throw a truly unique party, which still retains that element of nostalgia. So, how do you incorporate a gothic theme into a 1980s fancy dress party?

Well one way is to give your 80s fancy dress party some 80s horror credentials – as the 80s was perhaps the decade that was most synonymous with video nasties and zombies – with this in mind you and your guests could take some inspiration from 80s zombie classics such as the Evil Dead.

If you want your 1980s fancy dress party to be authentically gothic, however, then you just have to take some inspiration from some 80s gothic icons.

For the ladies, you could look to 80s gothic songstress Siouxsie Sioux, for inspiration and opt for plenty of eye make-up and an oversize t-shirts.

For the guys, The Cure’s Robert Smith is a perfect gothic template, and that Cure Look is easily replicated with some big hair, and plenty of eye make-up!

If you’re a guest rather than hosting a gothic 80s fancy dress part, then choosing gothic 80s outfits is a great way to make an impression, and it is more than likely you’ll be the coolest in the room!

Eighties fancy dress is one of the most popular fancy dress templates around, and bizarrely the 1980s seems to be continuously growing in popularity.

Whilst this is evidence that that everybody loves an 80s party, with great popularity comes a problem: how do you throw an eighties fancy dress party that is truly unique?

Luckily while the 80s is full of some pretty bold statements, musically, in terms of fashion and even that 80s attitude, the 80s was also a decade of cults. For example, with the advent of video tapes in the 1980s, movies really began to become cult classics – with genres such as horror really touching the zeitgeist.

With this in mind, if you really want your 80s fancy dress to be unique then why not opt for an 80s horror theme, drawing on films like dawn of the dead for inspiration – of course, if this a little too cult you could base your horror theme on Michael Jackson’s thriller video, either way your party is sure to be memorable.

Using cult movies to theme your 1980s fancy dress party is only one way to guarantee its uniqueness, and you could, for example, host an alternative 80s fashion night, drawing on alternative eighties fashion icons for inspiration – such as The Cure’s Robert Smith.

Of course it is possible for things to get a little bit too obscure, and therefore while you might choose and overarching cult theme for your shindig, you could also embellish it with some recognisable features – such as some 80s party anthems.

Today we are spoilt for choice for style icons, whether for everyday fashion or ideas for fancy dress costumes, and we might assume that we are the only decade to really experience what a celebrity culture is. However, there was a decade when trendsetters where not only famous, but also true style icons – the 1980s. It is this distinction that makes the 80s the real celebrity decade.

Unlike today, where celebrity is more often than not short-lived, in the 1980s icons where so memorable that they are still as famous as they ever were, which means that hosting a 1980s fancy dress party will not only be a nostalgia fest but it will appeal even to people who weren’t around in the 80s.

So, who exactly are these 1980s icons? The King of Pop Michael Jackson was at his best in the 1980s and single handedly defined the era with his iconic songs and his defining tracks - even more so his outstanding presence in everyday media. What better template for an eighties fancy dress party, as not only will you be able to draw upon a whole library of looks, but you will have loads of party anthems to play that are guaranteed to get guests into the eighties moonwalking mood.

Of course the eighties wasn’t all about Jacko, and Madonna was equally symbolic of the flamboyance and exuberance of eighties styles, which makes her the ideal template for an 80s fancy dress party. Of course a Madonna costume is perhaps most effective when worn by ladies, but don’t be afraid to let your guests know that humour is on the cards for fancy dress costumes, too - you may even get some of the male guests turning up as Madonna!