It’s hard to believe that 80’s styles are considered vintage now—but time marches on, as they say. And if you’re a fan of the 80’s, or you lived through the 80’s, why not go to your next party in 80’s fancy dress?

The bold colours and the big plastic beads, rainbow stripes and fishnet stockings—all this and more make 80’s style women’s fancy dress costumes a lot of fun. And you’ll be sure to catch someone’s eye if you go as a Baywatch lifeguard, a blushing bride, or a red or pink sparkly rock guitar.

Pair a neon blue tutu with black fishnet stockings, add a pretty tank top, and you’re set to go. For more snazzy accessories and fun final touches, add big, false eyelashes in pink or purple, big sunglasses, or long strands of florescent beads.

Leg warmers were all the rage, so why not pop on a pair of orange or pink ones over your white fishnet stockings? Wear white heels and an orange or green tutu, and you’ve got the look.

And if you really want to cause a stir, why not add a fun wig? You can have long, luxuriously straight purple hair, or maybe you’d prefer bleach blond crimped locks? Glamorous curls or a frizzy afro – with a wig, you can have hair in just about any colour for one night.

Dress up your next fancy dress occasion with a fun 80’s costume, and you’re sure to get all the attention you want.

Fancy dress parties, especially for significant birthdays, are very popular right now. But despite how fun these parties are, sometimes choosing the right fancy dress costume can be difficult. There’s nothing more gutting than showing up to a party in the same costume as one of your friends! To choose a more unusual fancy dress costume, think outside the box.

For unusual ladies fancy dress costumes, why not choose a historical figure. You can choose a popular one like Cleopatra or a Greek goddess like Medusa, but if you want to be really unusual, why not choose a more generic costume and then personalize it. Dress as a queen, and then add your own touches to become Marie Antoinette, Queen Victoria, or even Mary Queen of Scots. Or, choose a generic Indian costume and become Pocahontas, or Sacajawea.

For a groovy look, choose a generic 60’s, 70’s, or 80’s fancy dress costume and then think of a historical figure from that era that you admire. Maybe an artist or novelist?

For unusual men’s fancy dress, take the same principle. A generic Viking costume can become Leif Erikson, the Viking who discovered the Americas well before Christopher Columbus. Or, choose a French Revolution costume and become Sidney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities.

Choosing unusual fancy dress costumes is really easy when you put your mind to work. Thinking outside the back can make any average costume become something really special.

Fancy dress Halloween parties are becoming more and more popular these days. But for guys, sometimes dressing up in Halloween costumes can be embarrassing, especially if you leave buying one until the last minute, and you can’t find one you really like. But with a little thought, you can come up with men’s Halloween costumes that you are really happy with.

To find a Halloween costume that suits your personality, think about your favourite books, movies, TV shoes, computer games, and comic books. Who are your favourite characters? What genre do you read the most? Do you like the history channel or the Sci-Fi channel?

Are you a funny guy? If you love telling jokes and making people laugh, why not dress as a chicken, a gorilla, or the Pink Panther?

Or, if you’re a history buff, you could go as a Roman soldier or an Egyptian pharaoh, or even Robin Hood. If you’re going with your girlfriend or partner, you could go as a historical pair—like Anthony and Cleopatra, or Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

What’s your favourite movie? Think of your favourite character and look for Halloween costumes to match—the Tin Man, Zorro, Darth Vader, or Batman.

Proud of your country? Why not go as a soldier? Like being in authority? Why not a policeman, Canadian mounty, or a member of  a SWAT team? And remember, ladies love a man in uniform!

To find the right fancy dress outfits, to be honest, you just need to be yourself!

At Fancy Dress Ball, we have a wide range of fancy dress costumes for popular decades. One of the most popular decades for parties and for dressing up is the 1970s.

With disco music and films like Saturday Night Fever becoming popular during the 70s, a themed fancy dress party is always going to be a great idea when thinking of a theme for a party. So what are you waiting for? Get browsing through our 1970s  fancy dress range now.

For all the men out there, we have psychedelic shirts and Elvis costumes. The satin shirts and bright colours are sure to make you look at part at a party. For those who grew up in the 70s, we also have classic costumes such as a Wombles Great Uncle Bulgaria costume. To add authenticity to your costume however, you will need a wig, medallion and staple platform heels. Have a look at our accessories to add some character to your costume.

Ladies are also going to be spoilt for choice when it comes to getting a costume. We have ladies fancy dress costumes such as Abba outfits for all those disco divas out there, and we also have Foxy Cleopatra too. If you are going for a more generic look, we have a number of flares and flower power tops for you to put together yourself also. Once again, do not forget about the accessories. Think big sunglasses and big hair. We have gorgeous dancing queen wigs and metallic disco wigs to add to your look.

Watching films is one of our favourite pastimes and one that can be enjoyed of people of all ages. We will associate watching them with happy memories, so it may come as no suprise to learn that dressing up as your favourite TV or film character is very popular.

It does not matter how old you are or if you are a man or a woman, Fancy Dress Ball has a TV or film inspired fancy dress costume for everyone. For the little boys, we have a number of costumes such as Postman Pan, Spongebob Squarepants and even Dangermouse.  Girls can enjoy dressing up as Tinkerbelle or Alice in Wonderland.

Our adult fancy dress range also offers a number of costumes inspired by the large screen. Men can dress up as Edward Scissorhands or Beetlejuice. Women can choose from options such as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and Wednesday from The Addams Family.

Couples can go to a party dressed as their favourite characters also. For example, Flintstones fans might want to go as Wilma and Fred or as Betty and Barney Rubble. Likewise, if you are going to a 50s fancy dress party, you could always take a look at our Grease section for Sandy and Danny costumes. Complete the look with a wig and your ready to rock and roll.

If you are holding or attending a children’s party, we also have a number of Disney inspired costumes such as the Little Mermaid and Buzz Light Year. That is sure to put a smile on your child’s face.

For most of us, Halloween is the only night of the year where you will down be looked at twice if you go out for the night dressed as a zombie. It is traditionally seen as the one night where the most shocking or terrifying your fancy dress outfits are, the better.

There are traditional fancy dress options that will always be popular at Halloween. One of these is to dress up as a spooky skeleton. Fancy Dress Ball offers a wide range of skeleton costumes for both men and women which will send shivers down the spines of anyone lying eyes on you.

Another classic option is dressing as a zombie. We have a number of different costumes available for you to choose from. If you do not want to wear a mask, there is always the option of wearing face paint and fake skin which we also stock. Fake blood will also add to your look. All you will need to do is perfect the zombie walk for your friends and family. Our range of male and female vampire costumes is another terrifying option you may think about.

Away from the classic options, we have a number of new arrivals for you to choose from. The cirque sinister twisted clown costume is a creepy number for example. For all those fans of the hit TV series, Dexter, there are even mens Halloween costumes dedicated to the main character, complete with bloodied black apron.

With Halloween at the weekend this year, there is no excuse to not get dressed up and into the spirit of things. Start thinking about what type of Halloween costumes you want now, and read on for some ideas if you do not know where to start.

Fancy Dress Ball has a number of different women’s fancy dress costumes, but what do you choose? As Halloween is traditionally the season of scaring and celebrating all things gory, why not dress up as a monster bride or a lady vampire? Add finishing touches to your outfit by using face paint or a long wig. You may also think about getting some fake eyelashes or pointed fangs if you want to really look the part, and we have a wide range of accessories for ladies Halloween costumes to choose from.

There are also a number of witch and devil outfits. These all come in different styles and lengths so you will definitely be able to find something that suits all ages and all personal tastes. Add a broom and a hat if you want to be a witch, and add devil horns and a tail to make a convincing devil.

A lot of women steer clear of horror fancy dress and go for options such as nursery or fairy tale characters. We have Snow White and Red Riding Hood costumes for example. There are also costumes that are inspired by different eras such as Roman lady outfits and Medieval Maid Marion costumes. Or why not dress up in a funny costume such as our pumpkin outfit? The important thing is choose something you feel comfortable in so you are able to dance the night away.

Halloween can be a busy time of the year and with the country in economic turmoil, you may be simply looking for simple Halloween costumes that do not cost a lot of money. We are here to help you find outfits that are both affordable and of good quality. There is no reason why you should miss out on the fun simply because you are a bit strapped for cash or time.

We have ladies Halloween costumes at exceptionally low prices, so there is no reason why you should not join in with the festivities. Another way you can save money is by buying some accessories or props. Perhaps you could buy a mask from our range, then add your own personal touches to have a truly unique outfit.

Although some people may hire out costumes in an attempt to save money, this may actually end up costing you more. At least when you buy a costume you will be able to wear it time and time again. You do not only have to wear it for Halloween either. For example, a lot of people have fancy dress themes for birthday parties and even house warming parties these days. Also, depending on how explicit the occasion, you could also wear our pin up devilicious costume or one of our other adult fancy dress outfits for a hen party, for example.

Dressing up is a lot of fun, and when you buy Halloween costumes, you can use them time and time again for any occasion.

When it comes to 80s fancy dress parties, one of the coolest costumes for men has to be that of the 80’s most iconic pop star – Michael Jackson. Although Michael Jackson had been a star from his youth in the Jackson Five, it was in the 1980s that he became a global superstar with his thrilling music videos and amazing dance routines. Never resting on his laurels, Michael Jackson was diverse in his style as well as his music, meaning there is plenty of scope for your 80s fancy dress costumes.

Of course, the white socks and black shoes are the obvious choice for whichever fancy dress outfits you choose, but there are also the red leather trousers to consider with the classic red and black leather jacket. If you prefer his look from the ‘Billie Jean’ era then you will need a black tea-shirt and a white suit. However, if you want to be completely unique then you could really go the extra mile by ransacking the Halloween costume department and announcing yourself as a zombie from the ‘Thriller’ music video.

Remember, Michael Jackson still had afro hair in the early 1980’s so this can be another string to your bow as there are lots of 80s fancy dress wigs available to complete the look. No matter what Michael Jackson costume you choose, you are sure to make quite an impact at your 80s fancy dress party; just be sure to practice your moonwalk!

For a wide range of accessories suitable for creating an authentic Michael Jackson look, browse the Fancy Dress Ball website.

Buy Where's Wally Costumes

The prize for fun fancy dress costume for 2010 no doubt must go to the Where’s Wally Costume. Such is the demand that the official licensed costume sold out within days of going on sale in March 2010. But worry no further, new stocks are arriving around 12th May, just in time for the world record attempt to be held in Great Yarmouth on 31st May 2010.

The previousl record attempt last October  managed 901 Where’s Wally Costumes, but the record still remains 1052 Where’s Wally Costumes in one location, New Jersey, USA

Where’s Wally is a fictional character featured in a series of childrens books. Originally released in 1987, the Where’s Wally Costume is great for an 80′s theme. His noticeable costume includes red/white striped shirt, bobble hat and bright blue trousers.

Grab your Where’s Wally Costume soon, as there sure to sell fast!