So you told everyone that your next party was going to be fancy dress. OK, that was the easy part. But what exactly is the theme going to be? Don’t worry if your brain has gone in to overload; here are a few popular ideas to help narrow your choices.

Angels and Demons

This theme is always a winner as it gives your guests the chance to indulge either the naughty or nice side of their character. People who want to be angels can wear adult fairy costumes or angel costumes with wands, wings and halos, while demon costumes can range from a sexy little devil outfit right through to an all-evil Darth Maul costume.

Films

Film themed parties offer so many options that you may want to break it down in to a more specific genre. You could have a sci-fi themed party where classic outfits from Star Wars, The Matrix or Star Trek would be the order of the day. Or maybe you could indulge your guests taste for sophistication and throw a James Bond themed party that requires gadget-packed tuxedos, jumpsuits and femme-fatale hot pants.

Retro

80’s fancy dress parties are all the rage at the moment with more big hair wigs, lycra pants and massive shoulder pads than you could shake a day-glo headband at! However, 70’s fancy dress parties always remain a popular choice as fellas love to dress up as 70’s pimps while the ladies get to strut their stuff in Abba costumes. Groovy!

Like many people, you might love donning fancy dress costumes for parties. Such attire is great fun and can be a real ice breaker in social gatherings.

However, there are bound to have been occasions in the past when your heart has sunk because you realise you have too little time to source such garments before a bash.

After all, some hosts simply do not understand that you need time to get your hands on special clothing. Meanwhile, you may sometimes simply forget that there is a fancy dress theme, leaving you in a sticky situation.

Turning up at a social gathering in a regular outfit when everyone else has made an effort to wear men’s and women’s fancy dress can be embarrassing.

Well, one way in which you can avoid such disasters is to have a stock of basic items that can be worn when fancy dress is required.

For example, you might benefit from possessing such things as wigs, fake facial hair, hats and masks.

Such items are versatile and can often be fitted to many different themes. For example, fake moustaches can be great in a number of roles. Teamed with a bowler hat and luxury satin dressing gown, they can make you look like the lord of the manor, while you can get that Mexican look by simply pairing them with a sombrero.

Also, having the odd full outfit in your wardrobe, whether it is based on a particular decade, a cartoon character, a scary ensemble or anything else, can be a life saver. Often, party hosts do not specify a particular theme, meaning you can simply dig out clothing of your choice and wear it.

If you’re throwing a fancy dress party, it goes without saying that you want it to be a huge success. Everything needs to be planned to ensure that the night goes off without a hitch, but just how can you go about doing that?

The first thing you’ll need to do is decide upon a theme. You could always do a free for all, but if you want to give people a bit of direction and have outfits that perfectly match then you might want to give your guests something to work with. There are plenty of options you could choose from as well so the only limit is your imagination, and if you choose wisely you’re guaranteed to have the ultimate party.

But, the decisions don’t just stop there. The music will be another important consideration, and this can often depend on the theme of the party. If you’re throwing a 70’s fancy dress party, for example, then you’ll need the 70’s music to accommodate, so always try to go for something suitable. Then you’ll need to think about the catering, the decorations and of course your own outfit – you’re the host after all, so you need to show everyone else how it’s done!

If you bear in mind a few of these points then you’ll have no problem throwing the perfect party. If you need a bit of inspiration for a theme or for fancy dress costumes of your own, make sure to come to us and we’re confident you’ll find just what you’re looking for.

If you are organising an event for work that is designed to ensure that colleagues bond with one another, you may be feeling a little daunted.  After all, such situations are often contrived and people may feel awkward and guarded.

However, there is one fantastic way of encouraging individuals to lose some of their inhibitions and get to know each other better and that is to encourage them to don fancy dress.

Whether you decide that a simple party would be the best means of enhancing relationships between your co-workers, or you go for a more novel approach, fancy dress outfits can be an important piece of the jigsaw.

For example, you might decide to stage a team quiz for prizes. In such instances, you could have a particular theme for the questions and match this with men’s and women’s fancy dress.

So, you could base the evening on movies, and get your co-workers to don outfits that befit such a topic.

By making sure people are dressed up in unusual garments, you will add a fun and more relaxed dimension to the proceedings and ensure that conversation flows more easily.

And the benefits of having a cohesive workforce that know each other well and get along with one another are well documented. It can lead to enhanced productivity and it certainly makes for a more pleasant office environment.

You could even make themed fancy dress events a common occurrence at your place of work if you are pleased with the results.

So, the festive season has come to an end. You have taken down the tree, the tinsel, the Christmas cards and finally cleared your fridge and cupboards of all those tasty snacks you bought.

This time of year can leave you feeling a little flat. After all, the parties have come to an end and the country is still in the depths of winter. Indeed, it may seem as though, for the interim, there is relatively little to look forward to.

However, this need not be the case. Just because December 25th and 31st have passed, you do not have to retreat into a time of boredom.

Instead, you can set about organising events to look forward to. All you need to do is find an excuse for having a party. Whether you know someone who is about to celebrate a birthday, have had some positive news at work or anything else, you should seize the opportunity to throw a party.

And to ensure the event has the great atmosphere you are seeking, you should consider making it fancy dress.

Whether you choose a theme for the fancy dress costumes or not, you are bound to succeed in generating a fun-filled evening.

The sooner you start planning the bash the better. This means guests will have longer to source their outfits, whether they are 70s fancy dress, ensembles inspired by the movies, superhero costumes or anything else.

Also, it means you will have a date to look forward to, which could lift your spirits.

If you have been charged with organising a stag or hen party, you will no doubt feel under pressure to make it a good one.

Whether you are the best man at the upcoming wedding or the maid of honour, the fact you have been selected for this role means the groom or bride-to-be has faith in you.

And of course, you will determined not to let them down.

The most important thing is not panic. While coming up with an exciting theme that suits the tastes of as many people on the night out as possible may seem daunting, it will be fine as long as you take the process stage by stage.

Firstly, you need to decide on the location and date of the event. Making sure the maximum number of possible attendees can make it is vital.

If you are feeling extravagant, you may decide to base the event abroad.

Secondly, you need to decide what sort of activities are to be involved. So for example, will a meal be part of the celebrations and do you want to hit the clubs?

However, often it is details such as props and games that have the greatest impact on the event.

With this in mind, you might want to organise a fancy dress theme. Whether you opt for 70s fancy dress, 80s costumes or another theme, you are guaranteed to create a night to remember.

Such attire generally leads to people having more fun as they feel less inhibited.

Also, you are helping to ensure the bride or groom-to-be feels special.

So, you’ve decided to throw a fancy dress party during which guests will be wearing 70s costumes.

This is a great theme for a celebration and it can really get people’s imaginations flowing.

After all, the ten-year period was an iconic one in Britain and its legacy is still very much felt in UK culture.

Also, some of your guests may have gone through their formative years during the decade, meaning it has a special place in their hearts.

Just by gathering people together in such fancy dress costumes, you are virtually guaranteeing a great night.

However, there are certain ways in which you may be able to make the occasion even more special.

For example, you might want to add 70s-style decorations to your home or the venue in which the event is being held.

Roughly speaking, psychedelic should be what you are aiming for.

Meanwhile, if you intend to serve snacks, you might want to go for mini versions of 70s classics, such as prawn cocktails and trifles.

And it almost goes without saying that you should ensure the music fits the bill. Playing tunes from the era will provide a more thorough representation of the 70s.

By paying attention to these small details, you are showing guests you really care and they are bound to appreciate the effort you have gone to.

In order to make the process as easy as possible, give yourself enough time to plan it properly. This way you will be proud of your efforts.

As a general rule, you should try to provide people with invitations to your parties with plenty of notice.

After all, your friends, family and colleagues – or whoever you are inviting – may well make other commitments for the date in question if you leave it too late.

However, this issue is even more crucial if you intend to base the bash on a fancy dress theme.

Individuals need to have sufficient time to be able to plan and source their fancy dress costumes.

They may feel put out and might not even attend your celebration if they feel you have not provided them with a long enough period in which to get their women’s or men’s fancy dress.

There is nothing worse than arriving at such an event to discover you are clearly the person who has made the least effort.

Also, Christmas is a particularly hectic time of year for many people and so they may need even more notice to source such clothing.

As well as preparing for your party, they are likely to be in the process of stocking up on food and drink for the festivities and they will have a list of presents to buy.

On top of this, they will have a house to decorate and other social events to attend.

So, as soon as you decide to hold a bash that involves an unusual dress code, make sure you send out your invitations immediately. Your guests will appreciate it and you may well have more people at your gathering as a result.

The biggest challenge regarding fancy dress is choosing the theme for your party. With this in mind, choosing a theme based on a particular decade is a great idea, as it will give you loads of different party options. But which decade is best for fancy dress?

Well of course you might have a particular fondness for a particular decade in which case you should follow your heart! However, certainly two of the most popular decades for fancy dress themes have to be the 1980s and the 1970s – but which is better; 70′s or 80′s fancy dress themes?

The Music

Both the 1980s and the 1970s are renowned for the music; and therefore whichever decade that you choose for your template, then your assured of a fantastic soundtrack. However, if a choice had to be made regarding which is better in terms of music then it might just have to be the 70s, as not only were their great songs, but also great dance-moves – perfect for a 70′s fancy dress party.

The Food

Whilst the 80s was an age of excess, where many people dined on caviare on champagne in their lunch hour – the 70s was an age of more eccentric cuisine. Therefore the 1970s is the perfect inspiration for party food, with party staples like cheese and pineapple having their origins in the decade – making 70′s fancy dress perfect for food lovers!

The Clothes

This is one area were the 80s has the 70s beat, as the 1980s was the decade of extreme fashions, and pop idols that really pushed the boundaries of style. With this in mind, if costumes are your thing, then you won’t do much better than 80′s fancy dress!

70′s fancy dress is often inspired by the fashions of ‘Saturday Night Fever’, and you can make this sort of costume really stand out by purchasing fancy dress accessories. That’s where the best fancy dress suppliers may help. They exist purely to make sure your costume is as good as it can be by supplying all those little extras that will make it outstanding.

If you’re going for that rock star look, you might want to consider glasses with coloured lenses, or perhaps star shaped spectacles reminiscent of the type that Elton John used to wear to such great effect. Glasses shaped like hearts can be considered if you’re feeling really outrageous.

Someone once said that if you want to get ahead, get a hat, and a hat can certainly be the perfect complement to your 70′s fancy dress. How about a sequinned disco hat in gold or silver, or perhaps you’d like something more modest in pink?

If you are playing the rock star, you could opt for an inflatable guitar. To get into the right territory for a 70′s fancy dress party, you could wear a false moustache. If you want something extra in the hair department for your chest, you can achieve a luxuriant hirsute look by underhand methods. A medallion may be considered today to be of dubious taste, but it wasn’t always as frowned upon.

At Fancy Dress Ball, we aim to make everything as simple as possible for you when getting your fancy dress costumes. We think the only problem you’ll have is the incredible choice, but you can take your time as we’re here twenty four hours a day.