Donning fancy dress can be a liberating and fun experience. It enables you to lose some of your inhibitions and be seen by people in a different light.

This is one of the reasons why parties themed on fancy dress costumes are so popular in the UK and elsewhere around the world.

And these days there are a wide variety of such outfits to choose from, including 80s costumes, those based on characters from films or books and those designed to be scary.

Depending on the theme of the bash you have been invited to, you may also be able to wear superhero clothing.

This can be a particularly entertaining choice, both for you as the wearer and for those around you.

You may well find that you adopt some of the mannerisms of the character you are playing, whether it be Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman or any other such individual.

After all, it is not every day that you get to be silly in this way and show off to your friends, colleagues or family members.

And you can make your image even more impressive by adding accessories to your creation. For example, you can buy wigs to make the look more authentic.

Also, you can purchase face paint, hats and masks among other things to complete your transformation.

Putting together these small touches can really make a huge difference to how successful your fancy dress costume is, so it is definitely worth the effort.

So, next time you are invited to a party like this, why not consider being a superhero for a night?

Love it or loathe it, that festive time of the year is almost upon us! And while some office parties adhere to the strict pint-and-a-bowl-of-nuts-at-the-pub set up, there will be those lucky few who go for all out fancy dress mayhem!

Xmas Theme

Ladies, ladies, ladies, we know the naughty elf ladies fancy dress costumes are calling your name (you have been a very good girl after all!), but might we suggest something a little less risque? Our Novelty Christmas Costume section 100% office-friendly!

Ah men, well men’s fancy dress outfits are simple! But if you don’t fancy channelling your inner Father Christmas, take a peek at our novelty costumes instead (perhaps you’re more of a donkey… the strong silent type!)

Anything Goes Theme

You lucky, lucky people! You get free run of our entire adult fancy dress costume collection! A couple of pointers to remember though…
1. Keep it work-safe and appropriate – There’s a fine line between “Sexy Nurse” and “The Boss Will Never Look Me in the Eye Again”! We have hundreds of creative, fun, office-friendly costumes to choose from so get browsing.

2. Be mindful of offence. Turning up dressed as the sinister “Bobo the Clown” (complete with dripping blood, creepy mask and bloodstained knife) could be a barrel of laughs for your close workmates…but old Pam who sits a few desks away? Our range of costumes includes absolutely loads of office party appropriate fancy dress costumes.

Going out to celebrate your best friend’s last night of freedom is always a great excuse to buy fancy dress costumes. It is a time to have a bit of fun and do something wild, so have a look at some of our costumes now.

Hen parties will often go for thigh grazing, low cut outfits. We have a number of school girl costumes and our Leg Avenue range will always prove popular for hen parties. Your group may choose to dress up in sexy fairytale costumes such as Snow White, Alice in Wonderland and Tinkerbelle. Or you may all choose to dress up as cute sailor girls in nautical inspired costumes. Others will include our police officer and fire fighter ladies fancy dress outfits. If your group loves a particular decade, you could also use that to pick some outfits. For example look to the 1970s for some disco diva inspiration.

Stag parties may also opt for a theme. This will add a bit of laughter to the night and will make it a night to remember, even if things seem a bit blurry the next morning. We have a number of comical mens fancy dress costumes such as a vicar and tart costume and whoopee cushion. There are also outfits such as Borat and it is always funny to see a man dressed up as a baby or a Baywatch Babe.

If you and the rest of the stag party do not want to go down the funny route, why not dress as your favourite film or rock stars. You could also dress as policemen or sailors.

Men get just as excited about Halloween as women do, especially if you have a Halloween party to look forward to. This year Halloween falls at the weekend so this is even more of a reason to get planning your Halloween costumes now.

Depending on your own personal preferences, you may decide to dress up as a twosome with your girlfriend or wife. One good option is dressing as a vampire groom and his corpse bride. You may even decide to dress up with a group of friends. For example, you could dress up as members of your favourite band or characters from your favourite horror film. Fancy Dress Ball has a number of zombie Halloween costumes for example, so you and your friends could have a zombie themed fancy dress party.

For you, Halloween may be a big deal and you may spend months thinking about an original outfit idea. If you are a bit of a joker and like to have a bit of fun when choosing your costume, why not think about dressing up in our cockroach or whoopee cushion costumes? They will certainly get you noticed. Or we also have hysterical mens halloween costumes such as the giant pumpkin costume, which will go down well with your friends.

If you still want to make an effort, but do not want to go to a lot of trouble, why not consider wearing a Halloween mask? We have options such as evil clowns, scary skeletons and even gorillas! We also have face paints and other props for you to come up with original ideas.

80′s fancy dress parties are now so ubiquitous, that making an impact can be a real challenge. Of course there are classic 80′s outfits, such as a Madonna costume or leg warmers, but whilst these costumes can be a whole lot fun, they are a little overused.

Luckily, for the the 80′s fancy dress partygoer the 80′s was known for its creative styles, and therefore creating an fancy dress outfit that is truly unique, but still retains that 80′s dimension is entirely possible.

Whilst the 80′s was an age of the pop idol, that doesn’t mean that you need necessarily dress in imitation of a human. And instead why not take some classic 80′s board games and brands as inspiration!

Whilst intuitively dressing like a game of Twister, for example, might seem like an arts and crafts nightmare, in reality the 80′s board game look can be achieved fairly easy. At Fancy Dress Ball our 80′s Twister costumes are ready to wear straight out of the box.

Of course board games are just the tip of the iceberg, and at Fancy Dress Ball we specialize in loads of novelty 80′s outfits. Rather than just stocking a few mullet wigs, we offer loads of truly unique 80′s looks, which means that whether you want a unique 80′s fancy dress costume or want to deck out your pals in different costumes you can do it in style.

For example, just check our our  80′s glam rock guitar costumes, or our 80′s air hostess costume – truly unique ways to wear 80′s fancy dress.

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!

Fancy dress is always fun, as it allows you to dress up as one of your favourite musicians or charaters – or even just a group of people, such as pirates. However, it is possible to take this to another level. Many would say that fancy dress is inherently amusing, but here are some suggestions that will bring a smile to the face of even the most jaded party goer.

The best place to start when looking for fancy dress costumes that are going to raise a smile is here, at Fancy Dress Ball. Our clown and comedy costumes allow you to be a traditional red-nosed clown or even a rather darker medieval jester.

Perhaps you have an inflated opinion of yourself. Well, you certainly will after wearing our giant chef or muscleman costumes! These are inflatable and will ensure you make a huge impact on any party – providing you can fit through the door!

Our ‘Ride ‘em Cowboy’ costume is very popular. Not only do you get a great cowboy outfit, but you are also mounted on your very own comedy horse. The ‘But Mommy, I Don’t Want To Grow Up’ costume is also quite unique. Dressed as a baby sat on the back of your mummy, no one will be able to resist your infantile charms.

Children’s television characters are always popular, and we have recently added Batfink and Count Duckula to our catalogue. If you like sailing close to the wind with your sense of humour, there are also some politically incorrect fancy dress costumes on offer. Wherever you think the line should be drawn, there are plenty of options available.