Archive for the ‘Funny Costumes’

Welcome to the second part of our look ahead to 2015, where we share all of the fantastic fancy dress opportunities going on…

July

July 1st is Canada Day, Canada’s national day. Dress as a mountie, or another famous Canadian… like… er… Avril Lavigne! The second is World UFO Day, so there is plenty of scope for alien costumes, and then it’s International Tiger Day on the 29th. Rawr!

August

August is a great month for fancy dress: the 8th is International Cat Day, and if you want to go a little more hardcore, the 10th is World Lion Day! If cats aren’t your thing, the 26th is Dog Day too! If you’re not into dressing as an animal, dust off the Christmas costumes and celebrate Be An Angel Day on the 22nd.

September 

September is Chicken Month! It’s possibly not practical to dress as a chicken all month… but for part of it? If you’re not really feeling the love for the chicken costumes, what about waiting for Teddy Bear Day on the 9th? The 13th is Roald Dahl Day, which is definitely something to look forward to. Of course, everyone knows the 19th is Talk Like a Pirate Day – obviously, you’ll already have that one marked on your calendar. And then, we round off the month of fancy dress fun on the 26th with Lumberjack Day!

October

As the weather turns colder, the fancy dress outfits become more fun, right? October has plenty of opportunities for bonkers fancy dress outfits, with World Farm Animals Day on the 2nd, and World Animal Day on the 4th. Then we have Mad Hatter Day on the 6th, World Octopus Day on the 8th and a definite favourite: Punk for a Day Day on the 25th! Of course, October is also the fancy dress high-point of the year, with Halloween on the 31st! We always look forward to this one!

November

November is fairly quiet for fancy dress, aside from the obvious Guy Fawkes Night. The 3rd is Jellyfish Day – that would be a fun costume to put together! And the 10th is Sesame Street Day; which character will you dress as?

December

December is a fantastic month for fancy dress. Aside from all the festive fancy dress opportunities, there is World Wildlife Conservation Day on the 4th – why not dress as a panda? International Day of the Ninja is on the 5th; the 14th is Monkey Day, and the 21st is International Dalek Remembrance Day. Imagine the fun you could have getting a costume together for that one!

 

And there we have it: 2015 in a nutshell. We hope you’ll stick around and see what else is going on through the course of the year!

 

 

 

 

That week between Christmas and New Year just sort of disappears, doesn’t it! You spend most of the time trying to figure out what day it is, with New Year’s Eve being some mythical date somewhere in the future… and then before you know it, it’s December 31st, you’re going to a party tonight and you’ve just realised it’s fancy dress!

What can you do?

There’s always the option of doing a Wednesday Addams: “I’m a homicidal maniac; they look just like everybody else” – but frankly, that is a cop out and although you might think it seems really cool… all of your friends who have gone to the effort of putting a costume together will not be so impressed!

Here are a few last-minute ideas to get you through that fancy dress party tonight:

1. Put your pants on outside of your trousers, make a mask from a piece of material, and a cape out of a sheet or duvet cover  – and make up a silly super hero name! Who says you have to be one of the ones the comics have already thought of? Think outside of that box, and be your own superhero!

2. Collect up all the discarded chocolate wrappers from the floor (don’t pretend there aren’t any down there!) and fix them onto your jumper; you can go as a box of chocolates! This one has an added bonus: if there really are no wrappers lying about, you have the perfect excuse to eat what’s left of the Christmas chocolates, in order to make a costume!

3. A toga! Grab a sheet from the airing cupboard, and follow these simple instructions:

 

4. Raid your wardrobe. Do you have a suit? James Bond! Some leggings, vest tops, bangles, necklaces? Madonna!  A black dress and some safety pins from the sewing kit? Liz Hurley! It’s highly likely that you have the makings of a passable costume in your wardrobe already!

5. Olaf from Frozen. This is easier than it sounds, and super trendy at the moment. Find a white top and trousers. For a girl, you can make a tutu with a piece of elastic and some netting if you like. (if you don’t have any netting to hand, a net curtain will work at a push) On the white top, stick two or three large black dots – you can cut these out of cardboard or similar. Draw sticks on the arms… to be Olaf’s stick arms. You can make a simple Olaf mask from a paper plate, cutting out eye holes and a smile for the mouth. Simple!

6. Be a zombie! This is perhaps the most simple of all. All you need is some old clothes, a bit of make up and some fake blood. Who doesn’t have those things hanging around the house? Tear holes in your old clothes, make them dirty and dusty and apply fake blood liberally. For your make up, you can go as simple or as gorey as possible, depending on the time and resources you have available.

7. The tin man. Everyone has some of that ridiculously wide foil left over from the Christmas turkey! Wrap yourself up in it, and you can be a tin man, a space man, all sorts. You could even pad it out a bit, and go as a pinball – genius!

8. Draw or print off a “decepticon” logo (from Transformers) and wear it over a normal outfit. You’re a robot in disguise! Obviously, this is only to be used as a very last resort as it’s along the lines of Wednesday Addams and a bit of a cop out!

9. If you have blonde hair of around chin length, use gel or hair spray to stick the front of it up on end – and voila, you’re “Something About Mary!”

10. We saved the best for last… go to the shop and buy some balloons. You need lots of either green, purple or red ones. Blow up as many as you can, and tie them to your clothes to form a bunch of grapes. Genius, right?

 

So there we have it. Ten last-minute fancy dress ideas for New Year.

What have we learned from this? Next time, order your fancy dress costume from Fancy Dress Ball well in advance of the party!

 

November is also Movember – the month when men grow moustaches in order to raise awareness for men’s health issues. There’s already some cracking facial topiary out there, we’re really impressed. The only problem is, if you’re going to a fancy dress party during November, what do you do? The rules of Movember are that you keep your fabulous ‘stache for the duration of the month. So you’re going to need a fancy dress costume that allows for your fantastic facial hair… Never fear! Fancy Dress Ball is here! With our fabulous suggestions, you’ll be so desperate to wear one of these costumes you’ll end up throwing your own Movember party!

 

 

Ron Burgundy

Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

Anchorman was released in 2004 and quickly became outrageously popular. If you’ve not seen it… what is wrong with you?! Go and buy the dvd, right now. Then come back and appreciate the fact we’ve put the amazing Ron Burgundy at the top of our moustachioed list!

 

Stay classy!

 

 

 

 

 

Super Mario

One of the most famous moustaches in the world, this tiny plumber has been fighting the… er… Bowsers and Warios of the gaming world for

nearly 30 years.

 

The costume is actually really simple – a pair of dungarees, a red cap, white gloves… and a cracking moustache.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Albert Einstein

Possibly the most famous scientist in the world, the man who brought the world E=MC² (let’s just pretend we know what that means, shall we?)

 

A chance to show off a cracking moustache!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling inspired yet? Other movember fancy dress suggestions include one of the 118 men, Keith Lemon, a pirate, a hippie, Colonel Mustard, Shakespeare… the possibilities are endless!

Oh, and don’t worry – we also stock fake moustaches, for those of us who are… a little more moustachiely challenged!

 

 

 

 

September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day, and we can’t wait.

The Day started out as a small celebration between a few friends with a bit of a pirate obsession (be honest – who doesn’t have a pirate obsession?), but quickly gained popularity and is now an international phenomenon. This year’s “TLAPD” is on a Friday, so it’s bound to be a fun one. Dust off your cutlass, track down that parrot, and let’s get going!

In celebration of this year’s Talk Like A Pirate Day, here are come fun pirate facts:

• Pirates believed that wearing earrings would improve their eyesight. If you’re going all-out and dressing as well as talking like a pirate this year, you’d better find some big, shiny gold earrings to complete the outfit!
• Pirates believed that whistling on a ship would cause bad weather. Ever heard of the saying, “whistling up a storm”? That’s where it comes from!
• This site will tell you what your pirate name is!
• According to historical documents, pirates probably did not have talking parrots… let’s just ignore that part though; we all want a talking parrot in our pirate costumes, don’t we?
• Pirates have existed all over the world, across all centuries. The Vikings count as pirates too, since the definition of a pirate is anyone who commits crimes at sea. So if you’d rather wear a horned hat on the 19th, go right ahead!
• The idea of a pirate having a peg leg probably came from Blackbeard, who lost one of his legs through diabetes.
• In 1701, the famous pirate Captain Kidd was hanged for his crimes. His body was displayed in chains hanging above the River Thames to deter other would-be pirates. He stayed there for three years! So if you’re thinking of going as Captain Kidd, consider a zombie feel to your costume!
• If you really want to immerse yourself in Talk Like A Pirate Day, you can change the language of your Facebook page to Pirate. Arrr!
• Pirates drink grog, which was traditionally rum diluted with water or weak beer. Often sugar, lime juice or cinnamon were added to add some flavour. Worth bearing in mind if you’re thinking of hosting a pirate-themed party!

Here is some basic pirate chat, to get you started:

Ahoy! – hello

Avast! – Stop and have a look at this

Aye! – Yes, I agree

Aye aye! – Yes, sir.

Thar – There

Scurvy dog – the best insult ever

Some general guidelines to be going along with:

Drop all of your G’s. Rowin’, Sailin’. Fightin’.

Always speak in the present tense, but use “be” instead of “I.” I be, you be, they be.

Drop all of your Vs too: O’er, ne’er, e’er.

Start your sentences with Arrrr me hearty!

 

When you look back to your childhood, it’s hard to imagine without the books of Roald Dahl, isn’t it? Whether your favourite was George’s Marvellous Medicine, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or perhaps The Twits, the books and their many characters definitely stand the test of time. His first full length book, James and the Giant Peach, was published in 1961!

Roald Dahl was born in September, so each year this month is a celebration of his life and works. There are lots of different celebrations going on, centring around his birthday, the 13th September – which is the official Roald Day. One of the most exciting celebrations is the Dahlicious Dress Up Day, which is now in its fourth year and is celebrated on the 26th September. This year is the 50th anniversary of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so celebrations are bound to have a chocolatey feel!

 

Dahlicious Dress Up Day is a great way to get children into being creative and dressing up as their favourite Roald Dahl character, with the idea that each child makes a small donation to Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity. But you don’t have to be children to get involved – we can all dress up! So, which fantastic character will you choose?

The Twits

First published in 1980, this is a timeless classic – with some great characters to dress up as! Mr and Mrs Twit are described as hideous and nasty; they hate each other and often play nasty tricks on each other (remember Mrs Twit putting her fake eye into Mr Twit’s drink?). They also torture their pet Muggle Wumps in the hope of starting their own monkey circus, and the Roly-Poly bird also features in this book (as well as many others).

Mr Twit is described as having spiky, hard hair that covers most of his face; his beard often holds scraps of food that he saves for later

Mrs Twit is described as hideously ugly and menacing; she used to be beautiful, but this was ruined by her constant horrible thoughts. She has a glass eye which she uses to play cruel practical jokes on people (mostly Mr Twit). She also carries a walking stick, which she uses mostly to hit children and animals.

Muggle-Wump is a character who appears in several of Dahl’s books. In this book, he appears alongside his family, the muggle-wumps. They’re monkey-like creatures, but there is little further description of them in the books – so you can either look at one of Quentin Blake’s amazing illustrations, or employ your own artistic license!

 

The BFG

 

Ahh, who doesn’t love this book! Written for his granddaughter Sophie (the famous model/author, Sophie Dahl), this is the story of a little orphan called Sophie who can’t sleep one night, and looks out of the window, spying a giant who then scoops her up and takes her  his home in Giant Country.

As it turns out, the BFG is the only friendly giant among several mean and unfriendly giants who eat people. He collects good dreams and blows them into children’s bedrooms at night. Eventually he and Sophie go to the Queen of England and persuade her to help capture the unfriendly, people-eating giants.

This book has so many characters you could dress up as: there’s obviously Sophie or the BFG with his massive ears, but also several of the bad giants such as The Fleshlumpeater or The Childchewer. Why not grab a copy of the book and read the descriptions for some great ideas? Of course, the Queen is also featured in this book – but that one might be a little easy!

 

Fantastic Mr Fox

This book was made into a film not so long ago, but in our opinion you can’t beat the pictures Dahl’s descriptions conjure up in your head.

Fantastic Mr Fox about Mr Fox and his family, who live beneath a tree. He visits local farms in order to feed his family; the farms are owned by the nasty and unpleasant farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean. After the evil farmers try to dig up Mr Fox’s home, he hatches a plan to steal all of the farmers’ wares and have a new large underground neighbourhood.

There are great characters in this book; you could dress up as Mr or Mrs Fox, or perhaps one of the farmers; as always, Dahl’s offers fantastic descriptions of the disgusting, evil farmers.

 

The Enormous Crocodile

 

The Enormous Crocodile is a fantastic children’s book: an enormous crocodile goes through the jungle, telling all the animals he meets along the way that he’s going to eat children. The animals tell him not to, but he tries any way – so every time he tries to eat the children, the animals save the children. Eventually, the elephant kills the crocodile by picking him up by his tail and swinging him around and around and sending him flying off into the sun.

Muggle-Wump, who was in The Twits, also features in this book – so if you dress as him, you can cover two books with one costume!

This is a great book for younger children to read, as it’s in the format of a picture book (with illustrations by Quentin Blake) and doesn’t have too many words. Children will love the idea of dressing up as the Enormous Crocodile, or perhaps Trunky the Elephant who ultimately saves the day.

 

Freshers’ Week is almost upon us, and to us that means one very exciting thing: tons of themed fancy dress parties!

There are always loads of themed fancy dress parties for Freshers’ Week; all of the local bars usually have events on and it’s a great way to get to know your fellow students whilst also having a great time!

You don’t need to spend a fortune on outfits though; if there are several themed events you’ll want to keep your outfits as low-budget as possible (don’t worry, everyone else will too!)

In this photo, you can see the main costume is a onesie with a bit of face paint. Head bands and hats are also a good place to start!

In fact, let’s just get one thing straight right now: all students need a onesie.

We’re sure that’s written somewhere in your prospectus.  The more ridiculous/novelty, the better.

And if you’re really strapped for cash (or, you know, lazy), you can always just put on a bit of make up and a novelty headband and say you’re a mouse!

Alphabet parties are  all the rage at the moment.

Whether you choose B because your name is Brian, or G because your name is Xavier and  nobody will come dressed as a xylophone,  a letter is a great way to inspire people to use their imaginations and come up with fabulous fancy dress ideas.

Of course, with an alphabet-themed party, everyone will be singing ABC-related songs… this one is our favourite at the moment:

A Grade “A” Party

A is a very popular letter for a party theme – because there are so many great ideas!

Here are a few…

A-Grade Music

If you’re having an A-themed party, you will need to think of musicians beginning with A. Here are a few:

• Abba (durr, obviously)
• ABC (this band are good for ALL alphabet parties!)
• AC/DC
• A-Ha
• Peter Andre (don’t pretend you don’t know any of his songs)

A Zed-Tastic Celebration

You might think there aren’t many costumes beginning with Z… really though, you just have to think a little more creatively.

Why not challenge your guests…

Zedtabulous Music

Can’t think of any musical acts beginning with Z? Fret not; we have inspiration for you right here!

• ZZ Top (obviously!)
• Zero 7
• The Zombies
• Frank Zappa (oh yeah!)
• The Zutons

If you’re planning an alphabet-themed party, don’t forget to check out our website for some great ideas!

Glastonbury is a tiny, sleepy town in Somserset, mostly filled with ageing hippies and the occasional coach load of tourists. For one weekend a year though, a farm in Pilton, just up the road, transforms itself and the surrounding area into one of the largest, longest-running and well-known music festivals in the world.

Farmer Michael Eavis first decided to hold a music festival on his land in 1970; that first festival was attended by 1,500 people, and tickets cost just £1.

Fast forward to 2014, and tickets for this year’s event cost £210 plus a booking fee, and around 175,000 people are expected to attend. It’s far too late to buy a ticket for this year’s festival though – it begins today! Don’t worry, though the BBC coverage on TV is usually really good – last year they reported all-time record viewing figures for their coverage.

Instead of sitting on your sofa feeling down in the dumps and jealous that you’re not in the crowd, why not count your blessings that you’re also not sleeping in a tent tonight, and have a Glastonbury party instead?

Decoration

The great thing about a festival party is that you only need minimal decoration – if any at all! If you want that “outdoorsy” feel to the place… either throw your party in the garden, or open all the windows!  A bit of bunting, maybe some fairy lights, and hey presto – instant festival feel.

Alternatively, you could make this “original” crafty bunting – though obviously, we cannot advocate that you drink the contents of the cans beforehand!

One thing you see a lot of at Glastonbury is flags; all the tents have them, they’re at the side of the stages, the stalls have them, little children run around with them. Why not just make your own with some large, colourful pieces of material hung from posts, washing line poles or door frames?

If you’re feeling brave, you could always set up  some teepees in your back garden for your guests to stay in; the teepee village is always a big hit at Glastonbury, and yours is likely to be just as popular – especially since you also have a flushing toilet and a shower just indoors!

Costumes & Makeup

The original Glastonbury Festival was a haven for 1970s hippies; why not crack out the flares and hippie costume and relive the best years? If that’s not your cup of tea, why not go as a Twisted Firestarter,  or perhaps Liam Gallagher? Festival fancy dress is easy, because there have been so many different acts at the festival over the years – and lots of festival goers will also dress up as anything and everything over the course of the weekend. If you don’t fancy a musical or festival-themed fancy dress outfit, you really can go as whatever you fancy. What about a lion? Rawr!

When it comes to makeup, we absolutely love this hippie makeup tutorial – it looks like so much fun! You could incorporate makeup application into the beginning of the party so that all of your guests are looking fabulous before the fun begins!

Music

No need to get any  CDs or music streaming lined up; just switch the TV on and watch the coverage from the festival!

Food

You will need festival refreshments for your party; the good news is you don’t have to set a camp fire before you can make it though! You can also be a bit more upmarket than a tin of beans and some burnt burgers.

Check out these amazing burgers for some culinary inspiration! Yum!

And now, all you need to do is practice your dance moves…

With the start of wedding season comes the start of hen party season! If you’re stuck for ideas, don’t worry; Fancy Dress Ball is here to help! If there’s one thing we know about, it’s parties!

Destinations

These days a lot of brides-to-be decide to make their hen do more than just a night out at the local pub. Many choose for a weekend away, or even a week-long holiday with their pals!

  Barcelona is one of the hottest destinations for a hen party at the moment. It has everything: city break, fantastic night life, and of course the fabulous Spanish sun and a gorgeous beach. There are so many options once you’re there: from a banana boat ride to a city tour, salsa classes to belly dancing lessons. Barcelona really does have it all; you can go as tacky or as classy as you like!

If you’re happy staying the UK, there is a growing trend for hen parties to head to city destinations for a weekend of treats and fun. London is the obvious choice, but places like Bournemouth, Newcastle and Edinburgh also offer excellent packages!

  If you’re a more budget-conscious hen,  why not organise a glamping weekend away? Glamping is the latest big thing, and for good reason; gone are the welly boots, torches and cold, damp tents! Welcome to large, comfortable and often luxurious tents, many with lighting and even composting toilets. Glamping converts report that they don’t feel like they’re camping at all! There are lots of sites all over the country and the continent as well; it can often work out as a much more budget-friendly option!

Activities

When it comes to activities for your hen party, these days the only limit is your imagination! We love this idea of 1950s housewife training for a good giggle.

This is a great idea, not just for an activity but as a keepsake of the bride’s special day. Each guest makes a lipstick print on a piece of paper and writes their own message around it. This can be framed as it is, or used as the cover of a scrapbook of the hen party.

 

Games

 

This is a great idea for a party game: hens pair up and “beautify” each other. The team who look the worst win!

There are lots of drinking games you can play at a hen party; the best one we’ve seen includes a long list of “drink if” instructions, such as “drink if you’re wearing lipstick” or “drink if you’re wearing a necklace” – a surefireway to make this next game a lot of fun!

 

This is possibly the most ridiculous game in the world, and probably not to be attempted sober. Tie a banana on a piece of string around the hen’s waist, put an orange on the floor, and challenge her to use the banana to push the orange across the floor, into a hula hoop.  Is this the best hen party game in the world?

The Classy Approach

If the idea of drinking games and L plates doesn’t appeal, fret not! Classy hen parties are on the rise, and there are plenty of options to choose from!

 

Why not book a spa pampering weekend? Lots of places now offer a package deal for hen parties which includes champagne and a set number of treatments. A lovely way to bond with your friends, without ending up disgracing yourselves!

If that idea’s a bit too girly for you, how about this one:

We love this fantastic alternative hen party idea: ugly bridesmaid dress paintball! A fantastic day of running around shooting at each other in an ugly dress. What could be more fun?

 

These days lots of hens are opting for less traditional celebrations. There are burlesque classes, Breakfast at Tiffany’s themes and vintage tea parties. It’s all about what you enjoy and how inspired you feel!

Roll up, roll up! 19th May is Circus Day! In celebration of everything Big Top, we’ve created the ultimate guide to throwing your very own circus fancy dress party.

Everyone loves a trip to the circus: the clowns and acrobats; trapeze artists and tightrope walkers; jugglers and unicyclists. A fantastic treat for all of the family – and great fun to dress up as too! Everything you need, from lion costumes to face painting, is right here.

Faces:

Whenever you think of the circus, you think of clowns. Whether it’s a classic white face, red nose combo, or something a little more scary, a clown is the perfect idea for circus fancy dress. The beauty of dressing up as a clown is that you can make it as simple or as detailed as you like! Either  paint your face white and go mad with the nose and lips, or you go for full-on professional make up with all sorts of detail.

We love this tutorial for a classic clown’s face:

If you fancy being a little more scary, here’s a great one:

If you think clowns are so last season, and you want to be something a little more different, this website has a fantastic tutorial for a classic lion face:

Glitter is optional of course, but then if you’re going to the trouble of painting your face why not add a touch of sparkle!

Food:

One of the main attractions at the circus (besides the performers) is the food. In order to throw a good party – whatever the intended age range – you need to have great food on offer!

The classics of course are hot dogs and pop corn; but why not also try making cones from red and white striped paper for chips? Striped bags of sweets is also a winner.

We love the idea of having a “hot dog vendor” doing the rounds at your party:

We also love the idea of these lion tamer whips:

Decorations:

We love the decoration ideas in this pin:

The key with circus decoration is lots of red and white stripes, and lots of brightly coloured balloons. In fact, lots of bright colours, full stop!

And we love this really simple idea for decoration: all you need is some brightly coloured rolls of crepe paper and a hula hoop:

Games/Entertainment:

• A party is not a party without games – especially if it’s a children’s party!
• Obviously, if your party is circus- themed, you must play Sleeping Lions!
• Pass The Parcel with circus-themed paper and gifts is also a good idea.

One thing kids really love at a party is to make something they can bring home. If you prepare the pieces beforehand, these circus tent hats can be great fun:

Another great idea for all age ranges is a “photo booth” – all you need is a big sheet (or piece of coloured material) as the backdrop, and lots of props for people to hold. An empty picture frame is always excellent for this. Since your guests are already in fancy dress, they won’t need much else to have a fantastic photo taken!

As an added bonus, these downloadable circus printables are a great way to throw your party in style: