Category Archives: Carnival Fancy dress

Carnival Fancy Dress Theme

Posted on by
Reply
Facebook

As the countdown to Rio 2016 begins, we could only talk about a Carnival costume theme

Morphsuit costumes

Skeleton Morphsuit Costume

today. Rio is famous for its elaborate costumes, but a carnival theme could include any type of costume, you’ve only got to think about floats in your local carnival to see the amount of diverse costumes that are worn. On the continent, Carnival also includes masquerade masks as well as costumes

Carnival Costume Ideas:

Yesterday was the final day of the Paralympics and so as things return to normal and everyone gets back to the day-to-day business of going to work, today we thought we would take a look at some of the achievements of the games.

When it was announced seven years ago that London was due to be the host of the Olympics in 2012, there was much jubilation amongst certain members of the population, whilst, with others, a healthy scepticism was thrown into the mix, on the grounds that London would be unable to deliver. There were many occasions when the sceptics seemed to be winning the contest but once things were under way, most people got caught in the spirit of both occasions and suddenly everyone was a sport expert. The carnival of the Olympics and Paralympics games is now over for the next four years and thoughts move on to 2016 in Rio de Janiero, well-known for its carnival atmosphere. So, the sports festivals may be over, but elsewhere the parties continue.

Circus & Carnival Fancy Dress

Posted on by
Reply
Facebook

After an initial break for Romance tomorrow, this week is all about circus and carnival as our fancy dress theme.  The point is that thisRingmaster Fancy Dress week, in many parts of the world, we see the culmination of weeks of preparation for the climax of carnival celebrations, prior to Mardi Gras a week tomorrow, or rather we don’t see it, as it is not the sort of thing that gets televised. Actually, we do remember one year where the BBC did try to cover the Mardi Gras celebrations, but with limited success – it’s one of things you have to experience, and despite everything, there’s not a lot of fun and frivolity in the UK in February.

So, if you are thinking about a Circus, or Mardi Gras style fancy dress party, keep an eye on this blog all week for some great costume ideas whether you are looking for a masquerade mask, or circus costume

 

Masquerade Carnival

Posted on by
Reply
Facebook

We advocate a Masquerade, or carnival themed fancy dress event as today in 1803, the Louisiana Purchase wasMasks Masked Ball completed in New Orleans. This is nothing to do with Christmas shopping, but the agreement under which France sold its rights to certain territories in North America. The name suggests that this was just about Louisiana, but in fact the transaction took in all or part of what are now fifteen American states and a couple of parts of Canada – the ‘United States’ virtually doubled in size overnight! Nonetheless, New Orleans was central to the deal in more ways than one, and the city still retains evidence of its French roots as well as being regarded as the birth-place of Jazz: Its unique style of ‘Dixieland’ jazz derives from ‘the Land of the Dix’, the nickname for the French ten dollar bill. New Orleans is also known for its celebrations of carnival and Mardi Gras. The post-Christmas period marks the start of preparations for the carnivals to come, so why not make masked carnival the basis of some festive or New Year celebrations?

We stock a vast range of masks for a masked ball suitable for men and women. The actual theme if ‘carnival’ is open to your own interpretation. On the continent, Carnival is celebrated by wearing any fancy dress costume you could think of, and when you think of all the costumes people wear for a traditional carnival procession in the UK, the costume choice is dependant on the theme of each individual float. So unless you want to go out wearing little more than a glitzy swimming costume with plumes of feathers, you can choose anything bright and colourful for this costume theme – we are sorry we cannot be more specific for this one!

Mardi Gras / Carnival Fancy Dress

Posted on by
Reply

Lets’ have a Mardi Gras, or Carnival, fancy dress party as today is a day for great celebrations because Eyemasks for Masked Ball it’s Mardi Gras. Although here in the UK we know it as Shrove Tuesday, in other parts of the world, notably the ‘centres’ of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro and the West Indies, today is the culmination of weeks of preparation with carnival parades and costumes much in evidence, prior to the sobriety that is the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday tomorrow.

Basically, anything goes for a Carnival theme, the brighter the better.

So you have the choice of playing with pancakes or getting creative with costumes. Actually, people are increasingly combining the two. Although Olney in Buckinghamshire is looked on as the pioneer in pancake-racing, many people are now using the day as a good excuse for some fund-raising built around this kind of event. Or just enjoy your pancakes – they may look crepe but they usually taste delicious

We are also finding that having a Masked Ball is becoming very popular at this time of the year. Props n Frocks has one of the largest ranges of Masquerade eye masks on the internet. We have a huge choice for both men and women.

Mardi Gras Fancy Dress

Posted on by
Reply

Mardi Gras is today’s fancy dress theme even though is still a couple of weeks away (on March 8th), but it was upon this day in 1868 that carnival floats were first used in New Orleans, in the

Mardi Gras Eye maskspreparations for their Mardi Gras celebrations. For the benefit of new readers, Mardi Gras is what we call Shrove Tuesday and whilst in this country we are busy making (and sometimes racing) pancakes, in many other areas of the world (including New Orleans) the day is the climax of a period of celebration and carnival, prior to the abstinence of Lent. (Carnival derives from the Latin ‘Carne vale’ – ‘Farewell to the flesh’). As the weather in Britain does not really lend itself to outdoor celebrations, even when Easter is as late as it is this year, we tend to hold our carnivals in the summer, but if the mood takes you, why not start plans for a Mardi Gras celebration with a difference this year? Needless to say,  we at Props n Frocks will be pleased to help.

So even if the term ‘Mardi Gras’ is not familiar to you, Carnival will be, so take your costume inspiration from carnival floats, which really is anything goes! Wear brightly coloured costumes, some favourites includes:

  • Clown Costumes
  • Belly Dancer Costumes
  • Brightly coloured insect costumes, including bumble bee costumes

If you do not want to wear a costume,just wear brightly coloured clothing and a bright eyemask, like the one shown here in traditional Mardi Gras colours of green and purple.

Carnival Fancy Dress Theme Ideas

Posted on by
Reply

Carnival is a brilliant fancy dres theme to extend our summer a little bit more…
September 7th is the National Day of Brazil. Brazil, as someone once said, is ‘Where the nuts come from’ although these days most people would associate Brazil with either football or carnival. (The Monty Python fans citing a film by Terry Gilliam are just showing off). So which do you think we’d choose for today’s costume theme idea? Tough call, but it’s probably Carnival.

Although originally Carnival was to do with Lent (coming from Carne-vale –‘Farewell to the flesh’), in this country we tend to prefer running our carnivals in the summer, and early Autumn, when there’s a better chance of fine weather: If you have to hang around in a costume on the back of a lorry, it works better when its warm, although that said, there are some hardy souls in the West of England who spend their October/November evenings involved in the spectacular illuminated carnivals which tour the towns of Somerset and Avon.

But we digress. Returning to today’s excuse to celebrate, Brazilian carnival is a rather more exuberant affair than, say, that seen in Britain (apart from our Notting Hill Carnival) or Venice. In the event, the carnival style may be dictated by the weather – outdoors, some hot Latino colour and dance (Rumba costumes), indoors the more stately masked ball.

So you could base your fancy dress costume on a British carnival affair. This tends to work best if you go to the fancy dress party as a group. Groups of people, or organisations tend to theme their own float – if you think about it, you can chose whatever theme you want. Pirate costumes are always a popular choice because not only is there a great range of pirate costumes that you can purchase but also a huge range of pirate accessore is you can purchase to complete your own outfits. How about going as a Carnival Queen? – all hair, make up and a long dress.

Carnival is also very popular on the continent, with everyone dressing up and getting into the spirit of the event. There ar eno real costume themes, you can basically wear what you like, but you will find Georgian / Venetian costumes to be very popular. This is also the birth place of the masked ball, so why not have a Masquerade Mask party instead of a full blown costume party. Props n Frocks has one of the largest selections of eyemasks on the internet, with a huge choice of masks for men and women.

Whatever your choice of Carnival theme, it will bring a party atmosphere to your fancy dress party!