Wizard of Oz Fancy Dress Party

Posted on May 6, 2012 by admin

Enter the fantastic world of Oz, with our Wizard of Oz fancy dress theme.

Today is the anniversary of the death of Frank L Baum in 1919. Although the name may not be immediately familiar, it was Baum who created the land of Oz, and the books about it, the best known being The Wizard of Oz. Although almost everybody knows the 1939 film of the story, featuring Judy Garland, Baum was a prolific writer and amongst his many other works, there were in fact thirteen books written about Oz and its inhabitants. Baum even created his own film company to make movies of the books himself! The original film is, of course, a classic, but in recent years there have been other developments – not only the successful ‘Wicked’ musical featuring the ‘back-story’ of the witches of Oz, but also the new Andrew Lloyd Webber stage version of the tale.

Next year we are promised a new big-budget prequel to the ‘main’ story – ‘Oz The Great and Powerful’, telling the story of how the Wizard came to arrive in Oz. It is expected to hit screens in March 2013. In the meantime, today you can celebrate the characters of Oz, the ones you know – Tin-Man, Scarecrow and Lion, and the ones you can perhaps create from your imagination – the Tik-tok Man, the Patchwork Girl and the Woggle-Bug!

Other Oz Characters for some Wizard of Oz Costume Ideas… (there are many more where these came from, but they should give you a start!)

Sea Serpent
Army of Oogaboo – Tik Tok is a Private in the army
Aunt Em
Auntie Henry
Betsy Bobbin
Glinda – wear a pink long dress
Guardian of The Gates
Hungry Tiger
Cowardly Lion
Jack Pumpkinhead
Tin Man
Scarecrow
The wizard of Oz
Dorothy
John Dough – Gingerbread Man
Kabumpo – an elephant
Kalidah – body of a bear, head of a tiger
King of Bunnybury – a rabbit king
Wicked Witch Of The West
Wicked Witch of The North
Wise Donkey
Winged Monkey
Shaggy Man
Boq – a Munchin
Cap’n Bill – Sea Captain with a wooden leg
Ervic
Frogman – a man size frog, dress in Georgian style costume
Fyter The Tin Soldier

Over The Rainbow Fancy Dress Theme

Posted on January 22, 2012 by admin

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‘Over The Rainbow’ is our fancy dress theme to think about today.

It was around this date in 1939 that the tune ‘Over the Rainbow’ was copyrighted (sources differ on the exact date). This, of course, is the big musical number from ‘The Wizard of Oz’, starring Judy Garland. The song became her signature tune, yet prior to release, the song was almost cut from the film because it was felt it slowed the pace of the action. As it happened, wiser opinions prevailed and the tune went on to win an Oscar. What’s more, there have since been several ‘re-interpretations’ of the piece, notably a posthumous chart hit for Eva Cassidy and, more recently, a ukulele version which has turned up on the soundtracks of films as diverse as ‘Meet Joe Black’ and ‘Snakes on a Plane’!

Rather like its main tune, the Wizard of Oz story itself continues to fascinate. Aside from the ‘Wicked’ musical spin-off and the inevitable showings of the original film over the Festive season, some of you may have caught the sequel ‘Witches of Oz’ TV movie during the same period. Next year we have a major prequel movie ‘Oz: The Great and Powerful’ so today we celebrate the land of Oz, over the rainbow or anywhere else you care to do so.

Of course, we stock all of the Wizard of Oz costumes, but you do have other costume options with this theme…

Why not wear multi coloured clothing, or use one of our coloured hairsprays to change your hair colour, the more colours the better, but make sure you do not use it on coloured hair of your hair may remain colourful for longer than you were hoping for! If in doubt about using a hairspray, why not wear one of our multi coloured wigs.

Leprechauns are also associated with a Rainbow, so this is another costume option open to you as well. What about characters from the children’s programme ‘Rainbow’ George, Zippy, Bungle & of course, Jeffrey’. And for those of you with artistic skill why not dress up as rain & sunshine, the 2 ingredients that produce a rainbow?

Use lots of bright colours to theme your function room, a great costume theme for a dull January day.

Oz Fancy Dress

Posted on August 11, 2010 by admin

We think an Oz themed fancy dress party is called for during mid August as two notable events took place during this period. On the afternoon of August 19th, the two halves of that iconic Australian structure the Sydney harbour bridge, were finally joined together, whilst in America the 1939 classic film the Wizard of Oz had several premieres. (Okay, we know that The Wizard of Oz was set in Kansas and the other mystical land of Oz, but we’re working outside the envelope here!) An Oz style party allows you and your guests a choice of costumes and accessories. From the Australian cork hat, through to Crocodile Dundee (or what about carrying an inflatable crocodile), Dame Edna or even a convict costume or Kangaroo (the latter not entirely practical for a hot summer’s day) – just some of our Australian range, whilst from the Wizard of Oz, we have Dorothy costumes, Scarecrow, Lion and Tinman and not forgetting the wizard himself, which we could offer advice on or leave entirely up to your imagination! So get in the lagers, light up the barbie and head down under or into fantasyland with an Oz event.

15th May 2010

Posted on May 11, 2010 by admin

If you have been following the searches for Dorothy (and Toto) in the BBC programme ‘Over the Rainbow’, then this month on May 15 you have another excuse to celebrate the characters from the Wizard of Oz. It was on this date in 1856 that the author of the ‘Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, L. Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, New York State. In 1919, May was also the month of his demise (May 6th). At Props n Frocks, we stock a great range of Dorothy Costumes and other Wizard of Oz accessories.

If however you have seen and heard enough of Dorothy, and would like to broaden the theme out, why not think about a musicals theme? We can offer all manner of costumes for this theme. A few blogs ago we mentioned the sing-along-a Rocky Horror which is one of the musicals currently doing the rounds. Prior to its arrival at the Prince Charles Cinema, London on May 21st, it will be touring Oldham and York on Saturday May 15th and Preston on Sunday 16th. Don’t forget we have the official Rocky Horror costumes for sale. However if musicals such as this and Cabaret are a bit too raunchy for your taste, we have many other costumes from some of the more traditional shows, such as West Side Story, Grease and Phantom of the Opera.