WIGS

There are a great selection of fancy dress wigs available, ranging from perennial favourites like the afro wig to modern classics like the mullet. For many years, the afro was head and shoulders above all other fancy dress headpieces, but the recent revival in 1980s fashion has seen a surge of interest in the mullet (so named by the Beastie Boys).

HATS

Walking along the street in many European cities, it can be difficult to tell the difference between highly fashionable hats and fancy dress hats. It is often best to assume that people are wearing their hats as a fashion statement (unless you are at a fancy dress party). One place where the fashion/fancy dress boundaries are continually pushed is Ascot.

GLOVES

Some costumes require costume gloves to really work. If you are going for the authentic 1950s/60s superhero look, your outfit requires a pair of felt gloves to 'work' properly. Other outfits which need a pair of gloves include doctor, robber, goalkeeper and gardener. The last one is not a popular fancy dress outfit.

MASKS

Masks constitute an essential part of many fancy dress outfits and have done for many years. The original fancy dress parties were the salacious Venetian masked balls of the 16th century and the theme has been popular ever since. People enjoy the opportunity to hide behind a different face and do some things that they would never normally do!