Fancy Dress

International Costumes and Fancy Dress   by Marko Foster

One of the most popular and enduring themes for fancy dress costume parties is that of the ‘International’ or ‘Around the World’ theme, and it is quite easy to see why. After all, not only do you have over 260 international countries to choose from, but there is also such a huge diversity in the kind of clothes worn around the world.

This diversity is borne of many different factors. One of the key factors is the prevailing climate in any particular country. Clealry the kind of traditional clothes and costumes worn in a very cold place like Iceland will differ massively from somhwere tropical like Malaysia.

In our experience, there are of course a few really popular international options that really stand out for us. One of those is the traditional french ‘onion seller’ costume. This is of course a very stereotypical view, and not at all representative of the kind of clothing worn in modern France, but nonetheless it has a lasting appeal with fancy dress goers. Typically this costume consists of a beret, a stripey blue and white top, and a string of fake onions. An extra flourish can be added with the judicious addition of a fake moustache!

Another very popular option is the German ‘Lederhosen’ outfit. This hails from the traiditional German heartland of Bavaria (home to BMW of all companies!), and is often seen being worn during the very popular Oktoberfest towards the end of the calendar year. This festival is massive, and attracts over a million guests, and is well known for its infamous beer and lager halls! There are many other variations of German costumes you could go for, but lederhosen is perhaps the most popular choice.

Surprisingly the most popular choice of international themes at the moment is Mexican costumes. There seems to be a real cultural celebration and renaissance of Mexican culture at the moment and this has been reflected in the popularity of such costumes. The ‘Tequila’ themed costumes are particularly popular- these generally include a poncho, sombrero, moustache and of course the obligatory belt with holders for tequila shots. No doubt the latter feature is one of the reasons why this costume is so popular at the moment, particularly in the UK.

So, in summary, I would say if you are seriously thinking about holding a fancy dress party, the International or ‘Around the World’ themes should be at the top of your llst. Your guests will be guaranteed to have a great time!

About the Author

Marko is Marketing Manager for internationalfancydress.com and an expert in the field of costumes and costume accessories. You can check out the site at:

http://www.internationalfancydress.com
FROM ENGLISH TO GERMAN = fancy dress

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