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How Did Fancy Dress Start In The UK

Fancy dress parties have been popular within the United Kingdom for many years, and have progressed from the typical Halloween style costume parties in October, dressing up as witches and vampires, skeletons and other devilish characters, to parties now themed around national days (such as St Patricks Day), Christmas parties, themed birthday parties (popular birthday party themes being pimps and hoes, gangsters & flappers) and hen / stag evenings.

Although fancy dress is more typically referenced right back to the 15th Century in Italy, where great masquerade balls were held, the origins of fancy dress in the UK is commonly traced back to the 18th Century period, but our modern day themes were introduced by both the Victorians and the Edwardians who loved to celebrate in a range of fancy dress costumes and accessories. Most events were very elaborate affairs on a very impressive scale, with only those invited of a high social standing during these periods.

Since then, fancy dress costume parties have been on the increase really since the 1940's in the UK, in a simpler form in comparison to today, as far as the 1970's. This could be coupled to the increase of film/television programmes being aired throughout the country, resulting in improved imagination and better manufacturing processes opening a new era in the costume industry.

It wasn't until the 1990's that the buying of costumes in the UK became commonplace. Before to this, fancy dress costumes were typically hired for a social or recreational event, and given back to the shop once worn. It's now difficult to find many retail fancy dress shops in local towns, or ones that offer a full range you would require from a fancy dress retailer, especially since the internet provided home shopping access, no matter where you lived. This meant that fancy dress shops could operate online, have contact to a much wider audience and also be able to carry a fuller range of costumes and accessories without having to worry about high-priced retail premises or shop fronts. There are still some companies who provide mail hire costume ordering, but buying of costumes has now become the standard.

After the late 90's, retro fashion styles became very famous, with the introduction of 60s, 70s and 80s fancy dress costumes, which clearly mimic our fashion sense from these era's.

Fancy dress doesn't have to be pricey either. You can get hold of complete outfits to dress as your favourite film/cartoon/movie character, or pick up instant accessory kits which can be used with your casual clothing. These instant costume kits can range from Vicars, Nuns, Cops, Maids, Pimps and generally include an accessory kit, badge, hat, overcoat or other themed accessory to complete your fancy dress outfit. Of course, for those who really want to set tongues wagging at your next costume party can go all out and shop for a limited edition costume, some of which retail in excess of 500 pounds!

The busiest and most celebrated fancy dress parties all occur around Halloween and are celebrated on or just before the 31st October. The name Halloween is borrowed from the feast of All Hallows which is celebrated on the 1st November to honour the saints, and the end of the harvest in Gaelic culture.

Halloween has many traditions, which range from trick or treating, the forging of bonfires, scaring people, carving jack-o-lanterns, apple bobbing, watching scary films, visiting haunted attractions, pranks and general ghoulish behaviour. Of course, many people now celebrate by having parties welcoming everyone to be dressed in Halloween costumes.

Halloween is also known as Samhain, which in other traditions marks the end of the third and last harvest, and is a day to commune with and commemorate the dead, and is a celebration of the eternal cycle of reincarnation. Samhain is mostly followed by the Wiccan and many Pagan religions.

In European traditions, Halloween is the night when the old god dies, and the crone goddess mourns him deeply for the next six weeks. The popular appearance of her as the old Halloween hag stirring her cauldron comes from the Celtic belief that all dead souls come back to her cauldron of life, and are born again.

Fancy dress parties and costumes are all about having entertainment. It's a great way to celebrate any social occasion, and there will always be more costumes available every year, with the release of every new movie blockbuster or scary film. This year's examples have been the re-introduction of Freddy Krueger's latest adventure on the big screen, Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and Iron Man 2.
About the Author

Shelly is the owner of www.fancydressing.co.uk who offer a range of
fancy dress outfits
and accessories, including
adult fancy dress
with delivery available throughout the United Kingdom.

Autumn Outfits $39.99 Autumn Outfits - Giclee Print

Athletic Outfits $39.99 Athletic Outfits - Giclee Print

Mischievous Celtic Gnomes - Reading $19.99 Absolutely adorable décor for either inside or out . These happy wee guys donned their green outfits for reading, kneeling or standing next to their Celtic mushrooms and shamrock covered base. Approx. 7 tall. Resin/stone mix. Imported.

Mischievous Celtic Gnomes - Kneeling $19.99 Absolutely adorable décor for either inside or out . These happy wee guys donned their green outfits for reading, kneeling or standing next to their Celtic mushrooms and shamrock covered base. Approx. 7 tall. Resin/stone mix. Imported.

Mischievous Celtic Gnomes - Standing $19.99 Absolutely adorable décor for either inside or out . These happy wee guys donned their green outfits for reading, kneeling or standing next to their Celtic mushrooms and shamrock covered base. Approx. 7 tall. Resin/stone mix. Imported.

Celtic $209.99 Celtic - Wall Tapestry

Lady-Choristers' Outfits $19.99 Lady-Choristers' Outfits - Premium Poster

Hiking Outfits Advert $39.99 Hiking Outfits Advert - Giclee Print

Celtic FC - Classic Celtic $5.99 Celtic FC - Classic Celtic

Dogs Wearing Outfits $24.99 Tony Burns Dogs Wearing Outfits - Photographic Print

Couple in Matching Tennis Outfits $39.99 Couple in Matching Tennis Outfits - Giclee Print

Halloween Outfits for Paper Dolls $49.99 Halloween Outfits for Paper Dolls - Giclee Print

Little Cowboy and Cowgirl in Outfits $14.99 Little Cowboy and Cowgirl in Outfits - Premium Poster

Women in Japanese Outfits with Dog $34.99 Women in Japanese Outfits with Dog - Giclee Print

Wedding Outfits, 1938 $19.99 Norman Parkinson Wedding Outfits, 1938 - Giclee Print

Pewter Celtic Dog Tag Necklace $38.43 Add a unique accent to your outfits with a dog tag necklaceFashion jewelry is crafted of lead-free pewterStylish necklace features an intricate Celtic design Can also be used as a bottle openerball and chain claspPendant measures 2 inches long x 31.75 mm wideBall chain measures 32 inches longAll weights and measurements are approximate and may vary slightly from the listed information. See Treatment Guide for further information.

Sterling Silver SimStars Reflections Celtic Trinity Bead $18 Sterling Silver SimStars Reflections Celtic Trinity Bead. Each Reflections By SimStars bead has been Created so that you may express yourself in your jewelry. Whatever the occasion, change up the style of your beads, you now have jewelry to suit your moods and outfits. You can select beads that mean something to you…. Beads that tell YOUR story. Brand: Reflection By SimStars Design: Themed Occasion: Birthday Resizable: No Adjustable: No Metal Stamp: .925 Sterling Silver Material: Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver SimStars Reflections Celtic Block Bead $24 Sterling Silver SimStars Reflections Celtic Block Bead. Each Reflections By SimStars bead has been Created so that you may express yourself in your jewelry. Whatever the occasion, change up the style of your beads, you now have jewelry to suit your moods and outfits. You can select beads that mean something to you…. Beads that tell YOUR story. Brand: Reflection By SimStars Design: Themed Occasion: Birthday Resizable: No Adjustable: No Metal Stamp: .925 Sterling Silver Material: Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver SimStars Reflections Celtic Bead $15 Sterling Silver SimStars Reflections Celtic Bead. Each Reflections By SimStars bead has been Created so that you may express yourself in your jewelry. Whatever the occasion, change up the style of your beads, you now have jewelry to suit your moods and outfits. You can select beads that mean something to you…. Beads that tell YOUR story. Brand: Reflection By SimStars Design: Themed Occasion: Birthday Resizable: No Adjustable: No Metal Stamp: .925 Sterling Silver Material: Sterling Silver

Celtic Bead $58 Celtic Bead

Celtic Shamrock $10 Celtic Shamrock

Celtic Cross $10 Celtic Cross

Bloem Celtic $6 Bloem Celtic

Celtic Pentagram $6 Celtic Pentagram

Celtic Woman $12.49 Celtic Woman

Celtic Tapestry $11.49 Celtic Tapestry

Celtic Favourites $4.99 Celtic Favourites

Cowboy Celtic $12.49 Cowboy Celtic

Celtic Joy $11.49 Celtic Joy

Celtic Compass $11.49 Celtic Compass

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