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History of Adult fancy dress

“Fancy dress” is a term mostly used in British English to describe what Americans would call costumes. Fancy dress parties are essentially the same as costume parties. The tradition of dressing up has been around for centuries and has permeated cultures worldwide.

Fancy dress parties as they are known today evolved from the 15th century Italian masquerade balls, which were public festivities held for the upper classes, and which were closely associated with the traditional Venetian Carnival.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, masquerade balls spread throughout Europe, reaching London in the 18th century. These dances even made the trip to the new world, where masquerades became popular in the colonies.

Like with many sweeping societal trends, as masquerades evolved into something closer to the fancy dress parties of modern times, there were those who predicted that fancy dress would spell the downfall of civilization. An anti-masquerade contingent grew alongside the popularity of the balls, complaining that fancy dress encouraged immorality. While there is little argument that fancy dress and masquerade affairs did encourage a certain level of debauchery, attempts to end the practice never completely succeeded.

By the 19th century masquerade balls became passé. Their association with immorality accompanied their demise, but as masquerade parties evolved into fancy dress parties, brand new opportunities for depravity came into existence. Fancy dress parties of that era often involved dressing up as historical figures and characters from well-known poems.

During the Victorian era, fancy dress parties were extremely popular – Victoria herself was said to have enjoyed fancy dress parties very much. By this time, dressing as historical figures from earlier eras was popular, including characters like Romeo and Juliet. Reaching back to earlier eras for fancy dress ideas continues today, with characters from the Roaring 20s, the Fabulous 50s and the Swinging 60s still very popular choices.

Then, as now, women particularly enjoyed complex and colourful costumes, but in the 19th century, ladies of means would have their fancy dress costumes made based on a simpler underlying garment that could be altered to become part of their regular wardrobe once the fancy dress party was over.

Fancy dress parties grew more casual as the 20th century wound down, though the parties themselves were more raucous than ever. Funny or ironic costumes became very popular, e.g. men with moustaches and beards dressed up as a mermaid or as Tinkerbell, petite women dressing as Oompa Loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or as Waldo from the Where’s Waldo comics.

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