Abba Costumes

Buying ABBA Costumes Online

The trouble with a screaming '70s disco look is that there’s a price to pay for all that satin. Good ABBA costumes are just not going to come cheap, unless you’re lucky. However, if you want to make an investment, it’s a costume that will last, so you might want to start memorizing the lyrics to Fernando now.

Costume Shop refers to its costumes as “Deluxe '70s Disco Costume,” or Fanta costumes rather than ABBA costumes, but the effect is the same. You can get a green, blue, fuchsia or silver shiny pantsuit, each highlighted with gold. The long sleeves feature giant bells extending from the elbow and there are three layered ruffles below the knee. The collars are high and fold over, the bodices lace up the front and giant gold belts complete the look. These are for women only, come in small, medium and large and retail for $299.95. The good news is that shipping is free on any order over $200.

It seems the British are bigger ABBA fans than Americans, or at least are more into dressing as the Swedish sensations for costume parties. Dozens of online stores based in the UK sell ABBA costumes, and many will ship to the states, so if you don’t mind paying higher shipping costs for fabulous costumes, give these a whirl:

• Party Pants sells a great pantsuit for women in shiny blue and silver. The sleeves and pant bottoms finish in large bells, and there is a high collar and a belt. They make a point of telling you that the costume will start to fray after one or two wears, which is why it’s sold at the budget price of 42 pounds, which in current dollars is about $80. But you can get an exact price before purchasing, as they have a whole section set up for non-UK buyers, including a currency converter. For an additional 16 pounds, you can buy either a long blond or henna red wig to perfect your look.

If you’re wondering about the men, Party Pants has them covered, too, with a matching silver and blue shiny shirt at 27 pounds. They’ll have to supply their own trousers, but can get a blond wig for 13.50.

Other UK costume shops to try:

• AbFab
• Taylors
• Ace Fancy Dress

Make Your Own ABBA Costumes

While the shiny suits with ruffles are always unquestionably ABBA, or Elvis, you’re not bound to white polyester to make your look effective. You should definitely buy the wigs, as these make all the difference, but from there, a bit of time and patience will yield an excellent group costume.

The easiest way to pull together four good 1970s outfits is to haunt thrift and vintage shops. Not everything ABBA wore matched, which gives you a lot of leeway. What you’d like is to create an idea of a common thread. So, for example, if everyone is in loose, flowy tops with a streak of bold color running across the chest, with the women in mini-skirts and the men in bell-bottoms, you’ll be successful. The color can be added later with help from your local fabric shop. You can also buy matching appliqués, some of which can be ironed on.

If you’re really having trouble and can’t find anything appropriate in a costume rental shop, just focus on finding the most outrageous 1970s outfit possible. With silly shoes, a wig, a Swedish accent and a good attitude, you’ll still wow the crowd.