Masquerade Costumes

Masquerade costumes are very popular for Mardi Gras, carnivale, Halloween and masquerade parties. Masquerades make people think of grand ball gowns and beautiful masks, and it's a great theme for a party or a costume.

Masquerade Mask Pictures

Masquerade balls first became popular in the fifteenth century in Italy, especially Venice. Members of the upper class would dress up and wear elaborate masks and dance. The balls were elaborate public spectacles.

The idea of masquerade balls was probably originally tied to the carnivale celebration, known as Mardi Gras in the United States, but the balls spread to other countries and other times of year.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, masquerade balls spread through Europe and eventually the American colonies. Sometimes the balls were semi-public, while other times they were completely private, held in grand ballrooms built into homes of the day.

Some argued that masquerades were immoral and showed the influence of foreign countries (which was frowned upon), but the tradition continued.

The most popular masquerade costumes are inspired by the heyday of the masquerade, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For that reason you'll often see people at masquerades dressed in huge, fancy ball gowns and old-fashioned tuxedoes with long coats or tails and top hats.

Other period costumes are also popular, such as Victorian-era costumes, antebellum-era dresses, even Renaissance outfits (the tradition did start during the Renaissance, after all) or flapper-style garments.

Other popular choices for masquerade costumes are king and queen costumes. Because the masquerade ball is linked to Mardi Gras, costumes that would be appropriate for that celebration are often acceptable as masquerade costumes as well, such as colorful jester outfits or ruffled dresses with a Latin American flair.

Of course a masquerade wouldn't be a masquerade without masks. Masks can be simple paper or plastic masks that just cover the eyes or a much more elaborate mask with feathers or sequins that covers more of the face. Some masks even do double duty as a headdress.

Other accessories that might be appropriate for your masquerade costume include a crown or hat, a scepter if you are dressing as a king or queen, a fan, long gloves, and tons of sparkly jewelry.

Masquerade costumes are about going all out and wearing something glamorous and fun. That doesn't mean you have to spend a ton of money, but looking and feeling a little rich is certainly in order.

There are many sources for masquerade costumes online and at local costume shops. If you are going to buy a masquerade costume, be prepared to shell out a good bit of money. Women's costumes, especially, involve a lot of fabric, and thus a lot of expense.

Expect to pay $100 or more for a good-quality women's masquerade costume, and up to as much as $500 for a high-quality, period accurate outfit for either a man or a woman.

Here are some sources to look at for buying masquerade costumes of different types:

• A Masquerade
• Mardi Gras Costumes
• Renaissance costumes from Costumes 4 Less
• Masks from Annie's Costumes
• Mardi Gras costumes from Buy Costumes

The most budget-friendly option for masquerade costumes is to rent costumes. Unless you are going to a masquerade ball every year and don't mind wearing the same costume over and over, it makes a lot more sense to just rent a costume each time you need one.

That way you get to play with different time periods and different kinds of costumes without blowing your budget every time you need a new outfit for a ball or to help you celebrate Mardi Gras.

Check your local costume shops for rental opportunities if you have a costume shop that is open all year. Some websites like Costume Company have information about costume rentals, as well as sales.

Renting masquerade costumes is like going to Cinderella's ball—all dressed up for one night but without the budget headaches of buying a great gown for life.

Interested in finding more masquerade ball costume ideas? Check out these great articles!

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Mardi Gras Costumes

Masquerade Ball Gown

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