I love fancy dress parties. I’ve been planning my Halloween costumes about six months in advance for as long as I can remember, and I’m always first to sign up for a competition if there’s a ‘best dressed’ trophy up for grabs. The idea of pretending to be someone else for a night – or three if we’re talking Halloweekend – is something that brings me great joy.
It’s creative and it’s cathartic, it’s an opportunity to be sexy or be silly (or both at the same time), to show off or to blend in, or to let loose while under the pretence that it’s someone else who’s embarrassing themself right now. “It’s an opportunity let loose under the pretence that it’s someone else who’s embarrassing themself right now” Michaelmas is always rife with fancy dress parties, and, as a seasoned veteran who’s had both many a costuming success and her fair share of epic failures, I’ve written a comprehensive guide to Cambridge costume parties. Now you too can learn to reach your full fancy dress potential this term.
It may seem obvious, but Pinterest is the place to be for costume inspiration. If you’re not into aesthetic, instagrammable costumes: don’t fret! American toddler mums who take Halloween too seriously basically rule Pinterest. I’m sure that somewhere out there there’s an in-depth tutorial on how to DIY giant M&M costumes for you and all your friends, if that’s what floats your boat.
A good costume is one that’s instantly recognisable. A h.