Do you hate fancy dress/costumes?

[FridgeMagnet]

I do not like fancy dress. The only time in the last twenty years that I have worn fancy dress was when I dressed up as Nick Cave, which involved "wearing a black suit". (I did shave my beard to match his brief one, though, and it actually looks better on me.)

 

[FridgeMagnet]

A lot of my old friends who still live in London (or at least the suburbs now) have taken to having all their parties being fancy dress and it means I don't go to them. Even if I wanted to, and I didn't hate the whole idea, I don't have the time or money to trawl through charity shops or hire costumes.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

The idea is nice but I hate the effort.


Plus after hanging around cosplayers who take things seriously my efforts feel extra crap.

 

[dlx1]

FM - Could you go as a geek or photographer

 

[N_igma]

Come as a song? Sounds like a lot of thinking involved isn't fancy dress not meant to be fun?

 

[Geri]

I hate it too.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

FM - Could you go as a geek or photographer

I've suggested that I could go as "a person who hates fancy dress parties".

 

[Cribynkle]

I LOVE fancy dress! Hangover from my childhood when my Mum had a Jane Asher fancy dress book which was often referred to

 

[lamb1979]

Ive never been to a fancy dress party...I dont think my life is incomplete because I havent

 

[moose]

I don't really like it, particularly at festivals. I do it once a year at the VW Mk1 Golf AGM, because there are only about 100 people, 99 of whom are in fancy dress. Even so, I go fairly low key - some people there do the most remarkable costumes, like the bloke who came as Jesse J on The Voice, including her red chair, and another who welded himself an entire shower cubicle and kept popping out of his curtains.

 

[Greebo]

Come as a song? Sounds like a lot of thinking involved isn't fancy dress not meant to be fun?

Come as you are - Nirvana

 

[FridgeMagnet]

The main reason that I hate fancy dress is that it makes me very nervous. I get anxious enough about dressing up in normal clothes to go to a party; when there are judgement criteria apart from "just look decent" I end up feeling awful for days beforehand. Coming up with something that's either really good or so shit it's good is pressure I can really do without. I don't go to parties so that I can feel guilty about not putting enough effort in.

 

[N_igma]

Come as you are - Nirvana

I like that

 

[Greebo]

I like that

Thought you would - being able to remember the titles of a lot of songs sometimes comes in handy.

 

[DotCommunist]

I'll take any excuse to dress like a twat. Worst costume party I ever went to was a 'chavs' themed one by my mates wife. I was there to see him but she had a party on at the same time with her utter wanker mates. I got complimented on my dress up even though I was in my normal clothes. The wankers

She'd gone as far as to stuff a cushion up her strappy top to indicate pregnancy.

If I was her husband the decree absolute would have been filed a long time ago

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I got complimented on my dress up even though I was in my normal clothes. The wankers

I believe that what the young people say these days is "lol".

 

[quimcunx]

I wouldn't have the first idea of how to come dressed as a song. I would perhaps have a bright idea, but it would come far too late to do anything and if you do know what it is you want then preparing turns into an enforced hobby for the preceding 6 weekends of stomping round charity shops trying to cobble something together. It's just weeks of stress for one night of what's meant to be fun and relaxing and enjoyable.

I love it - but that theme is quite limiting. I had a fancy dress party for my 40th, which was enthusiastically fulfilled by all those who attended (except one) - but maybe my mates are unusually pro-costume. The theme was easy-peasy though: "stage and screen", so if you wanted to go all out and hire an Admiral lord Nelson costume (hendo) then you could - but equally you could come in your regular clothes and be someone from Eastenders or whatever.

I have two rules about fancy dress. I don't want to have to explain my costume, and I don't want to wear anything that makes me look less fabulous than I would do anyway... but I have a broad definition of fabulous.

Not true. Unless you mean I was the 'except one'.

 

[spanglechick]

I wouldn't have the first idea of how to come dressed as a song. I would perhaps have a bright idea, but it would come far too late to do anything and if you do know what it is you want then preparing turns into an enforced hobby for the preceding 6 weekends of stomping round charity shops trying to cobble something together. It's just weeks of stress for one night of what's meant to be fun and relaxing and enjoyable.



Not true. Unless you mean I was the 'except one'.

you came in costume - and, in fact, posed for photos thus. That counts as enthusiasm in my eyes (i have quite low standards). I thought you were awesome.

 

[fractionMan]

I love fancy dress. It's awesome. Not so keen on themes

 

[moonsi til]

It's a resounding yes!

 

[Orang Utan]

I've loved it in the past, but only when I could afford to hire a costume, as I have no creative skills. I know how I'd do Poot's party though, I'd dress in normal clothes, pour half a can of pea and ham soup all over me and come as 'Too Drunk To Fuck'.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

I really like it! I like coming up with ideas, interpreting the theme, looking for costumes etc... yup I'm a fan!

 

[Voley]

another who welded himself an entire shower cubicle and kept popping out of his curtains.

 

[pinkmonkey]

I'm a bit meh about it these days. It involves spending money on something that will be worn once, so naaah.
El Jugs really hates it, it's a deal breaker for him.

 

[moose]

Can't find shower man, but here's Jessie with her false legs

 

[gosub]

Go with black tie. You get the idea people made an effort without really having to and it's cheaper charity shop dj is a tenner

 

[story]

I hate fancy dress parties.

But I am quite a fancy dresser in real life.

If I'm invited to a fancy dress party, I try to not go to the party. If it's not possible to miss it (important occasion for close friend) then I try to find something that I'd wear normally but enhance it in some way and put a name to it. It means that I fret and worry in advance, and I don't really join in with the party when I'm there. And I always end by saying "I really ought to make more of an effort about this sort of thing, I suppose."

One of the things I dislike about fancy dress parties is the obligatory small talk about what people are wearing. The other thing I hate is the way everyone's costume degenerates and falls apart, and how the makeup slides off faces, and hats and props get left all over the place, becoming the cause of further inane small talk, as the party progresses. Another thing I hate is the name... "Fancy Dress".... I hate any sense of obligation or expectation, and fancy dress really hits that nerve for me.

I do, however, love the way everyone gets proper clobbered up at festivals.

 

[story]

Go with black tie. You get the idea people made an effort without really having to and it's cheaper charity shop dj is a tenner

I once went to a night when a friend was raising money to complete writing his musical. He'd kitted out the Bull & Gate with plush tables and chairs and charged a wedge in advance and everyone had to dress for the theatre. That was good, even for me, because it felt like a huge communal in-joke. And the ladies looked utterly fabulous in their gowns and the gentlemen looked fucking amazing in their DJs and black tie get ups. It was like a night at a pirate ship opera.

I think that's the only fancy dress event I've ever enjoyed.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I don't really like it, particularly at festivals

Oh god, there's a special place in hell for bastards dedicated enough to take a bloody costume to a fucking festival

 

[Dr. Furface]

I think of fancy dress costumes like I think of tattoos - they can look good on other people but they're not for me.