If you hope to bewitch your friends or guests at a Halloween or dress-up event, a masquerade costume idea is a wonderful suggestion.
While masquerade costumes are all mysterious in nature as they hide the wearer's true identity, several choice masquerade costume ideas can evoke many different moods and themes. Take a look at the many ways of flaunting a mask and you'll see that masquerade ideas are endless!
Four Unique Ideas for Masquerade Costumes
Emerging in the 15th century and celebrated by France, Venice and many people in New Orleans, Carnival was the first celebrated dress-up event. Today, Mardi Gras marks yet another festive celebration in which attendess adorn their faces with elaborate disguise. Venetian masks are often the standard for basic masquerade dress-up. If you want to create an enchanting and theatrical look, consider the following masquerade outfit ideas:
1. Goddess
A goddess is a very sexy and feminine costume idea that many women are thrilled to wear. Perfect for exposing your inner sensual side, a goddess theme costume is simple to create. A long Grecian one-shoulder dress can be paired with gold gladiator sandals and a simple gold mask. For added adornment, you can wear a wreath of grape leaves or a gold jeweled crown on your head. Depending on the culture you wish to pay homage to, you can even adorn yourself in fancy henna body art.
2. Jester
The Jester costume is a perfect choice for the funny man of the group. Jesters held a very important role in court, as their job was to entertain the King and Queen on command. Jester masks are a bit harder to find than some other types, but can be located through a simple Internet search. The following sites have a variety of unique Jester masks:
Once you have your Jester mask, you'll need an equally festive costume to complete your look. Jesters wore multi-paneled colorful jumpsuits with either stripes or checks. While you can purchase pre-made Jester or Harlequin costumes, you can go basic with a pair of cotton striped pants and a colorful bold stripe shirt in the same color palette to achieve the same look.
3. Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera is a classic Broadway musical in which a disfigured man enchanted his opera- singing protégé through music. He used his genius to lore her into his dark and unusual world as he tried in vain to win her love. Phantom of the Opera is a great costume choice theme for couples. Once the female has dressed as Christine Daae, the male can dress as the Phantom in a simple black suit with a half-face white mask and a long red satin cape. Christine wore what is now known as the Aminta costume. While the scalloped skirt and lace detailing make this costume unique, you can discover several ideas how to construct your own stage-ready Aminta costume by looking at photos.
4. Renaissance Period
The Renaissance period is perhaps one of the easiest costume themes to portray with your masquerade theme. A large ornate dress can be paired with a simple or detailed mask in a variety of colors for a fanciful look. Men can be equally as well-dressed in a pair of dark leggings or velour pants and a swinging velvet cape. You can add jewelry and hats to your look to create a more theatrical costume. While Renaissance period costumes are readily-available during the bustling Halloween season, secondhand stores have a variety of fancy dresses and suits that can be reconstructed with a bit of creativity and notions to design your own gown or suit on a dime; just get creative and add fancy details!
The Masquerade Mystery
Part of the allure in masquerade parties was that the attendees were free to flirt without the shame of revealing their true selves. Be sure to use this magical dress-up disguise as the perfect opportunity to let your free-spirited and playful side shine. Whether you opt for a fancy dress or keep it whimsical in a checkered jumpsuit, you can be sure you'll keep the party guessing as long as your true identity is kept a mystery!
