Mardi Gras Parties and Costume Ideas

You are going to a Mardi Gras or Carnival party and are looking for the perfect costume, but which style of fancy dress should you select? Glamcostume understands the various styles and co-ordinate all our Costumes within their own category.

The Mardi Gras celebration is called many things across the world and celebrates Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. (Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French)

New Orleans -USA

The New Orleans Costume mix usually involves shades of green, purple and gold. Purple is to represent Justice, Gold is to represent Power, and Green is to represent Faith.

The New Orleans Carnival seasons roots come from preparing for the season of Lent, and start after Twelfth Night on Epiphany (January 6). It's made up of parades, balls (mainly masquerade or costume balls) and king cake parties. Shrove Tuesday has been knows as a day for fun, and comic masquerading. It's known as a time of mischief where men, women, and children, both slaves and masters and free people, could all celebrate together in as silly a costume as possible.

Think Jester Costumes or King Costumes.

Examples:

Mardi Gras Jester

Mardi Gras King

Mardi Gras Masquerade

Regal Queen

Mardi Gras Flashing Light Hat

Mardi Gras Hat

Rio Carnival - BRAZIL

Rio Carnival is held each year 46 days before Easter. Carnival in Rio Costumes are sexy and skimpy. Vibrant colours, masks and feathers adorn the locals as they celebrate the last day before Lent. Dancer costumes - bikini styled showgirls are all part of the mix for Rio Carnival. The origins of the carnival date back to the ancient Greek spring festival in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine. Later modified by the Roman Catholic Church into a festival leading up to Ash Wednesday. It quickly evolved into a massive celebration of indulgeone last fasp of music, food, alcohol, and sex before Lent - or the 40 days of personal reflection, abstinence, and fasting until Easter. A week filled with virtually every known sin, followed by 40 days of purging, was probably not what the church had in mind. The word itself comes from Latin, "Carne Vale" or "farewell to the Flesh".

Examples:

Peacock Showgirl Costume

Can Can Burlesque

Aristocrat Burlesque

Venetian Carnival - ITALY

The Venetian Carnival dates back to the 11th Century. The Carnival started as a celebration of the victory of the Republic in the war against Ulrico Patriarch of Aquilia in the year 1162. Dances, processions, magicians and street theatre were performed in the Piazzo San Marco. In 1268, masks were worn in the carnival, as the celebrations became more wanton and licentious.

Venetian Carnival Costumes should evoke grandeur and mystique. Costumes are often made of velvet, lace, brode and satin, and are elaborate, rich and detailed to create a magical feel. These costumes combined with an appropriate mask allow the wearer to escape into a world where fantasies can be realised. Masks were worn by both men and women, but not girls of marriageable age. Masks were often worn with a small cloak over the shoulders over a long black cape, and with a witch style hat.

 Examples:

Masquerade Queen

Velvet Cape

Venetian Mask

Venetian Mask with Tricorn Hat and Feather

Scaramuche Mask

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras - AUSTRALIA

Sydney Australia celebrates with the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It's a vibrant celebration with strictly no set costume parameters other than fun and flirty. This is one of the larges Gay Pride events in the world, and has reached global iconic status. The first march on June 24th, 1978 consisted of a a few hundred people, some in fancy dress, gathered at Taylor Square in Sydney and followed one truck with a sound system down Oxford Street towards Hyde Park. Many bystanders joined in and soon there were around 1500 revellers. The police stepped in and violently arrested 53 men and women, many of whom were beaten in their cells. The police were seen to be heavy handed, and new laws were passed in the favour of demonstrators. In 1979 3,000 people marched in an incident-free parade. Until today, where the "New Mardi Gras" has grown to a festival of around 100 different arts events, a 70,000 person daytime picnic called Fair Day, the Parade, and Post-Parade Party.

In 2006 Conde Nast named it as one of the world's top 10 costume parades in the world.

Mardi Gras remains the one truly global gay annual event.

Examples:

Lady Gaga Costume

Ring Toss Adult Costume

Blow Me Bubble Gum Costume

Mardi Gras parties are all about having fun. Popular practices across the world include wearing masks, wearing costumes. Dancing, Parades and overturning social conventions are all part of the reason why Mardi Gras is so much fun.

For all of our Mardi Gras Costume Ideas - http://www.glamcostume.com/categories/Mardi-Gras-%26-Carnival-GLAM/