Hands up who likes dressing up? Are you a lover or a hater? Three guesses which I am. Of course I am. I am a LOVER! I love that shiz to death! There is nothing more fun to me than making a big old deal about something with full blown costume thrown in….it completely adds to the excitement! If you give me an invite which has the immortal words “Fancy Dress” on it…you can bet your bottom dollar, I’ll be there!
But why DO some people like to dress up so much? Well, it’s a little bit of fantasy, isn’t it? You get to play someone or something else for a few hours. You can completely change persona if you feel like it! My parents had a 70s themed Ruby Wedding party and people didn’t even recognise me. I loved it! “Look, it’s me JESS! ….see?” I was so over excited, bless.
It can also be quite ceremonial. When a friend had her 40th a few years ago, after a long struggle with cancer we were all instructed to come in medieval gowns and the venue was the basement of a medieval castle. It felt really portenious and grand. Everyone there who was in costume respected her wishes to be celebrated in a way that she utterly deserved after such a shit time.
It’s also a very traditional
thing to do, especially around Halloween. People used to go Mumming and Guising
(this is completely lifted from Wiki) dressing in disguise and going from house
to house reciting songs for food.
I also wondered a about the psychology of dressing up and wanted to know there was a psychological explanation for those of us who love a face thick with paint/silly wigs /comical pants. And the two main theories I found were (loosely) that people who are drawn to fancy dress tend to be either people who like to reinvent themselves or people who are immature. Um… ok! *awkward face emoji* People who reinvent themselves tend to frequently change careers or can be social chameleons. Well, that is certainly true for me. I tend to adapt how I act to fit in with those around me. Which is probably not something I should admit to because it makes me sound like a phoney…but mostly I think I do it to make people who I am with feel comfortable. Actually, I am not sure that’s better. Now I sound completely sanctimonious! Oh god…I don’t know!
The other theory being that people like the childishness of dressing up. It’s a form of nostalgia, a recreation of the excitement we felt as kids when we did so. This is definitely true for me. I have tonnes of memories of fancy dress as a kid. My mum was a dab hand with a sewing kit and my folks were always up for dressing up parties. They had a legendary Sci Fi party when I was about 9 and I remember being equal parts in awe and horrified when a guy turned up with an alien bloodily bursting from his chest!
Is it true that men are not as fond of dressing up as women? I would love to hear your experiences. I know that I find it really attractive when a man is willing to not take himself too seriously.
In the last 20 years or so, a trend has emerged for girls (women) to dress up as “sexy” versions of Halloween characters. But what utterly baffles me is why there aren’t sexy MEN costumes (or are there?!) I was asking friends online about this earlier and realised that it really is just a female thing. Because you get “sexy witch” outfits but you sure as shit don’t get sexy wizard costumes! What is up with that?
Now don’t get me wrong… I can dress like a ho as much as the next person…nothing wrong with wanting to display the goods…. but when it seems to be only a one-sided thing, I have serious what-the-fuck-itis. Give me a sexy Lord of Darkness please!
Sexy or not though, are you dressing up this year? What are you going as? Let me know!
Yay! I am not alone! I LOVE dressing up for Hallowe'en since it's the only generally acceptable time for me to be a kid again ;) Love your outfits!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks lovely! You most certainly are NOT alone! X
DeleteHmmm I'm not sure I'm a social chameleon or immature, maybe I'm a bit of both?! Great post and I love all the stories! I'm all about the choice too!!! Mwah x
ReplyDeleteHahahah! They are THEORIES! God I didn't think about the fact that I am telling other people who like dressing up that they are immature or social chameleons! How rude!!! Don't over think it....you're you and that's it. A crazy girl who likes dressing up...end of! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
DeleteI do love dressing up! I used to love it right up until I finished uni (I feel like I spent half my uni days in fancy dress!), and then kind of went through a stage where I didn't want to, but now since having kids I love it again! I think it's good for the kids to see the parents joining in too. Fab photos by the way xx
ReplyDeleteOh yes that's a good point too Cathryn....it IS good for kids to see their parents dressing up and having fun. My parents had a sci fi party when I was about 9 and I still remember the crazy efforts my parents friends had gone to...it was fantastic! XXXX
DeleteI love dressing up - a few years ago a went to our local second hand store and was able to put together a mad hatter costume. That's my favourite of my recent Halloweens. We don't go anywhere so I just wear a costume to work for the day and then I hand out candy at home. Most of my friends were not dress-up types when I was in university but my kids love it now!
ReplyDelete#StayClassyMama
Aw I love that you dress up on your own! I do too! Hee hee! XXXX
DeleteI love dressing up - and definitely think it is the child in me.
ReplyDeleteNot a big fan, but I can understand why some people are. I know I'm boring ;) T on the other hand, absolutely loves it!
ReplyDeleteOh I hate it! But definitely love it for the kids! x
ReplyDeleteI'm a big kid at heart and like the idea of dressing up. In fact, every halloween I'm out there dressed like a witch. My husband would say that I don't need much makeup for that!!!
ReplyDeleteHahaha!
DeleteHaving just come back from DisneyWorld you wouldn't BELIEVE how many adults you see dressed up over there. The best thing is no one bats an eyelid at any of it! If people were like that here I feel a lot more adults wouldn't worry about how they look when dressing up for events ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah! We should all dress up, all the time! :)
DeleteI'm not a fan but can see why people do love dressing up though.
ReplyDeleteIt's all good fun. We have had plenty of epic fancy dress parties at our house, it's a great laugh :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome costumes by the way x
Thank you lovely!
DeleteI have it admit I am not a fan, pumpkin carving is about as exciting as it gets with me x
ReplyDeleteStill love a bit of pumpkin carving.
DeleteI love the proper spooky looks for Halloween. They look fab 👌🏾
ReplyDeleteThank you Stella! X
DeleteI have a friend that loves to dress up. She always wants to do fancy dress parties whenever they are celebrating something. I don't really do the dress up thing.
ReplyDeleteI like your friend! :)
DeleteI love dressing up but I haven't actually done it in ages! I was really hoping to do something for the kids Halloween party this year, but my daughter has cried and screamed at everything Halloween related so far. It looks like it's going to be a quiet evening instead! Still, there's always next year... ;)
ReplyDeleteHaha some kids hate it! My son doesn't like attention so he's not a big fan these days. Luckily for me, my daughter takes after me. ;)
DeleteI love fancy dress parties, not been to one for years!
ReplyDeleteI love dressing up! So much fun! The only problem it seems I never can decide what I am going to wear.
ReplyDeleteYes I bloody do - I love it! Nothing better than a 'specific' theme fancy dress party to get your teeth in to! My Mum had a 70s birthday party a few years ago and it was literally the best thing ever! I was in my early twenties, dressed up like some kind of Charlies Angels hooker with the blonde wavy wig - surrounded by old people, dancing to Motown- loved it!
ReplyDeleteIts another reason why I love Halloween (not to dress up as a hooker) just the dressing up part for the kids is great fun #stayclassymama
ps. the Nun pose is the fucking funniest thing I've seen all day x
I'm never put off by being surrounded by oldies. I am frequently at my parents' parties. Yey for dressing up and drunk dancing! MORE MORE MORE!!!!
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