February is the month of the carnival. The origins of these parties lie in old traditions, where people would throw costume parties that would sometimes last for days and which could involve an entire social craziness: from wild dancing to heavy eating and a lot of drinking, people were partying it hard. The carnival was the last occasion to have fun before lent, which would usually start at the end of the month or at the beginning of March.
In a deeper sense, carnival marks the first-to-last part of a cycle, as it would be followed by a "dark" period, which would end in the come-back of spring and Easter.
Today, carnivals come in many forms: from the colorful Latino carnivals which take place in Brazil and other South American countries to parades parties across Europe, people love to dress up and get riled up about the holiday.
Because at the core of every carnival are the costumes, we have laid out a list of 44 costume ideas you can try:
The joy and colorfulness of a carnival comes from the over-the-top aesthetic which describe it. In this sense, you can definitely find a funny costume to dress up in. Some ideas can be: a burger, a bottle of beer, a banana, a carry-me costume, a roast chicken, a kissing booth or a blacklight bodysuit.
However, if you want to go for something funny, make sure it's something that others will find funny too and that it is not too big, which may make both you and your company uncomfortable.
These days, superheroes are extremely popular. Thus, seeing an action character do the Macarena at a carnival would be funny. So, if you're a big superheroes fan, you can dress up as Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Flash, a Power Ranger and more.
Superhero costumes are fun because they allow you for a lot of movement and usually, if they are of high quality, they feel like a comfortable onesie.
Movie characters are great references people will get quickly. Also, many well-known characters don't involve highly complex costuming. You can thus consider being Indiana Jones, Frodo, Napoleon Dynamite, Tarzan, Dr. Alexei from Stranger Things and more.
Dressing up as a movie character is a good idea, but the risk is that you dress up as a character who is very obscure.
The history of clothing is a very complex one which offers a wide variety of ideas. You can go as anything from Cesar, a Medieval peasant, a Medieval king, a ninja, Louis XIV or Abraham Lincoln to Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton and more.
These costumes are even better if you put a funny twist to them.
Dressing up as an animal is something a lot of people will enjoy. You can go as a cat, a dog, a raccoon, an elephant, a fox or a mouse. What is interesting about dressing up as an animal is that it can be done in a variety of ways. The issue with animal costumes is that they may become very warm or that they can be too big to handle. In this sense, we recommend trying out your costume a few days in advance and wearing it for a while around the house. An alternative is to simply go for face paint and some details such as a tail or paws.
While it may be a bizarre choice, many people like dressing up as celebrities. This may not be a very tasteful choice, but it's an easy way out and doesn't require much work. You can be Britney Spears, Elvis, Katy Perry, Brad Pitt, Freddy Mercury or Axl Rose.
When dressing up as a celebrity, in order to make it funnier, you can opt for a certain moment that people will know. Think for example of Celine Dion's back-to-front suit.
Sports are not really costumes, but they can work in lack of a better choice.
Football players outfits, soccer stars and tennismen are all instant ready-to-wears. If you go for a sports costume, you can try to make them funnier. For example, with some body paint, you can become an alien judo star.
Conclusion
There are many other ideas you can opt for as well. For example, you can dress up as a cartoon character or go simply in a Venetian costume, especially if you can find a good one. The purpose of a carnival is to have fun and to chase the winter away, leaving room for the spring to come and to encourage the sun to rise.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Further reading:
Carnival Culture: Unmasking the World of Hidden Identities Clowns, Clowns Everywhere: The Meaning of Clowns, Jesters and HarlequinsP.S. We want to hear from you! Do you go to any carnival? What type do you prefer? Why? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
