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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that fancy dress is expensive

29 replies

Whocantakeasunrise · 16/10/2010 08:48

Snap me out of this if IABU

Friend is having fancy dress party for their birthday, no theme 'it'd just be fun for everyone to come in fancy dress'.

Why does fancy dress enhance a party? It's costing me £100, to do costumes for my family, that's a £100 less to spend on food present.

I just see it as an inconvenience, and not adding anything to the party.

AIBU - fancy dress does not add value to a party?

OP posts:
Georgimama · 16/10/2010 08:50

£100 - really? They've got halloween costumes and other fancy dress bits in Wilkos for a fiver for kids.

Original poster
Whocantakeasunrise · 16/10/2010 08:51

The kids were the cheap bit - although the cheapest I paid for one was £7. The adult costumes are £40 each.

OP posts:
misdee · 16/10/2010 08:51

gosh, what are you buying?

i can make 4 tutu's for 5-ish year olds for under £15. ad whatever coloured top they want it, and they can be witches if using black netting, or princesses if using pink. buy a party pack of face paint from snazaroo for £15 and sorted

Original poster
Whocantakeasunrise · 16/10/2010 08:53

I have no creative bone, unfortunately, I just can't make or amend etc, but it's the adults that have cost the money.

OP posts:
EauRouge · 16/10/2010 08:53

Fancy dress needn't be expensive, just use your imagination a bit. Or cheat and look on a website for ideas

Georgimama · 16/10/2010 08:55

Put DH in a dinner jacket (about a fiver from charity shop if he hasn't got one) and claim he is James Bond.

misdee · 16/10/2010 08:55
easy-peasey for anyone to follow.
misdee · 16/10/2010 08:55

big white sheet and two holes cut out for eyes Grin

EauRouge · 16/10/2010 08:57

Rip up an old sheet into strips, splash a bit of fake blood on and then use them as bandages- there's a mummy costume for you.

Original poster
Whocantakeasunrise · 16/10/2010 11:18

Oh how i wish i'd posted, before getting outfits. See it's this inspiration that just doesn't come to me, but seems to come to others so easily!

OP posts:
ForMashGetSmash · 16/10/2010 11:28

Everyone is assuming the OP is talking Halloween when she never said that...but still...I adapt clothing from charity or wardrobe for decent fancy dress and it costs almost nothing.

Original poster
Whocantakeasunrise · 16/10/2010 11:39

There is no theme - which to be honest i found harder.

My prob is I really can't adapt, I have no sewing equipment or ability even if my brain was able to see an item of clothing and say that could be x.

But what does fancy dress add to a party?

OP posts:
ForMashGetSmash · 16/10/2010 11:55

Well it is fun...I love it...making it is haf the fun though and if you're not that way inclined it's a nightmare I suppose.

YABU though to think Fancy dress is expensive when with some imagination and effort it's free! You only need to wear a stripey jumper and tight trousers..add some feelers and you're a bug....a sexy one if you like with high heels.

4plus1 · 16/10/2010 12:10

Made a great judges costume for dh last year. I got a big red curtain for £4 in the charity shop. Cut a hole in it to make a robe. Then stuck loo roll tubes together and painted white and attatched to the crown of a hat with rim cut off, for the judges wig. Simple, cheap & effective!

lucykate · 16/10/2010 12:13

could you not just put on your wedding dress and go as a bride?

Meglet · 16/10/2010 12:22

Yanbu.

In my day we made our outfits. Buying them was cheating.

AngryPixie · 16/10/2010 12:25

I love fancy dress, but prefer to have a broad theme to work within.

It adds.....fun!

Conversation starters

decadence Grin

But I know that lots of people feel like you do. What are you going as?

Original poster
Whocantakeasunrise · 16/10/2010 15:08

I am going as cruella de ville - due to the mood the fancy dress has put me in, I thought I could be nasty!! Grin only joking, I wouldn't spoil a party.

DH is Willy Wonka.

DD is Veruca Salt.

DS is Bart Simpson.

OP posts:
JinnyS · 16/10/2010 15:19

I love fancy dress - makes a party go much better I find.

If I haven't got something I can alter at home then I trawl the charity shops. Worst comes to worst I hire something. Think we paid £12 to hire a pirate outfit and it was amazing

LetThereBeRock · 16/10/2010 15:22

Take a box of cornflakes with a plastic knife through them,and perhaps put a little red paint on the box. You can be a 'cereal' killer.

Yes I know that's bad.Grin

nikki1978 · 16/10/2010 15:37

I have been invited to a fancy dress party next month with a nautical theme. All the womens costumes I can find are really slutty though :(

Would love to go as this but reckon it is expensive to hire and it would be a pain to have to go up to London to get it.

www.fancydress.com/costumes/Prawn/0~525352~354

Georgimama · 16/10/2010 16:17

Nautical theme - non slutty woman pirate can be leggings, stripey T shirt, bandana round the head, hat for a fiver from joke/fancy dress shop, pound shops sell toy muskets/eye patch sets.

TrillianSlasher · 16/10/2010 16:30

Very strange to have a fancy dress party with no theme.

I agree that made/improvised costumes are much more fun than costumes that have been bought as a whole.

Original poster
Whocantakeasunrise · 16/10/2010 18:20

Love the cereal killer one - think I may well take that with me!!!

OP posts:
LetThereBeRock · 16/10/2010 20:22

Well it is cheap at least.Grin