Funny Fancy Dress Ideas: Costumes That Actually Make People Laugh

Funny costumes fail for one of two reasons: the joke needs explaining, or the joke is cruel. Everything else gets a laugh.

There are really four types that work - oversized, pun, deadpan and too much effort. Pick your lane before you pick your outfit.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations, not costumes. Anything else here is a recommendation.

Oversized: the reliable laugh

• A full-body SpongeBob suit. Silly proportions, universally known, and it goes on over your own clothes - it's the costume everyone photographs.
• Inflatable dinosaur, sumo suit, giant baby. Funny for the same reason: wrong scale.
• A person in a full mascot-style suit always wins the best-dressed vote, because the room's reaction is instant.
• Downside: doorways, taxis and heat. Worth knowing before you commit to a full night in one.

Pun costumes

• Cereal killer: a box of cornflakes taped on, a plastic knife.
• Ceiling fan: a t-shirt saying 'Go ceilings!' and a foam finger pointing up.
• Smarty pants: Smarties glued to a pair of trousers.
• Holy guacamole: a green outfit with holes cut in it.
• Formal apology: a suit and a badge saying sorry.
• Rule: if it needs two sentences of explanation, it isn't funny.

Deadpan and low effort

• A lanyard reading 'Actually just came from work'.
• Normal clothes plus a name badge saying 'Dave from IT'.
• A bin bag and a sign saying 'litterally a costume'.
• A white t-shirt with '404: costume not found' written on it.
• Three people as the same character by accident, entirely on purpose.
• Last-minute options - Read the guide

Group gags

• Everyone as the same person. Twelve Waldos, twelve Bob Rosses, twelve Ednas.
• One person as the character, everyone else as their entourage in matching lanyards.
• The whole group as one thing: a traffic jam, a fruit bowl, a full English breakfast.
• A conga line of Bikini Bottom - Read the guide
• Duos where the joke is the mismatch - Read the guide

Jokes that don't land

• Anything punching down - weight, race, disability, religion, mental health.
• Anything requiring a paragraph of explanation.
• In-jokes from your own group at a party of strangers.
• Anything too topical - a news reference from March is invisible by November.
• Sexy versions of things that aren't people. Nobody wanted sexy traffic cone.
• The prize for best dressed should be winnable by anyone - Read the guide

Practical stuff that keeps it funny all night

• Can you sit down, get in a taxi and use a toilet in it? If not, the joke ends at 9pm.
• Wear it over normal clothes so you can take the joke off and stay at the party.
• Nothing over the face - people laugh at your reaction as much as the costume.
• Hands free. A prop you hold is a prop you lose.
• Warm, because British parties involve standing outside at some point.

Shop party decorations

How to write it so it lands

• One second to land, no explanation, never cruel.
• Oversized beats detailed in a crowded room.
• Wear it over normal clothes so you can take the joke off.
• Nothing over the face - your reaction is half the joke.

Where to shop next

• Party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Funny pin badges
• Funny cards
• 2000s fancy dress ideas
• Duo fancy dress ideas
• Under the sea fancy dress
• Pub crawl fancy dress themes
• Cartoon character fancy dress
• Fancy dress ideas
• Fancy dress party themes
• How to throw a fancy dress party
• Last minute fancy dress ideas
• DIY fancy dress on a budget
• Fancy dress prize ideas
• 80s and 90s party ideas
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are the funniest fancy dress costumes?

Oversized character suits like a full-body SpongeBob, pun costumes such as cereal killer or smarty pants, and deadpan ones like a lanyard reading "actually just came from work".

What makes a funny costume work?

The joke has to land in one second with no explanation, and it can't be at anyone's expense. If you need two sentences to set it up, pick something else.

What are good funny group costumes?

Everyone as the same person, one character with an entourage in matching lanyards, or the group as one thing - a traffic jam, a fruit bowl, a full English breakfast.

What funny costumes should you avoid?

Anything punching down at weight, race, disability, religion or mental health, in-jokes at a party of strangers, very topical references, and sexy versions of inanimate objects.

Can you wear a full-body costume all night?

Only if you can sit, get in a taxi and use a toilet in it. Wear it over normal clothes so you can take it off later and still be dressed for the party.

Do you sell fancy dress costumes?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Costumes are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.