Rock And Roll Fancy Dress: Outfits For 50s And 60s Tribute Nights

A rock and roll night is different from a fancy dress party: there's a band, there's a floor, and people are going to dance properly.

That changes the brief. Skirts need to move, shoes need a smooth sole, and nothing can be so tight you can't be spun.

Here's what works for women and men, plus the throw-on options for anyone who's decided at five o'clock.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations, not costumes.

For women

• Pink satin jacket over black cigarette trousers. Throw-on, warm, and absolutely on theme - the easiest option on this page.
• Swing dress or full skirt with a petticoat, which looks spectacular when you turn.
• Polka dot halter dress with a bandana and victory rolls.
• Capri trousers, fitted top, ballet flats, headscarf.
• Fringed or sequinned dress if the night leans more 60s.
• Flat shoes with a smooth sole. Heels and a dance floor don't mix at a jive night.

For men

• Leather jacket, white tee, turn-up jeans, boots.
• Teddy boy drape jacket, drainpipes, creepers, quiff.
• Bowling shirt with turn-ups - the coolest and most comfortable option.
• Skinny tie and a slim suit for the early 60s end of the night.
• Elvis in a gold jacket, or the jumpsuit if you don't intend to dance in it.
• Braces, a plain shirt and pomade covers it with nothing bought.

What you can actually dance in

• A skirt with movement in it and something under it you're happy about.
• Smooth soles, so you can pivot. Rubber soles stick and twist your knee.
• No long necklaces or dangling anything - it gets caught in a spin.
• Hair up and pinned, not down and in your face.
• Layers, because a jive floor gets hot in one song.

Throw-on options at short notice

• Jacket over everything you're already wearing.
• White shirt, black trousers, red scarf.
• Double denim with turn-ups.
• A bandana and red lipstick over a plain black dress.
• Last minute list - Read the guide

Running a tribute night at a club or hall

• Pink, black and white balloons and bunting for the tables - Shop the range
• A banner behind the band as the photo backdrop - Shop the range
• Table confetti in black and white - Shop the range Shop this card
• A best-dressed prize halfway through the interval.
• A fifties playlist for the breaks - Read the guide
• Full 50s outfit guide - Read the guide

Shop party decorations

How to write it so it lands

• Smooth soles, nothing dangling, hair pinned.
• A skirt with movement beats a tight one.
• A jacket over your own clothes is a full outfit.
• It gets hot after one song - layers.

Where to shop next

• Party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Funny pin badges
• Funny cards
• Table confetti
• 1950s music
• What to wear to Sing-a-long-a Grease
• 50s fancy dress ideas
• Teacher World Book Day costumes
• Group fancy dress ideas for girls
• Race for Life outfit ideas
• 90s fancy dress ideas
• 2000s fancy dress ideas
• Duo fancy dress ideas
• Funny fancy dress ideas
• Fancy dress party themes
• DIY fancy dress on a budget
• Last minute fancy dress 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 do you wear to a rock and roll night?

Women: a swing dress or full skirt with a petticoat, capri trousers and a headscarf, or a pink satin jacket over cigarette trousers. Men: a leather jacket with turn-up jeans, a teddy boy drape or a bowling shirt.

What shoes should you wear to a jive or tribute night?

Flats with a smooth sole so you can pivot. Rubber soles grip the floor and twist your knee, and heels rarely survive a full night of dancing.

What is the easiest rock and roll outfit to throw on?

A jacket over what you're already wearing - a pink satin one for women, a leather one for men - plus turn-ups on the jeans and a red lip or some pomade.

How do you dress a hall for a rock and roll tribute night?

Pink, black and white balloons and bunting on the tables, a banner behind the band as a photo backdrop, black and white confetti, and a best-dressed prize in the interval.

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.