Fancy dress and themes guides

Theme ideas, last-minute costumes and party themes on a budget. There are 8 guides in this section, all free to read and copy from.

Every one is written for a specific moment rather than in general, so pick the closest fit and take the lines you need.

• Fancy dress ideas for any party
  Sixty fancy dress ideas grouped by effort and group size, from cupboard raids to full group themes.
• Fancy dress party themes everyone can actually do
  Twenty-five fancy dress party themes with the decorations, food and music that go with each.
• How to throw a fancy dress party
  A one-evening plan for a fancy dress party, from theme and invitations to games, timings and prizes.
• Last-minute fancy dress ideas you can do tonight
  Thirty last-minute fancy dress ideas from a wardrobe, a kitchen drawer and a charity shop.
• Hen party fancy dress themes and outfit ideas
  Hen party fancy dress themes that a whole group can manage, with decorations, games and prizes.
• Fancy dress prize ideas for best and worst costume
  Award categories and prize ideas for a fancy dress party, plus a simple way to judge them.
• DIY fancy dress on a budget
  Thirty homemade fancy dress costumes under £10, sorted by what you'll need to buy.
• 80s and 90s party ideas
  Everything for an 80s or 90s themed party: outfits, playlist, food, decorations and games.

Other guide topics

• Best of: cards and gifts
• What to write in a card
• Messages by recipient
• Sorry, etiquette and awkward moments
• How much to spend
• Jokes and humour
• Puns and wordplay
• Rhymes, poems and quotes
• Riddles and quizzes
• Games and activities
• Party planning
• Decorations and how-to
• Celebrations
• Work and colleagues
• Speeches and toasts
• Cheering someone up
• Feel-good reading
• Christmas and seasonal
• Secret Santa
• Festivals and world celebrations
• Christenings and faith milestones
• Charity and fundraising
• Badges and pins
• Card design and how cards work

Back to all guides

Where to shop next

• All guides
• Card ideas
• Browse all cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Gifts to make someone smile
• Thinking of you gifts

Frequently asked questions

How many fancy dress and themes guides are there?

There are 8 in this section, and the full directory has 267 guides across 25 topics.

Are these free to use?

Yes. Copy any message, joke or checklist straight into a card or a party plan. You do not need to buy anything.