Easy Last Minute Costume Ideas

Been invited to a fancy dress party and need a quick costume? 

It's increasingly popular to have retro parties looking back to decades such as the fifties, sixties, seventies and the eighties.

If you're in desperate need of a quick fashion fix for one of these eras, here's our tips on creating the authentic look - quickly!

1960s Fashion

Most people remember Elvis, the Beatles and hippies from this era.

Some of the easiest ideas for dressing up in costume will be creating the hippy look - flower power clothing - flowing dresses, belts and the smell of patchouli oil.

Or how about dressing as part of Abba?

For guys, how about dressing as your favorite Bond film character?  Goodies or baddies - though Bond is quite easy, a DJ, slicked back hair and a smooth voice! 

Find some more inspiration and pictures at Annies Costume.

Clothes of the Seventies & 70's Fashion

To re-create the looks from the 70s, the easiest look to copy is probably the punk style.

This was spiked hair, often colored, with aggressive, dark coloured clothing with masses of zips and safety pins.

If you're making your own costume, a quick look would be to spike your hair with some gel.  

Add a black t-shirt or jacket with black jeans - and add a few safety pins from your jeans to the shirt or jacket. 

Alternatively take a cue from these images and add some chain jewelry.  

Put on heavy black eye makeup to complete the 1970 look.

Eighties Costumes

From the era that brought us:-

Star Wars, Miami Vice, The Blues Brothers, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Karate Kid, The Terminator, Dolly Parton, Quantum Leap and Ghostbusters.

It can be harder to find an "easy" costume that epitomises the 80s.

This was the era of the Superman movies,  aerobics, the Care Bears,

Check out the In the 1980s website for some easy to create, quick costume ideas

Recommended Resources

1920's Glamour - when flapper dresses and bobs were all the rage

1950's Fashions - styles from the post-war fifties