The Brilliance of Animal Costumes
Animal costumes are a favourite theme of fancy-dress fans, for many different reasons. Perhaps it originates from our childhoods spent watching cartoons and movies about animal characters. If nothing else, this has spawned the Furry Fandom, where people celebrate fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics.
When picking out a costume for the next fancy-dress occasion, why are we drawn to animal costumes? Perhaps it’s because they are funny, or maybe you wish to release your inner animal. In the depths of winter, it can be a practical choice, as you’re far more likely to feel warm in a lion costume than dressed as a fairy.
Raise Awareness
To some, animal costumes can represent a message. This could vary from raising awareness for animal charities or endangered species, to reflecting your own personality by dressing up as your favourite animal. Dressing up as a Polar Bear, Giant Panda or Bengal Tiger at a charity event could turn some heads far enough to pay attention to the cause, especially if you wear a sign with a heartfelt or shocking message to grab people's attention.
Be Ironic!
Animal costumes allow your sense of humour to come out to play. If you want to be ironic, you could make a subtle joke by dressing up as an animal which is the polar opposite of your personality. For example, if you are known to be quiet or shy, you could dress up as a lion, an elephant or even a peacock. The attention you would receive for such a costume would make you feel powerful enough to let out an unexpected roar. Or, if people know you as loud or confident, you could choose to dress up as a mouse, which would probably earn you a few laughs.
Occasions
If you are celebrating a particular occasion, such as Easter or Christmas, then you have the option to dress up as a bunny, chicken or lamb at Easter; or a robin-red-breast or a reindeer at Christmas. At Halloween, you can get scary and become a werewolf, a bat, tarantula, or a poor victim succumbing to the jaws of a terrifying predator – such as a crocodile, shark or snake. Then there’s the stag-do, where anything goes.
Funny Photos
If you’re going to all that effort to dress up, then it needs to remembered and enjoyed afterwards. Some photo opportunities are; going to the Zoo dressed as a giraffe, lion or a zebra; searching for Easter eggs while dressed as a bunny; swinging from the monkey bars at the park in a monkey costume; running around as a headless chicken; or dolled up as a pig with wings, poised to spring up into the air.
Couple Theme
If you want to do an ‘animal couple’ theme, your options are as limitless as your imagination. There’s Mickey and Minnie Mouse, an elephant and a mouse (as elephants are rumoured to be terrified of mice), Tom and Jerry, a caterpillar and a butterfly (ideal for mother and daughter), an ugly duckling with a beautiful swan, a bumblebee and a flower, a fish and a chip. You can probably come up with more.
Play on Words
Once more, the humour comes into play (is there no end to the giggles?). If you are a fan of puns, sayings or just plain enjoy making a ludicrous statement, then have a play with these:
“Foxy Lady” – Self-explanatory. A lady (or a man made up as a lady) should wear a sexy outfit, with the additions of fox ears, some foxy makeup and a bushy tail.
“Drunk as a Skunk” – Dress up as a skunk and act like you’re drunk (you could take it that step further and partake in the consumption of alcoholic beverages, if you are of legal age!).
“Headless Chicken” – No further explanation required.
“Bird/Chick/Babe” – A man who dislikes derogatory terms can turn this on its head by dressing up as one of these. Let’s celebrate women for being women!
“Cat-fish” – Go half cat and half fish.
“Bat-man” – Go half bat and half man.
“Cat-woman” – Go half cat and half woman.
“Spider-Monkey” – You may have the idea by now.
“As Happy as a Clam” – Dress up as a clam, with a big smile on its face.
“Bee in Your Bonnet” – Dress up as a bee and wear a huge bonnet.
“You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks” – Prove this saying wrong. Dress up as a dog with glasses, pipe and walking stick, and show off your tricks – juggling, card and magic tricks, sitting on demand and shaking hands… You get the idea.
"Red-Bull" - Dress up as a... wait for it... Red Bull!
“Going Cold Turkey” – Go as a cold turkey! Simply dress up as a turkey and put a scarf on and moan a lot about the cold. Job done.
“In the Dog House” – Build a cardboard dog kennel and slip inside. Put your name on the doorway for that personal touch.
“Hot-dog” – You could dress up as a dog and wrap yourself in a gigantic bun. Or you could put a real (or cuddly toy) dog into a fake bun and carry it around all night. Or, simply dress up as a very attractive dog.
Characters
If these ideas don’t appeal, but you are a fan of a certain character on the TV or in a movie or cartoon, then take your pick - Bugs Bunny, Shawn the Sheep or Gromit, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the Hippopotamus, Tom and Jerry, Pingu the Penguin, Donkey from Shrek, Puss In Boots, Kermit the Frog, Sonic the Hedgehog, Rafiki the Baboon, Firenze the Centaur or Mr Tumnus the Fawn.
Again the list is exhaustive, but these ideas should get your creative juices flowing. So whatever the fancy-dress occasion, you are sure to find an animal costumes that will serve you well. Just remember, with fancy-dress, you’re not trying to fit in, you’re trying to stand out!
charity fancy dress
charity fancy dress
