In our TRNDS report, we discovered that 55% of all eventgoers are leaning into their sense of adventure.
And guess what? Costume parties are a big part of that. In fact, 41% of 21- to 35-year-olds reported that they enjoy wearing themed outfits to events.
But attendees don’t want boring — they want to break out of their comfort zones, meet new people, and fully immerse themselves in an experimental event. So simply saying “dress up as you want” won’t cut it.
At Eventbrite, we’ve helped event organizers create events that push the limits of imagination, from enchanted galas to scary Halloween extravaganzas. Because of this, we believe the bigger you go with your costume theme, the more excited attendees become.
In this article, we’ll provide you with a list of creative, fun, and exciting costume party ideas that will attract adventure-seeking attendees from near and far.
How to host the best costume theme party ideas
Themed parties with elaborate costumes
Adult costume party ideas
Adults love spending money on elaborate costumes. Don’t believe us? In 2023 people spent approximately $4 billion on Halloween costumes — an increase from $3.6 billion the previous year.
When crafting adult costume party ideas and themes, you want to create a fun-filled, exciting fest that allows party guests to express their inner characters and feel comfortable going all out with their costumes. We’re talking intricate props, fully-decked-out venues, and even a themed drinks menu.
Here are a few adult costume party ideas and how to host them.
1. Casino night
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Take casino night and turn it into a nightclub costume party theme.
Here’s a cool idea. First, partner with a nightclub venue with rented slot machines and a poker table with a casino dealer. Then, work on your decor: Have bartenders dress up in white tuxedos, set up projection mapping to display casino-themed visuals like spinning roulette wheels, and serve cocktails like “dollar-dollar-Bacardill-y’all.”
Finally, invite your attendees to dress as dolled-up mobsters with thick rings and expensive suits, or casino queens in shimmering dresses like Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface.
2. Oktoberfest party
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Take inspiration from PubCrawls’ Hoboken Oktoberfest Party and really lean into German traditions. Rent out carnival rides and an outdoor space, like a beer garden or a fairground. Then, host competitions for free beer coupons, like polka dancing or stein-holding contests.
To encourage adults to really get into the spirit, enforce a mandatory “be-dressed-or-be-gone” policy: If they aren’t in traditional Bavarian attire, they aren’t allowed past the door to party.
3. Masquerade
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Classic party ideas are iconic for a reason — but that doesn’t mean you can’t add your own twist.
Turn an ordinary masquerade event theme into a mythology masquerade by encouraging your attendees to dress like Norse Gods with majestic robes and helmets or mythical creatures such as centaurs and nymphs.
4. Apocalypse party
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪💪
In our opinion, the best adult costume party ideas always have an element of danger.
Host an apocalypse party that’s a Mad Max meets Alternative Parties and Events’ BondXBall Post-Apocalyptic Bash roller coaster ride, and invite attendees to dress in their most seductive, dangerous-looking leather “warrior” outfits.
To set up the event, hire circus performers like aerial acrobats and fire-throwers, put post-apocalyptic props like scrap metal parts in the corners, and serve drinks in rugged, metallic cups.
5. Murder mystery
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Imagine a murder mystery party where instead of solving clues and puzzles, attendees dress up as their favorite on-screen murderers, like Hannibal Lecter or Patrick Bateman, and show off their dance moves at a horror-filled rave.
To organize this event, choose a spooky venue, like a warehouse or an “abandoned” shipping container. Then, make the space look like the aftermath of a crime scene, with realistic “body bags” hanging from the ceiling and chalk outlines of victims on the floor — you can even use holographic projections to display scenes of famous movie kills.
Fancy dress themes
Despite the name, a “fancy” dress theme doesn’t have to be showy at all. In fact, the more weird and wacky your fancy dress themes, the more excited attendees will get.
Let’s take a look at a few examples.
6. Heroes vs villains
Fun level: 🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪
Invite your target audience to dress up as their favorite hero or villain from the Batman series, and set up your venue as an epic hero vs villain showdown.
Here’s what you’ll need for your party planning: A venue with a bit of character, like a 1920s jazz club, blue-tinted spotlights, LED screens shining the Batman symbol, and a “playpen” where guests can dress up in inflatable costumes, wrestle in jello and chocolate, and battle with foam weapons.
If you need some inspiration, just take a look at Sacramento Life’s Around The World Rave: Heroes Vs. Villains event.
7. Angel costumes
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪
Transform your venue into a Renaissance painting and invite everyone to party like archangel warriors
To really sell this event idea, use 3D projection mapping to make the venue look like the interior of a Renaissance building, hang large-winged decorations from the ceilings, and serve cocktails from ornate vessels.
8. Beach party
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪
Ask your guests to come dressed as if they’re on “the worst family vacation ever.”
We’re thinking a dad in a massive brim hat, someone strutting in budgie smugglers with mismatched flip-flops, and a tourist slathered in zinc sunscreen.
For costume party ideas like this, it’s best to keep the beach vibe but add a fun twist. So do what Vault Nightclub did with their Road to Baja Beach Fest and host your event at a venue near the beach or even right on the shore. Set up tiki huts and serve frozen margaritas with little umbrellas to complete the look.
9. Pajama party
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪
Make your attendees’ dreams come true, and host a party where they can trade in high heels for their ridiculously comfortable PJs. Think cozy onesies, fluffy slippers, and matching striped pajamas with adorable sleep masks.
For the event itself, go for a “walk in the moonlight” block party theme.
Invite food trucks to serve comfort foods, like pigs in blankets, set up a silent disco, and create a giant blanket fort dining area with draped white sheets, sleeping bags, and pillows on the floor. That way, everyone can savor delicious snacks while lounging in total comfort.
Vintage dress-up party themes
Want to know why nostalgia is such a great marketing tool? Because it allows people to relive the magic of the past — it’s like drinking soup for the soul.
That’s why whether you choose a theme from an era before your audience’s time, or something from their childhood days, like a Bratz-themed bash, you want to choose an idea that transports your attendees to a whole new world.
Let’s take a look at these Vintage dress-up party themes for adults and how to host them.
10. Great Gatsby
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Take a look at VIP Nightlife’s Gatsby’s Fireworks Yacht Party — it’s all about live music and extravagance.
To recreate this vibe, you could host your party on a cruise ship, complete with sparkling chandeliers and elegant decor, and encourage your attendees to come dressed up in bowties, and flapper dresses. Or choose a classy venue like a sky bar with stunning city views, luxurious gold accents, and multiple dance floors in different rooms.
11. Hollywood
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪💪
Invite your attendees to dress up as their favorite Hollywood stars. To make the event memorable, turn the outside of your venue into a red carpet with fake paparazzi snapping photos.
Then, set up the inside of your venue to look like an exclusive, wild celebrity party that only the Kim Ks and Paris Hiltons of the world would be able to get into. We’re talking bottle service, dancers doing belly shots on the bar, and attendees dancing on tabletops.
12. 70s vs 80s party
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Plan an epic 70s vs 80s party where guests dress as stars from the 70s, like Donna Summer or David Bowie, or 80s icons like Michael Jackson or Madonna.
To create this event, split your venue into two sides, styled like a giant wrestling arena. On one side, go all out with The Great Northern’s Dancing Queen ABBA Glitter Disco, featuring a multicolored dance floor, glitter, disco balls, and colorful balloons. On the other side, set up a cool 80s vibe with neon lights, arcade games, and cassette tapes.
To get everyone hyped, follow The Great Northern’s lead. Create an Instagram post with vibrant visuals that tease the battle or share costume ideas to inspire your guest
13. Your era party
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪
Why not give your guests full rein over their era and have them dress up like the decade they were born into?
For instance, if they’re a 90s baby, they can arrive dressed in grunge flannel and Doc Martens, or if they’re from the 2000s, they can rock low-rise jeans and crop tops.
Set up the venue to look like a nostalgic flea market. Create a combo of different-themed areas with 90s posters, 80s neon signs, and 2000s pop culture memorabilia. For example, you could have a classic 90s arcade game area, an 80s dance floor, and a 2000s photo booth with matching props.
Fun costume party theme ideas
So we’ve covered elegant costume party themes for adults and nostalgic themes, but what about costume party ideas that are just plain wacky? The more outlandish the theme, the better the party.
Here are a few of our favorite fun costume party theme ideas.
14. Mismatched costume party
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪
Forget elegant costumes and well-designed outfits; this party is all about the fun of mismatching. Have your attendees arrive in the most mismatched outfit they can create, like a fancy ball gown paired with a pirate hat and cowboy boots.
You can even appoint one of your event staff as the “costume inspector” and offer a discount code for merch, food, or drinks to those who embrace the theme.
Inside the party, decorate your venue with large inflatable flamingos next to antique furniture, string lights of orange and green, and random quirky decorations. It’ll be like a chaotic wonderland — so mismatched that it kind of works.
15. Black and white
Fun level: 🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪
Flip the traditional black-and-white theme on its head and ask your attendees to wear black-and-white animal costumes, such as panda heads, zebra stripes, and Dalmatian spots.
To make this event work, arrange your venue to resemble a black-and-white zoo, with monochrome decorations and animal prints everywhere. Serve themed drinks like black and white Russian cocktails, and create interactive areas with rope vines and faux grass on the floor to enhance the zoo-like atmosphere.
If you go more traditional but still add a creative twist, then the perfect theme would be to stick to one solid color. For example, at MIAMINICE’s White Yacht Party, the organizer encouraged attendees to dress in white from head to toe.
16. Apres-ski
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪💪💪
Turn up the fun dial to 100% by transforming your venue into a snow-tastic wonderland with a snow machine and a fun slide where attendees can ‘snowboard’ and play. The best part? You can encourage attendees to bring their best winter costumes, like ski goggles, retro ski jackets, and cozy mittens.
If you want to take things to the next level, host the event at an ice-bar venue, like the ICEBAR Experience in Orlando. Serve drinks out of glasses made of ice and set up igloos where guests can relax and mingle.
17. Disney
Fun level: 🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪💪
Whisk your attendees away by hiring a castle venue, and recreate the magical ball scene from Disney classic Beauty and the Beast.
Encourage guests to dress as Disney princess Belle or the Beast. Then, bring the teacups to life through the magic of augmented reality and have actors dress like pieces of furniture while serving guests champagne and tapas.
Or if you want to go for a more modern twist, take note from Endoxa Booking’s Y2K & Disney Dance Party and create an event where guests can dance the night away dressed as their favorite characters from a Disney movie.
18. Coastal cowgirl
Fun level: 🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Get ready for a girls’ night with a twist on the classic cowgirl theme. Picture yellow, blue, and white decorations, and instead of a mechanical bull, let the ladies ride a mechanical white horse.
Set up cozy white lounge chairs, lay out beach towel rugs, hand out white feather scarves at the door, and serve blue martinis with mini umbrellas.
To nail the theme, highlight the difference between your average cowgirl and a coastal cowgirl. Think of it as a bougie, girly vibe with soft pastels and beachy elements, not harsh red dirt or brown cowboy boots.
Themed parties with elaborate costumes
Elaborate costume parties can take attendees weeks to prepare their costumes. They’re the kind of parties where guests dress up not because they have to.
Aka, our kind of party.
Here are five elaborate costume party ideas to get the creative juices flowing.
19. Alice in Wonderland
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
If you want to throw a really freaky and unforgettable party, take a cue from what Framed Events did with their Alice In Wonderland Rave.
Imagine actors dressed up as the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat, a giant rabbit with a clock that pours beer when you set the time, and mesmerizing whirling projections on the walls that transport guests into Wonderland.
To pull this off, ensure that your event isn’t just a rave or nightclub gathering, but a fully immersive one where people can win prizes for the best dressed.
Ensure you put the dress code on your event registration so attendees can prepare their costumes beforehand. To simplify this process, you can use Eventbrite. We give you options to design custom invitations and manage RSVPs so your guests have all the information they need to dress-to-impress.
Find out more about Eventbrite
20. Day of the Dead
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪💪
Create a vibrant and immersive experience inspired by the afterlife from Coco — a perfect Halloween party idea. Imagine an orange glowing floor that lights up when guests stand on it and projections of colorful buildings and flying dogs. Use projector screens to display these lively scenes, and decorate with paper marigold flowers and festive ornaments.
Encourage everyone to wear traditional Day of the Dead makeup with intricate black designs and bright accents.
If you’re hosting at an outdoor venue or a large space like a casino, consider adding a spectacular fireworks display halfway through the event to elevate the magic and excitement.
21. Under the sea
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪
If you’re looking for a creative Valentine’s Day costume party idea or you’re just in the mood for love, why not host a burlesque show filled with pink bubbles and romance?
For example, at Pigalle Theatre and Speakeasy’s Under the Sea event, they had a stage with sea monster sculptures and dancers dressed as mermaids with pink hair and a seashell bra.
To create the same atmosphere, have your event staff dress up like sea creatures, like mermaids and sailors. Serve cocktails out of clam shells, use a bubble machine to fill the space with bubbles, and drape blue fabric to make the venue look like the ocean.
Encourage guests to dress as anything from sea creatures to sailors — just as long as it belongs under the sea.
22. Game of Thrones
Fun level: 🤣🤣
Budget: 💵💵
Difficulty: 💪💪💪
Want to know how to host an event that takes your guests straight into the world of Game of Thrones? Pick an outdoor venue with a medieval vibe, and set it up to look like the fighting pits of Meereen, with seating areas on the sides and a dance floor in the center.
Invite themed vendors to shop around the venue, offering things like “magic goblet juice” in dragon eggs that attendees have to crack open.
A few days before your event, “leak” some behind-the-scenes photos of your team setting up the venue. This will help them plan their costumes and build anticipation for the night.
23. Superhero
Fun level: 🤣🤣🤣
Budget: 💵
Difficulty: 💪💪
Everyone loves a superhero party, but what if you had an anti-superhero costume party instead? Think more The Boys than Superman, with dark humor and edgy vibes. Use this theme as hilariously on-point commentary for current events, with satirical nods to the upcoming election and a chance for guests to let off steam about politics while wearing edgy, irreverent costumes.
If you want to take it to the next level, transform your venue into a demolition site or set up areas where attendees can safely smash objects and showcase their “superbad superhero” strengths.
To help you promote the event, create a vibrant and engaging social media campaign. For example, at Experience Level Entertainment’s (XLE) AntiHero After Party, they used eye-catching visuals and clever taglines to draw in the crowd.
Get creative with your costume party ideas
Remember this: the more elaborate the theme and immersive the experience, the more likely your attendees are to fully engage and have a blast.
Use your event marketing and promotion to get everyone excited about the event and convince them that everyone will dress up. Because there’s nothing worse than a costume party where only half the guests commit to the theme.
Luckily, when it comes to event marketing, we have some proven strategies and tricks up our sleeves. From social media marketing through a single platform so you can see all event data in one place to engaging email campaigns and influencer partnerships, we’ve got you covered.
