During Mardi Gras, Bourbon Street is filled with costumes of all shapes, colors, and sizes. The hats are large and the masks are bright. The costumes range from fun Halloween-type costumes to traditional Mardi Gras masks and elegant ball gowns. Some of the costumes are quite clever while others are wacky, weird, and bizarre.

If you're having trouble coming up with the perfect Mardi Gras costume to wear this year, here are some great ideas:

The first step in picking out a Mardi Gras costume is to decide on a theme. You could dress up like a jester, a Mardi Gras king or queen, or Lady Versailles. Or, you could dress up like an animal (peacock, parrot, bumble bee, etc.) If you don’t want to choose a particular theme for your costume, you could also just get the craziest, most bizarre articles of clothing and accessories that you can find. Mix and match different colors and textures. Another fun idea for Mardi Gras clothing is to coordinate your outfits with your group of friends! Your group will stand out in the crowd as you walk down Bourbon Street or into any Mardi Gras party.  

Find unique clothing to create your costume. Pick up brightly colored shirts, pants, or a dress to match the theme of your outfit. If you are trying to stay within a certain budget, check out your local thrift shop for Mardi Gras dresses and other clothing you might need. Another great place to find clothing is online. Many places will rent Mardi Gras clothing or carnival costumes for the celebration. Generally you can use the costume for three days, depending on the contract.

Choose a Mardi Gras hat to match your costume’s theme. Pick up a floppy jester cap or a feather headdress to match your Mardi Gras mask. Pointy hats, called capuchons, are also popular hats to wear on Fat Tuesday. They were originally worn by women in rural Louisiana during Mardi Gras celebrations but today they can be found throughout Bourbon Street. Another Mardi Gras hat idea is to decorate your own! Pick up a white baseball hat or bucket hat and decorate it with jewels, glitter, paint, and beads. You can make it as elegant or crazy as you want it to be!

Add to your Mardi Gras costume with accessories like a fur-lined cape, jewels, beads, and a scepter. You could also wear a wig and style it to match your costume theme. Another great Mardi Gras accessory is a mask! You can either buy a beautiful, unique masks to match your Mardi Gras costume or make one yourself!

Hosting a Mardi Gras party? Be sure to send online Mardi Gras invitations for your celebration! Text or email invites right from your phone, easily manage RSVPs, and communicate with your guests.