Best Dress Up Party Themes for Adults for 2023

If you were looking for the best dress up party themes for adults, then you’ve come to the right place. Dress up parties for adults, dress up dinner parties and masquerade themed events can be a lot of fun and will certainly liven up your party planning.

This doesn’t mean that you have to spend a small fortune; all you’ll need is a few accessories or easy costume ideas that look great but don’t break the bank.

We’ve got heaps of fun dress up party theme ideas for adults below for your next party.

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Dress Up Party Themes for Adults

An adult dress up party theme is a great way to celebrate any special occasion. From a Halloween party to throwing a surprise 40th birthday; dressing up as different characters can make an ordinary event extraordinary and definitely more memorable for your party guests.

This article is not just a list of party themes but also includes lots of photos and examples to get your creative juices flowing. So scroll down, see all the fancy dress costume ideas and be inspired. 

Costume Party Ideas for Adults

In no particular order, please enjoy these fun dress up party themes for adults. It’s time to channel your inner party planner and get started!

(Side note: we have added a full bullet point list at the bottom of the post for those who just want to read the dress up party themes for adults without the photos included.)

We have included trending party themes and funny party themes for adults – all great for fun outfit theme ideas.

Some of these unique party themes for adults will make the most memorable party that will be talked about for years to come.

Team Colors Party

A team colors party is a great way to show your support for your favorite team. It’s also an easier dress up party theme as most people can find clothes in the same colors as their favorite team. This is a fun dress up theme if you like sports and want to show your team spirit.

You could also use Olympic themes and colors instead of regular sport teams and country flags. 

Color Party

Another fun idea is to theme a party in your favorite color. For instance, white party themes have become extremely popular for parties and events. This dress up idea is the perfect theme if you’re not sure what kind of dress up theme to use for your next stylish event…just choose a color!

I have a full guide to color party themes – decorations, food ideas and more – if you are planning a color themed event, you don’t want to miss this!

Great Gatsby Party

The Great Gatsby is a great option for an adult dress up party theme. Costumes for a Gatsby party should look like it’s the 1920’s with flapper dresses, feather boas, jeweled headbands, and gold accessories. Men could wear suits and bow ties.

Popular drinks that you can serve at your Great Gatsby dress up party are martinis, champagne, and the popular ‘Gatsby cocktail’.

 

 

Mardi Gras Party

A Mardi Gras party is a popular dress up party theme. Throw a Mardi Gras dress up party theme with lots of beads, masks, face paint, feather boas, drink stirrers and drink umbrellas.

The colors to go with for decorating and costumes for this theme are traditionally gold, purple, green and white. Costume ideas include revealing costumes or masquerade Venetian style masks.

 

Black Light / Glow in the Dark Party

Check out our full article on black light party ideas. You’ll find everything you need for the perfect glow in the dark party, including easy and fun decorations and food ideas that all glow under black light.

For costume ideas: wear materials that are fluorescent, neon or white.

 

Favorite Character Party

This is the chance to dress up as your favorite Disney characters or tv series character. A favorite character party is not only a great idea for a children’s party but can also be used for adult dress up theme. From Snow White to the Incredibles, you’re sure to find someone fun to dress up as.

 

Beach Party

A beach party doesn’t have to be at the beach, but it can be if you would like it to be. This is a great dress up party theme for adults as most people will easily be able to find something on theme to wear. Beach party dress up ideas include sarongs, flower accessories, sunglasses, sandals and beach bags. Bright colors are perfect for a tropical beach theme.

Mad Hatter Party 

A Mad Hatter party is another popular party theme for adults. It’s perfect for a tea party dress up theme and includes Alice in Wonderland themed food, drinks and decorations. But it doesn’t have to be tea-party themed. You could also make some fun crazy cocktails to suit the theme.

Another idea is to make some finger food like ‘Drink me’ cookies, cakes decorated as clocks and flowers. 

Costume ideas include hats, fancy dresses, suits, jewelry and hair accessories!

Check out this stunning Mad Hatter mini hat (pictured below). See all the details right here.

Image credit: Mad4Hats

 

Masquerade Ball Party

A masquerade ball is an elegant dress up party theme idea. If you’re looking to get glammed up for a party, this dress up idea is perfect.

You could have a masquerade ball theme with or without an actual ballroom dance. You can simply go all out with your costumes and accessories instead of using a formal dance area.

The masquerade ball dress up ideas are endless but include masks, feathers, sequins, makeup and dresses. Feather boas and long gloves are also great additions.

 

Alphabet Party

So if you are invited to a “things starting with the letter J” costume party, then you know you need lots of ideas to find the right costume.

We’ve got you covered with lots of fun ideas for alphabet letter costumes.

Mexican Party

Mexican parties are fun and easy to cater for if you love Mexican food and bright decorations. A Mexican party is a great dress up theme idea for adult dinner parties or get togethers.

You can have all the traditional food in bright colored tableware – guacamole, salsa, taco salad, etc. And you can also have some Mexican drinks available to really set the mood! Mexican food ideas include tacos, chips and salsa, nachos and burritos. Mexican themed drinks include margaritas, sangria or tequila shots.

If you want to add some nice decorations, then you should hang up streamers in the colors of the Mexican flag (green, white and red). Or even better check out these absolutely stunning mexican decorations below.

Mexican party dress up ideas include sombreros, maracas, ponchos and flowers.

 

 

Ancient Egypt Party

An ancient Egypt party is another fun dress up theme. It can be themed like the Mummy or like an Egyptian Queen with Cleopatra style clothing and jewellery. Ancient Egypt party dress up ideas include Egyptian head dresses, feathers, stones, jewels, kohl makeup around eyes and cat-eye makeup.

You could also have some Egyptian themed costumes and accessories, such as a Pharaoh or Sphinx.

 

Vampire Party

A vampire party is a great dress up theme for Halloween, but you can also have it as another time of the year party if you’d like. It’s a fun dress up idea for adults with some gothic/horror elements to it.

Vampires are everywhere in popular culture right now. The vampire dress up ideas include black, red and pale looking costumes with gothic accessories.

Vampire costume ideas are simple to find. There are so many Halloween stores that have pre-made costumes available. You can also come up with some on your own if you know what kind of vampire you want to dress up as.

 

James Bond Party

A James Bond party is a fun dress up idea for adults. It’s great if you’re big fans of the films or you just want to have a fun dress up idea for an adult party theme.

You can also make a martini or shaken drink with a twist of lemon. Bond girl, tuxedo suit, casinos are all other great components of a party James Bond style.

This dress up theme includes fancy clothes, tuxedos, spy gadgets, martini cocktail glasses and bow ties. You can also go all out with a James Bond theme dress up and have a casino room set up to add to the fun of your party.

 

Eighties Party

An eighties party is a fun dress up theme idea for adults. You can have dance music playing in the background from that decade, and you can also ask people to dress up in eighties themed costumes.

Dress up party ideas for adults include neon leggings for girls, ripped jeans with band t-shirts, big hoop earrings, hair crimping tools and lots of hairspray! Bright pinks, greens, and purples are popular as well as blue and yellow.

 

Olympics Party

Come dressed in your country’s colors and / or dressed up as your favorite Olympic athlete or sport. This is a great party theme to have while the Olympics is on – you can have the sport playing on the TV in the background.

The best part is you can use any type of sports or athlete for this dress up party theme. 

 

Cowboy Party / Wild West Party

A Cowboy or Wild West party is a fun party theme for adults. Most people love the idea of a Western themed dress up party. It’s definitely a popular option.

Cowboy or Western dress up ideas include cowboy hats, leather boots, jeans/cowboy pants and plaid shirts. If you’re going for more of a saloon girl look, then wear dresses that are corseted at the waist and some nice high heels.

This dress up party theme includes a saloon, poker tables, whiskey bottles and other elements from the Wild West era. You can also have some wild western themed food to go with the theme!

 

Harry Potter Party

A Harry Potter party is a great, easy dress up theme idea for adults. It’s good if you’re big fans of the movies or books and want to have a fun dress up evening at home.

You should make some Butter Beer available – it’s a spiced alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) drink that can be served hot or cold. You can also have some Harry Potter themed food for your guests – try to make it as magical as you can!

A Harry Potter party dress up theme includes robes, wands, spells and magic potions. You can also decorate the house with a lot of candles and Hogwarts symbols if you want a fully immersive experience.

 

Golden Girls Party

A Golden Girls party is a great idea for a dress up themed event, especially for big fans of the TV show. It’s a fun dress up theme which will require some good quality costumes and accessories to pull it off!

You can decorate with lots of posters and stickers from the show, along with some bright colored flowers if you want to add a splash of color and don’t forget to serve cheesecake.

Find these amazing Golden Girls banner right here.

For a Golden Girls themed dress up party you should wear pink dresses with geometric patterns, along with pearls, big hair and fake nails. You could also wear some blue eye shadow, red lipstick and accessories such as glasses.

 

Golden Birthday Party

Find out when your special golden birthday is and exactly what it means. (Hint: it’s not a 50th birthday party!) Best of all, there are lots of ways to celebrate it as an adult…and have a gold party to celebrate you!

Dress Up Themes for Parties

There are heaps more adult dress up party ideas below. Read on for some more great themes for dress up parties for adults.

Star Trek Party

A Star Trek party is a fun dress up event for adults. It requires some good costumes and accessories to pull it off, along with some snacks that are out of this world!

Dress up party ideas include sparkling jumpsuits with pointed ears or plastic antennae. You could also have Starfleet emblem badges for people to wear, as well as plastic goggles and dark-colored sunglasses.

For a Star Trek themed dress up party, serve alien food such as jello shooters with green-colored liquids, candy sticks and popcorn. You can also have a Star Trek movie marathon before the event if your guests want to brush up on their knowledge of all things Star Trek!

 

Star Wars Party

A Star Wars party is a great theme for an adults dress up themed event. It requires a good costume and accessories to pull it off such as a green lightsaber, Jedi robes and Storm Trooper outfits. Other ideas include Princess Leia hair buns, Jedi belts and Star Wars logo printed t-shirts.

You can have a Star Wars themed dress up party by decorating with lots of colorful balloons, banners and glow sticks or flashing lightsabers. Serve some lightsaber pretzels to get your guests in the mood! Click here to see how to style an amazing Star Wars themed party.

 

 

Coachella Party

Coachella is an annual music and arts festival that happens in California. It’s a favorite among celebrities who attend the event each year, dressed to the nines in trendy clothes.

If you’re planning on having a Coachella themed dress up party, then there are some great ideas out there that you should try out!

Decorate with succulents and cacti and colorful pompoms and greenery backdrops. Succulents are perfect to have at Coachella themed parties because of their desert feel.

Coachella party dress up ideas include over-sized round sunglasses, hats made of braided straws or flowers, bandannas, bohemian dresses and fringed bags and glitter makeup.

Rockstar Party

A rockstar party is a fun dress up themed event for adults. It requires some good costumes and accessories to pull it off, along with music that people can dance or sing along to!

For a rock star dress up themed party, everyone can play along with some new names and personas of their own. You could have lots of fun with the photo booth or karaoke – don’t forget the big hair wigs and band t-shirts.

 

 

Game of Thrones Party

A Game of Thrones party is a great idea for adults. You can have lots of fun with dress up ideas such as painting your face white, wearing colored contacts and wrapping yourself in fur.

 

Dress up ideas include wearing big furry hats, crowns, armor around your waist and swords. You could also have a GOT themed menu including some medieval dishes such as chicken, veal and pork.

 

Zombie Apocalypse Party

A Zombie Apocalypse themed dress up party is great for adults. You can have lots of fun with zombie makeup and red-stained clothing. You could also serve some brain themed food such as spaghetti in a mold or Jell-O brains which you can decorate with pink, white and red icing.

 

Pool Party

A pool party dress up themed event is one of the best ideas for a summer themed party. You can have lots of fun with pool party games to get everyone interacting and having fun.

At pool parties you can wear colorful bikinis or board shorts with towels wrapped around you, sunglasses and hats.

You could also serve some light cocktails with umbrellas and beer and healthy fruit snacks such as watermelon, oranges and grapes.

Don’t miss these super fun pool party games for adults.

 

 

Casino Night Party

Casino Night is a great dress up themed idea for adults. Dress up in your favorite casino outfit or luxury designer dress – if you’re feeling brave, why not get dressed up as Lady Luck herself? Or you could ask your guests to wear either red or black.

Boho Party

A boho dress up party is a great theme for adults. You can have lots of fun decorating with lots of brightly colored rugs, patterned pillows and a disco ball!

You can decorate with lots of flowers and candles, along with some brightly colored cushions to sit on – perfect for a garden party.

 

 

Pirate Party

A pirate party is another fun dress up theme idea for adults. Pirate costumes include everything from full-on outfits to accessories such as hats, eye patches and bandannas. Or why not go full Captain Jack Sparrow.

 

Superhero Party

A superhero dress up themed party is a great idea for adults. Superhero costumes can range from the full-on outfit to just some superhero accessories, so everyone has something they can wear! Dress up as your favorite superhero for a super fun and memorable night.

 

Oscars Party

Roll out the red carpet for an Oscars party theme. Dress up as your favorite Oscar-winning celebrity or host. You could even have an award for best and worst dressed!

Wizard of Oz Party

A Wizard of Oz party is a great creative party theme idea for adults. For the perfect Wizard of Oz outfit you need to have some Dorothy, Toto and Scarecrow outfits! Don’t forget a yellow brick road mat for the perfect party decoration.

 

Disco Party

For a disco themed dress up party, you can get everyone dancing with some bright lights and music and a disco ball.

Dress up as your favorite disco star from the 70’s with afros, flares and bell-bottoms. Get on the dance floor and have a great time.

 

Gangster Party

For a gangster dress up themed party, you can have lots of fun dressing up as your favorite mobster. You could wear fedoras, pinstripes for a perfect gangster look.

 

Toga Party

A toga party is a great idea for adults. Dress up in sheets and you’re good to go! Don’t forget the gold leaf headband and the laurel wreath crown if you’re really going all out. Or check out these awesome costumes below.

 

Medieval Party

A medieval dress up party is a great idea for adults. You can have lots of fun dressing up as your favorite king or queen, or a knight or peasant. This party theme is also a fun way to explore the culture of the Middle Ages. You could have jousting tournaments, archery competitions and dancing around a bonfire.

 

Murder Mystery Party

A murder mystery party is a fun and immersive party theme that you can have at home or at a venue. Each guests takes on a role of a different character complete with costumes, props and even scripted dialogue in an attempt to solve a mysterious crime. As players investigate and interrogate suspects the plot will thicken leaving everyone guessing right up until the end.

Find some awesome selection of murder mystery party games right here.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Party

A Rocky Horror themed party is a great opportunity to dress up, act out and dance to some of the iconic music from the late 70’s. To get into full character, you can find inspiration in fishnet stockings, corsets, sequin tops and jackets with tails – all idea pieces to create your own unique Rocky Horror look.

Seven Deadly Sins Party

A seven deadly sins  party is a super fun dress up party theme for adults. The seven deadly sins include pride, envy, gluttony, wrath, lust, greed and sloth are all great sources of inspiration when it comes to finding the right outfit. With just a few simple items from your closet or the local thrift store you can create an impressive costume that will have everyone guessing what sin you embody.

We hope this article has given you some inspired party theme ideas for the best fancy dress theme party. Let us know in the comments if we have missed your favourites and we’ll add them in.

Don’t miss these other fun ideas for creative party themes for adults dress up.

Looking for some party favors for adults. Don’t miss this handy guide.

Needing some costumes for big guys? We’ve got the goods!

Dress up party themes for adults can be a great way to celebrate with friends and family. If you’re looking for the ultimate adult themed party, we’ve listed all the best ideas below:

We hope you have enjoyed this dress up theme party ideas for adults guide.

So, whether you’re looking for a last-minute idea or something to plan for next year, we hope this list of dress up party themes for adults has given you some inspiration. Be sure to pin it so you can come back to it later, and have fun planning your next get together!

Please pin or heart this page so you can find more dress up ideas for adults as we are always updating this page. We hope you love these fun dress up themes as much as we do.