Event tourism in Russia is just beginning to develop. It is difficult for the events held in our country to compete in scope and popularity with their foreign counterparts, such as the Brazilian Carnival or Oktoberfest. However, Russians, as they say, are also no strangers and can surprise foreigners with something no less bright, and at the same time original. Especially many festivals in Russia are held in the summer-autumn period, when the weather allows extensive outdoor festivities to take place. It is worth noting the most interesting events with an abundance of beautiful costumes and decorations.
Festival "Theater Yard"
Tula has long been famous not only for its samovars, gingerbreads, blacksmiths and gunsmiths, but also for its nugget talents from various fields of creativity. Every year they are brought together by the unique “Theater Yard” festival, which is held on the 20th of July. In addition, guests from all over the country come to the city to demonstrate their skills in acrobatics, stagecraft, orchestral and circus arts. And the apotheosis of the festival is a grandiose carnival, in which everyone can take part. The event lasts a whole week, and during this time more than 120 thousand people manage to attend it.
Pushkin Festival
We remember that Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was and remains the greatest Russian poet. But we forget that he lived in a very interesting era - in the 19th century, which is associated with a noble culture that has sunk into oblivion. But it is precisely this aspect that has received close attention from the organizers of the unique Pushkin Festival, which takes place in the Mikhailovskoye estate in the Pskov region in early June. This is one of the oldest events of this profile in our country - it has been held since 1967. It includes literary readings, concerts, exhibitions and costume balls in the noble style. The festival audience numbers more than 20 thousand people.
By country[edit]
Australia[edit]
Australian masquerade parties generally follow the style of the United States, and Halloween costume parties have been common since the early 1990s, although Halloween has not historically been a celebrated event in Australia. Typical events for Australians that involve cross-dressing are the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the staff Christmas party and cricket matches.
One of the oldest examples of fancy dress worn in Australia is on display at the Western Australian Museum. This was a children's fancy dress costume worn by nine-year-old Rita Lloyd to the Lord Mayor's Junior Fancy Dress Ball at Mansion House in Perth on 8 January 1909.
Iraq[edit]
It is traditional to have costume parties at graduations. [1]
United Kingdom [edit]
Nineteenth century[edit]
Manchester Masquerade Ball 1828, painting by Arthur Perigal
The origins of masquerade parties in the United Kingdom can in some ways be traced back to the masked balls of the 18th century. In the period before 1850, masquerade balls were a typical part of the social life of music festivals. [2]
Common costumes of the period included specific historical characters, common historical or regional clothing, abstract concepts (such as "winter", "starlight" or "night") and objects (such as a "champagne bottle" or "aquarium"). Popular characters for women include Marie Antoinette and Elizabeth I, and for men, Napoleon and Robin Hood. [3]
Twentieth century[edit]
Notable among the early events of the 20th century was the Chelsea Arts Club Ball. Such events were often elaborate and largely limited to those with significant means. [4]
Among the general population, costume parties also occurred with increasing frequency from the late 1940s, although for the most part the costumes were simple until the mid-1970s. Before the importation of "cheap" suits from the Far East and East Asia (late 1990s), most suits were made either for hire or at home. In relation to the UK, suits purchased at retail are largely a modern phenomenon (from the late 1990s onwards), although 'accessories' have been available for some time. Since the increase in imports in the late 1990s, many materials/products have been imported from the Far East (with savings in labor costs and bulk orders). This has led to prices for purchased suits becoming more and more affordable.
Along with the current costume party trend, "retro" fashion as a costume theme (such as fancy dress from the 1970s or 1980s) is also popular, with the costumes parodying or copying fashion from previous decades to some extent. Some of the most popular costumes parodied include: Audrey Hepburn (as Holly Golightly), Madonna in her classic stage outfits, and, most recently, Lady Gaga.
Dress parties are popular in the UK all year round. In the novel "Bridget Jones's Diary"
1996 introduces the theme of the classic British costume party "Pies and Vicars", in which women wear sexually suggestive ("pie") costumes and men dress as Anglican priests ("vicars"). Costume parties were hosted by the British royal family. Prince William, heir to the British throne, celebrated his 21st birthday with an "Out of Africa" theme, Princess Beatrice of York chose an 1888 themed party for her 18th birthday, and Lord Frederick ("Freddie") Windsor and his sister Lady Gabriella Windsor, celebrated a joint birthday party with a pre-French Revolution court theme. [5]
United States[edit]
Contestants line up for the "best costume" contest at a Halloween party in the United States.
Nineteenth century[edit]
In late 19th century New York, costume parties were popular among the wealthy. The costumes were typical of the historical European aristocracy. Authenticity was important, even when using actual period elements. For example, Cornelia Bradley-Martin attended her party, the notorious Bradley-Martin Ball, dressed as Marie Antoinette, with jewelry that actually belonged to Antoinette herself. The choice of aristocratic costume allowed wealthy Americans with a relatively limited family history to embrace some elements of history and legitimacy. [6]
Twentieth century[edit]
Costume parties are especially popular in the United States during Halloween, when teenagers and adults who may be considered too old for trick-or-treating attend costume parties instead. Costume parties are also popular during the carnival season, such as Mardi Gras.
Visitors sometimes dress in costume at popular science fiction and fantasy events, movie premieres, and book releases. Theonering.net hosted a Lord of the Rings party at
Oscar for Dress, attended by Peter Jackson.
Star Wars
parties were held to celebrate the opening of
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
.
Many bookstores held Harry Potter
to celebrate the release of later novels in the series, and some movie theaters had Potter-themed celebrations when the film adaptations were released.
Larger scale "parties" are often associated with organized societies or conventions. [7]
Festival "Borodin Day"
At the beginning of September, a military-historical event is held in the Moscow region, which gives everyone the opportunity to travel back to 1812. As part of the festival, a reconstruction of the battle between the Russian army and Napoleon's troops takes place, in which thousands of soldiers and officers in meticulously recreated uniforms of that era take part on each side. Anyone who watches this action from the outside may think that he is seeing with his own eyes animated paintings from the Tretyakov Gallery or frames from a historical film. The finale of the festival is a grand costume parade of all participants.
How to create an interesting look for a carnival or costume party
Carnival is a holiday with which no other can compare in brightness, color and fun.
There is no place for boredom, melancholy or sadness. Therefore, it is so important to choose an image that will be interesting, memorable and even extravagant. Today's carnivals have little in common with their predecessors. Today's costumes for the holiday, although they can be traditional, are at the same time modern.
Creating an image: what to consider?
When developing an image, there are several important points to consider.
First, decide on your budget and preparation time . If there is less than a week before the holiday, look for something to rent in specialized stores. In the case when time and money allow your soul to unfold, you can sew something really cool to order in the atelier.
Secondly, pay attention to the specifics of the carnival itself . What is he like? Maybe it's a New Year's party, or maybe a themed costume party. Only adults or children will be present. These features are very important: after all, they determine how frank an image you can try on and how appropriate it will be within the given topic.
Thirdly, take into account the audience the carnival will be held among : colleagues, friends, relatives or complete strangers. Your image will directly depend on your environment.
Fourthly, decide for yourself whether you want to be at the carnival incognito or completely openly. If you prefer the first option, then it is better to take care of a carnival mask in advance, which can hide either half or the entire face.
The most popular carnival costume options
There are a huge number of them, so sometimes it’s quite difficult to decide. You can choose one of the proposed options or create your own unique image.
All carnival guises can be combined into the following groups:
- Pirates and robbers;
- Mystical characters;
- Animals, birds and insects;
- Fairy tale characters;
- National costumes;
- Professional suits;
- Medieval costumes of ladies and gentlemen, queens and kings;
- Christmas costumes;
- Super heroes;
- Images of cinema and books.
A pirate look for those who like to misbehave
The pirate image is considered a classic. It is great for both men and women. At the same time, you don’t have to worry that someone else at the holiday will become a corsair: there are many options, it’s unlikely that you will look like one. And if two Jack Sparrows do meet, let the guests decide who is more like Johnny Depp.
When creating this image, everything is important: hairstyle, accessories, makeup, clothes, shoes. It must be thought out to the smallest detail to achieve maximum effect. So, in order to cover your head, you can use a cocked hat with feathers, a hat with a brim, or a regular black bandana with a skull image. Although, in principle, you can do without a headdress at all by doing an appropriate hairstyle or wearing a wig. Dreadlocks with feathers or coins woven into them will look quite unusual.
Good makeup will highlight the image. But if you don't like painting your face, you can use an eye patch or a false beard.
A bright scarf or scarf with uneven edges will look good on your neck. And for cute pirates, decorations made of volcanic stone, coins, and nautical-themed pendants are perfect. Large round earrings in the form of rings will also harmonize well with them, although earrings with feathers will also fit well.
High boots look great on the feet of both girls and boys. You can show up barefoot at the beach carnival. Girls, if desired, can also wear fishnet stockings - they will look like a glamorous pirate!
As for clothing, the fairer sex can choose between a dress and a blouse with a skirt. Both options can be of different lengths, colors and cuts. But in any case, a corset will be a mandatory element. Pants will work here too. They can be loose or tight-fitting, flared downwards.
Men can wear loose shirts, camisoles, raincoats, or they can wear nothing at all except pirate pants. A muscular, athletic body is not the best pirate costume. But, still, you can’t do without a belt. You can choose a textile option in a bright color, or you can give preference to a wide leather belt with a beautiful figured buckle.
Also see photos of costumes from a real pirate party on a yacht.
If a lot of sea robbers gather, the carnival risks turning into a pirate party.
An original image for lovers of the supernatural
Quite popular at carnivals and parties are images of all kinds of otherworldly and mythical creatures: vampires, werewolves, mummies, angels, demons, kikimoras, mermaids, goblin, Koshchei the Immortal, genies, ghosts and other representatives of this world. Perhaps the most interesting and extravagant are vampires. There is even a separate party dedicated to them - a vampire party.
When creating an exclusive image of a bloodsucker, television always comes to the rescue. After all, this is where you can find a huge number of similar characters that will inspire you to create your own. Here you can turn to both the classic image of Dracula and the modern one - from “Twilight” or “The Vampire Diaries”. But no matter what you decide on, one accessory will be a must. These are, of course, vampire fangs. You can order them in an online store, purchase them at a specialty store, or make them yourself.
The importance of suitable makeup should also not be underestimated: after all, a lively blush on the cheeks can completely ruin the impression. Therefore, it is advisable to apply a thin layer of white powder to the skin of the face, and use a black pencil to shade the eyebrows and eyes. Such a contrast will add morbidity or even lifelessness to the face. An optional, but still interesting touch can be a drawn trickle of red blood neatly flowing from the corner of colorless lips.
There are no special rules when it comes to clothing—you can experiment here. Here are some tips for classic outfits.
For a men's suit:
- Black raincoat of any length with red lining. The edges can be smooth or torn, as desired.
- The stand-up collar also looks very impressive. The higher it is, the more interesting it looks.
- The neck can be decorated with a frill or a Celtic cross.
- The shirt should be elegantly cut silk.
- As an option, you can use a burgundy or red vest.
- Trousers are traditionally chosen in black.
For women's suit:
- As in men's, black dominates here with contrasting inserts of scarlet, red or burgundy.
- The style of the dress is traditionally Gothic, but this is not necessary: an outfit in any style and any style is suitable.
- Long gloves, a corset or a wide belt will highlight the look.
- As accessories, it would be appropriate to use jewelry with red stones or with images of a bat.
- The use of black lace and leather in the outfit is encouraged.
- Bright lipstick will help make the image of a vampire chic or even fatal, but the main thing is not to overdo it.
Heroic image for carnival
Television these days is replete with a huge variety of films and TV series where superheroes are the main characters. Of course, this was the reason that the images of Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and Iron Man began to gain popularity at carnivals.
Superman is a case where you don't need to put in a lot of effort to create a great, bright appearance. It is suitable for both boys and girls - a universal suit for any party, unless it is held on a specific theme.
The main color scheme of the suit is blue and red. The outfit is a tight-fitting blue jumpsuit, decorated with a bright emblem in the form of a diamond with a large letter “S” in the middle. The outfit is completed with a bright red cloak and heroic “pants”. The yellow belt quite successfully dilutes all these rich colors. Of course, the women's costume is somewhat different from the men's, at least in the fact that instead of “pants” they wear a red short skirt.
Red high boots complete the look, but you can do without them. The mask, again, is optional.
See the awesome Superman costume from the party dedicated to the heroes of the films here.
Crowned carnival image
There are a small number of men who have not tried on the image of a king in their dreams at least once in their lives. Therefore, during any carnival it will look especially bright and attractive. And as the New Year showed, in a nightclub my friend – the “king” – caught the envious glances of others.
The transformation will not require much effort, and the resulting appearance of the monarch will greatly please you.
For a men's suit, you will need a fairly spacious white shirt with long sleeves. It is desirable that it be slouchy. It will definitely need to be decorated with beautiful lace cuffs and a shirtfront. There are no strict rules for choosing the color of trousers, but a dark color (black or brown) is more welcome. They can be long or short – somewhere up to the middle of the calves. If you opted for the second option, then don’t forget about white knee socks and elegant shoes with exquisite buckles. Long trousers will allow you to limit yourself to regular shoes or high boots.
The trousers must be in perfect harmony in color with the mantle-cape, which can fall all the way to the ground, or can only reach the middle of the thighs. And, of course, what is a king without a crown. It can be massive, and quite neat, and thin, and wide. It can be placed directly on the head, or maybe on top of a wide-brimmed hat with feathers or a matching wig. Those who want to demonstrate the image of a serious monarch - wear the crown straight, and if you are a rake king, then the crown can be placed on one side.
What other highlights you want to add to your look is your business, but don’t forget WHO YOU ARE and behave accordingly.
Indian image for carnival
When talking about a carnival costume, very bright and unusual outfits immediately come to mind. And what could be brighter than an Indian costume? It is full of colors, and therefore immediately catches the eye. In addition, the outfit is very comfortable and will not cause any discomfort.
Special makeup is applied to the face (white, red, brown stripes), and the head is decorated with a headdress made of bird feathers. You can get by with a thin leather headband with one feather, but it won’t look as impressive. A pair of artificial black braids flowing down will also complement the look.
Among accessories, it is worth giving preference to jewelry that imitates amulets made from animal fangs and bird feathers. Leather bracelets embroidered with beads will also look great.
All clothing should be beige, brown and gray in shades of suede-like material. A men's suit will include a loose-fitting shirt, fringed trousers, a fabric or leather belt and a bright poncho.
The women's version includes a loose knee-length dress and pants similar to modern leggings. Such an outfit should be densely embroidered with beautiful patterns made of beads.
You should put on the familiar moccasins on your feet, pick up a bow and arrow or a tomahawk, and go to the carnival.
An interesting image is not just a suit
There are many looks that look great at carnivals and costume parties. But a beautiful outfit and a chic hairstyle are not yet an interesting image, but only its shell. Whatever one may say, the image will be complete only when your manners and words match the chosen costume. One is impossible without the other. Therefore, look for the role that you can get used to as much as possible.
Festival "Shield and Sword"
The chamber event, held in the Oryol region, on the territory of the multifunctional tourist complex "GRINN", is also dedicated to medieval realities. It takes place annually at the end of August and is combined with an agricultural goods fair, which the organizers skillfully style as an ancient market. Guests of the festival can see reconstructions of warriors’ fights in military gear, attend a real knight’s tournament, try their hand at archery, master classes on making household items, taste medieval cuisine, etc.
Fan costumes[edit]
The craze for fan costumes and modern cosplay developed largely out of the World Science Fiction Conventions (Worldcons), starting with the first one in New York in 1939, when two exhibitors, Forrest J. Ackerman and Myrtle R. Douglas, dressed in "futuristic" suits." [8] Beginning with the 2nd World Science Fiction Convention (1940) in Chicago, masquerade balls have been a traditional feature of the convention. [8]
Agreements[edit]
Fan conventions, often abbreviated "con" or various descriptions, followed the example of Worldcons, with many participants wearing costumes representing fictional characters. Some conventions have costume contests and other scheduled costume events. Several notable conventions that use costumes include San Diego Comic-Con International, New York Comic Con, and Dragon Con Atlanta.
Cosplay[edit]
Cosplay (a mixture of "costume" and "game" through the Japanese kosupure (コスプレ)) was created by Nobuyuki Takahashi in a report on the 42nd World Science Fiction Convention for the Japanese magazine My Anime
. [9] [10] It is a performance art in which participants, called cosplayers, don costumes, wigs, and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplay is popular at conventions around the world. An example of a major cosplay convention in the United States is the Anime Expo, held annually in Los Angeles, California. [1]
Festival “Zolotarevskoye fortified settlement - the crossroads of civilizations”
A bright and original festival of traditional Russian culture takes place in the last days of August in the Penza region, on the territory of the urban village of Zolotarevka. There is a unique archaeological site here - an ancient settlement, around which all the festive events are built. Guests are shown costumed performances with the participation of real Russian heroes and knights, performances of medieval theater, and funny skits on folklore themes. Also, those gathered for the festival will have to take part in an exciting quest, folk entertainment, such as tug of war and round dance, etc.
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