Carnevale Costumes
First off, let's make sure we're on the same page. Carnival, Karneval/Fasching, and Mardi Gras are the same festival but celebrated differently depending on your location. If you're in Germany or Austria, you're celebrating Fasching, a subset of the Karneval season. In Spain, many parts of Europe, the Caribbean, or most famously, Brazil, it's Carnival. And in good ol' New Orleans, it's Mardi Gras.
All of these holidays represent the last weeks before Lent, a Catholic observation of fasting that lasts for six weeks. In fact, Mardi Gras translates to "Fat Tuesday" since it's the last Tuesday before Ash Wednesday when the fasting starts. While people in less jovial places than New Orleans might celebrate this holiday by wearing beads and eating pancakes for dinner, others around the world turn the event into a weeks-long holiday.
Are you preparing to celebrate Mardi Gras in all its glory? Do it right, and you'll have memories that last a lifetime! Wherever you're celebrating this holiday, costumes are always involved. Mardi Gras means sparkles, beads, feathers, and fun. And if all those elements are in the Mardi Gras colors of gold, green, and purple (standing for power, faith, and justice), then you'll look like a natural!
Are you looking for a traditional look that you might find in a parade or ceremony? The Mardi Gras King costume is a great place to start! The tradition of the King started in 1872. Each year, one person is selected by the Krewe of Rex to rule over the celebration. We won't judge you if you crown yourself instead of putting yourself in the running. Seems like a whole lot of pressure to us!
While it's actually illegal to wear a mask any time other than Mardi Gras in New Orleans, we have it on good authority that you can get away with it in the weeks before, in the spirit of the holiday! Our fancy masks are just the thing to make you feel like you're at a modern masked ball! Wear the feathered, ribboned Mardi Gras mask, and you're sure to catch plenty of beads to wear around your neck!
Of course, you don't have to go the masked route when you're heading to the Carnival, Karneval, or Mardi Gras streets. Clowns are a very popular celebratory choice! Part disguise and all mischief, clowns capture the spirit of the event just right. We realize that they're out of favor, but if clowns don't fit in at a parade, we just aren't sure what's becoming of the world!
Are you ready to imbibe on the intoxicating fervor of Carnevale? Now that you've learned a little bit about this holiday, we hope you're open to diving in. You can choose to use some of these looks and combine them with costumes from the rest of our site or simply throw a mask on with something fabulous, get out there, and celebrate. There's never been a show like Mardi Gras!
