Not everyone wants to dress up: how to still include everyone
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
Half of your guests won't come in costume. With an accessory table at the door, one clear item, and a different invitation, almost everyone will still participate.
You organize a themed party, send out the invitations, and on the night itself, half of the guests arrive in regular clothes. Not out of unwillingness: one didn't have time, another finds dressing up uncomfortable, and a third didn't know what "eighties" was supposed to represent. The result is a room divided into two — the dressed-up group and the rest — and that's exactly what you didn't want.
You don't solve that problem with a stricter dress code, but with a lower threshold. Here's how to do it: with a few loose accessories, a table by the door, and an invitation that asks less than you think.
Why people don't dress up
There are only a few reasons, and they are all practically solvable:
Too much hassle. A complete costume costs money, time, and a fitting. For one evening, many people find that too much.
Too much attention. Anyone who feels uncomfortable in a costume doesn't want to be the only one in a jumpsuit.
Unclear theme. "Something with glitter" or "chic" leaves too much room, so no one does anything.
Transport and work. People coming directly from work or by bike almost always opt for regular clothes.
All four disappear if participating takes two seconds and requires nothing from what you're already wearing.
The accessory table by the door
The simplest intervention: place a table or tray next to the cloakroom with enough loose items for everyone who arrives empty-handed. Count on one item per guest plus a margin of about a quarter, because something always breaks or goes home with someone.
With five types, you're set. More choice doesn't lead to higher participation, but to a messier table.
One accessory that carries the theme
If you do have a clear theme, choose one item that tells the story all by itself and buy it in bulk. Guests then only have to put on that one thing and are immediately part of the narrative.
If you want something with more impact for those who do want to go further, the Bunny Mask in 5 colors (€ 19.95), the Luxury Black Bunny Mask (€ 12.00), and the 3-piece Role Play Cat Set (€ 12.95) are available. This naturally creates two levels at your party: everyone participates, and those who want to can stand out.
What to put in the invitation
The wording does more than you think. Three things that work:
Mention a color or one object, not a costume. "Come in black" or "something on your head" convinces almost everyone. "Dress up as your favorite movie character" scares off half.
Promise a table by the door. One sentence — "if you don't have anything, pick something up from the table upon entry" — takes away the pressure to arrange something beforehand.
Indicate where the line is. If guests know that no one will come in full regalia, they dare to do something themselves. So, it's better to say "keep it small" than nothing.
If you ask your guests to bring something, keep it to one thing and make sure it's available everywhere. Anything that requires a special order won't happen.
Make it visible that people are participating
People participate when they see others participating. Therefore, make sure the first guests already have something on and that the space sets the tone. This doesn't have to be expensive: LED Balloons, 5 pieces cost € 2.95 and are immediately visible in the evening, and with barrier tape with funny text of 25 meters (€ 2.95) you mark a corner or a photo spot without hassle. For a spooky evening, a spider web with 6 spiders (€ 9.95) does the same job.
A photo booth also helps. Anyone who wants to be in the picture will still put on a mask. Place a few extra items there — Neon Gloves in 4 colors (€ 5.95), Leopard Print Suspenders (€ 9.95) or party buttons, 6 pieces (€ 4.95) — and you have both decoration and dress-up material in one corner.
Calculate it out
For twenty guests, you'll end up with twenty-five loose items. With leis at € 2.95, moustaches from a € 5.00 set, and a few masks from € 5.00 to € 5.95, you'll be around € 60 to € 75 — about € 3 per guest. That's less than what one bottle of wine costs, and it determines what the evening looks like in every photo taken that night.
What's left over, don't throw it away. Masks, gloves, and wristbands go straight into a box for the next occasion; only self-adhesive moustaches and leis are truly single-use.
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