Buy once, wear thrice: dress-up accessories that last all autumn
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
5 min reading time
Halloween, November 11 (the start of the carnival season), and the carnival season itself are all close together. These hats, masks, glasses, and wigs work for multiple themes — and here's what to look for when choosing them.
A complete costume can easily cost twenty to fifty euros and then hang in a bag in the attic for a year. Nevertheless, within a few months, there are at least three occasions when you need something: October 31st, November 11th when the carnival season opens, and the carnival party itself in the spring. In between, there's usually a theme party, a staff evening, or a birthday with a dress code.
Those who look at these occasions separately buy three different sets. Those who consider them together buy a handful of accessories once that can be used differently each time. This article is about the latter: which components can be reused, and what to look for when buying them.
What makes an accessory reusable?
Three things determine whether something will be used more often.
It fits one size. A hat, glasses, or mask fits almost everyone. Clothing does not. Anything you share with a group or want to use again in a few years should preferably be bought in a universal size.
It's not too specific. A cap, a wig, or a neutral mask suits multiple characters. An accessory with a year, a name, or a brand on it is only good for one evening.
It survives storage. Felt, plastic, and sturdy textiles come out fine after a year in a box. Paper, thin foam, and anything that can be crushed do not.
A fourth point that is often forgotten: how quickly you can put it on and take it off. On an evening when you're also wearing a coat, getting coffee, and going outside, an accessory that you can take off in two seconds will always beat a construction with straps and makeup.
Headwear: the fastest theme change
With the same black T-shirt and a different cap, you're in a different theme. That's the cheapest trick there is. Caps and hats are also almost always one size, and they take up little space if you stack them inside each other.
A mask changes your appearance more strongly than any item of clothing, and neutral models can be used for many themes. A black Venetian mask (€ 5.95) fits a masquerade ball, Halloween, and a chic dress code. Animal masks are more versatile than they seem: the rabbit mask in white or black (€ 14.95) and the version in 5 colors (€ 19.95) appear at theme parties, photo booths, and scary evenings.
When it comes to masks, pay attention to two practical things: visibility and warmth. A mask that obstructs your side vision is inconvenient outside in the dark, and a closed mask gets warm indoors after an hour. For long evenings, prefer something that leaves the lower part of your face free, or have an alternative that you can quickly take off.
A wig is the item people most often regret, usually because it's too warm or too thin. Look at the fit of the cap and whether the style stays upright. A Mohawk wig (€ 4.95) naturally holds its shape and suits punk, an eighties party, and carnival. A rainbow curly wig (€ 12.95) is fuller and works well for a clown theme or a color party.
Store hats stacked with crumpled paper inside to maintain their shape, and hang wigs loosely instead of flattening them. Masks go into a box face up, not under a stack. Put everything you use in one evening together in one box labeled with the occasion, so you don't have to search through the entire closet in November.
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