Fancy Dress. Try saying it out loud. Now, you’ll want to add an exclamation point. “Fancy Dress!” There – you just spoke the cutest two word expression you will ever hear in the English language. And it gets even cuter: when you hear it in England and consequently, when you hear it in a British accent.
What is Fancy Dress exactly? Basically, the American equivalent of wearing a costume – sort of. The biggest difference between American costumes (which we usually save for Halloween) and Fancy Dress in England is that Fancy Dress is:
A. better than our costumes
B. usually more outrageous, and
C. worn with more regularity to parties and even clubs.
Think what you wore to the Grand on Halloween – now show two times more skin, and go order a sit-down beer in Froggy’s (well, some other place like it that’s not flooded).
Back in Northfield, Minnesota, daring drunks wear cowboy hats, boots, and short skirts (or the occasional guy wears short-shorts) to Western-themed Legion dances. In Lancaster, England, nurses, cops, Scots in kilts, dairy-maids, superheroes, and all manner of animals take to the streets (most popularly in cow suits), and Alice-in-Wonderland themed groups of friends or Smurf-themed pals have a drink and a dance. From what I can see, British students are beating us in this arena, and they’re having much more fun.
The nice thing about Fancy Dress is that it’s not always all-out and crazy. Fancy Dressers can take it simple too, with wigs, fake eyelashes and crazy-colored tights for the ladies and funky suspenders or cool hats for the guys. While I do think that we Oles have simple Fancy Dress down – ugly-Norwegian/Christmas sweater parties definitely count – I think we need to get better at the more elaborate Fancy Dress, which is more of the norm in England.
Don’t get me wrong, I will always appreciate the simplicity of a Jersey Dance at the Eagle – throw on a jersey, fix your mascara, and you’re good! However, Fancy Dress is so much more exciting! But I have a sad little secret: I haven’t tried it yet! Lucky for me, next week I’ll be attending a “Nerd” Fancy Dress party.
Just today while in town, I picked up a pair of over-sized sun-glasses, punched out the lenses, and added white tape to the middle. Still, here in England, glasses are NOT enough to complete a Fancy Dress ensemble – it’s time to take things to the next level. For me, it’s time to get fancy! (and nerdy!) Oles, want to join?
*Lucy Casale ’13 is studying at Lancaster University in Lancaster, England for second semester.