Costume parties: questions and Band 8 answers

Yes, absolutely, though I don't go very often. I really enjoy the creative side of putting an outfit together, and it tends to break the ice quite quickly at social gatherings. The last one I went to was a themed birthday party where everyone dressed up as retro detective characters.

It's not an everyday occurrence, to be fair, but people certainly make an effort during specific festivals like Halloween or local carnival parades. You'll usually see university students and young children getting dressed up in fancy dress, whilst older generations tend to stick to more casual clothes.

I usually lean towards something relatively simple and comfortable rather than elaborate outfits. I'm not a fan of heavy masks or complicated makeup, so I often go for iconic film characters where I just need a tailored jacket, dark sunglasses, or a vintage hat.

All the time, actually. My primary school used to host annual charity days where we had to wear home-made outfits representing storybook figures. My mum was brilliant at sewing, so she once stitched a fantastic pirate costume out of old curtains and scrap fabric.

I think that would be great fun, provided I have enough spare time to plan it properly. I'd probably choose a specific historical era, like the nineteen-twenties, and encourage my friends to go all out with vintage clothing, jazz music, and classic decorations.