fancy dress

American  

noun

1. a costume for a ball, masquerade, etc., chosen to please the fancy, usually a costume characteristic of a particular period or place, class of persons, or historical or fictitious character.

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fancy dress British  

noun

1. 1. costume worn at masquerades, etc, usually representing a particular role, historical figure, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a fancy-dress ball

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Etymology

Origin of fancy dress

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

A masquerade without masks is merely fancy dress with an open bar.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

The inaugural event was designed for club runners but evolved to include everyone from elite entrants to those in weird and wonderful fancy dress, raising money for charity.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

New Year's Day is traditionally the day when brave swimmers don their fancy dress for the Loony Dook - a hangover-clearing dip in the bracing waters of the Firth of Forth.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

She added parents faced "absolutely huge" financial pressures, and did not want to have "the only child that isn't going to prom, or hasn't got the fancy dress outfit, or the new football boots."

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2025

Soon there would be no trace left of the fancy dress ball at Manderley.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

Related Words

• apparel
• regalia