Of all the holidays of the year, Halloween is quite unique. While most other holidays and special occasions are just great excuses to have a party or two, get your friends and family together and have the fun of your lives on that particular day, Halloween takes a step higher (or lower) by getting you to look your worst. So What's the Masquerade About? Halloween is the only time of the year when...

When most people think of fancy dress, they imagine big costume parties, full of people having a mighty good time without a care in the world. Many people think of Christmas and New Year, and all the festivities that are included. Some even remember the good times they had as a child trick or treating at Halloween, dressing up as witches, vampires and ghosts. The simple fact remains that dressing up in costumes is a great tradition and boils down to having a whole lot of fun! In Britain, fancy dress was borne out of the masked costume parties of the 18th century, where high society types would get together and have a good time in their country mansions. However it was the ever innovative Victorians that really brought out the real meaning of fancy dress at their parties, with...