Best Dress Up Party Themes For Adults 2023

Check out all these great ideas for dress up party themes for adults. Throwing an adult dress up party is a great way to be sure your party is a hit and your friends all have a good time.

Choosing a party theme lets guests get excited before the party. They are thinking of costume ideas and how they can make theirs the best. A costume party always creates a lot of fun and great memories.

I have gathered some fabulous creative theme party ideas for adults, so you will be able to find the perfect theme for your next all-adult party.

If you love to plan parties for your friends and family, be sure to visit Best Theme Parties For Adults, and The Best “Fun” Adult Birthday Party Ideas

Dress Up Party Themes

Dress-up parties are definitely not just for kids! Party dress up themes are for adults too. I have gathered some great ideas for adult dress-up-themed parties. Your friends and family will never forget what a great time they had at your dress-up themed party.

Now the fun part, scroll through these adult dress-up party themes and find one perfect for your next party. There are outfit theme ideas, party-themed menu ideas, themed prizes, and easy decorating ideas.

Characters: the unknown person because they are behind a mask.

Best Costume Prize: Certificate for most mysterious, pretties mask or funniest mask

This would be an easy party for guests to make costumes. Women could do simple white feather masks or purchase a pretty mask online.

Characters: Friends dressed up in traditional Mexican attire. Ladies can wear a Mexican fancy dress. Men can wear sombreros, serape, and paint on a big handlebar mustache.

Best Costume Prize: Sombrero, Serape (blanket), Mexican beer

Let’s have a Fiesta! Go to my Mexican Party Theme Ideas and Recipes. You will find everything you need to throw a great festive party easily. The best thing about this party theme is the delicious food that you can serve at this party.

• Shrimp Pico De Gallo 
• Festive Mexican Rice Salad
• Mexican Coleslaw
• Mexican Tomato Soup 
• Green Tomato Salsa Vede
• Spicy Pico De Gallo
• Nacho Casserole For A Crowd
• Vegan Nacho Cheese

Characters: flappers, gangsters, prohibition officers, Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel, George Gershwin, Georgia O’Keeffe, Bugsy Malone

Best Costume Prize: Chocolate cigar, pearl strands

The ’20s was all about sipping a martini, along with glitz and glamour. Decorate with gold, white and black—also, big white feathers, flapper dresses, and art deco. For party ideas visit, How to Throw a Roaring 20s Party: Ideas for Decor, Food, and Fun.

Characters: someone from Murder on the Orient Express, Poirot, Miss Marple, Death on the Nile, Sparkling Cyanide

Best Costume Prize: Spy glass, Agatha Christie book

This would be a good theme if you want to host a murder mystery dinner. Try some of these fun mystery party decorations.

If you are looking for funny party themes that might be a little shocking, then host a famous dead people party.

Characters: Anybody that is dead and famous

Best Costume Prize: Make certificates or give out award medals.

Have your guest dress up like someone famous that is dead. Make a game out of guessing who they are dressed like and be sure to award prizes.

Characters: Mrs. White, Mrs. Peacock,Professor Plum, Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlett, Reverend Green, Mr. Boddy

Best Costume Prize: Clue board game, rope, candlestick

This party would be fun to have a Clue game contest. Have several clue games set up, and the winners of each game go head to head in a final match. For more ideas, check out the Diva Girl Parties post, Clue Board Game Party. Be sure to pick up some of these Clue party decorations.

Characters: Greek goddess, Cesar, Nero, Greek mythology character, toga, Roman soldier

Best Costume Prize: Baklava, copy of The Odyssey, Greek olives or olive oil

Hosting a fabulous Greek Dinner Party will be easy; using these inspirational menu ideas, easy printable decorations, and even a printable fun Greek game, your guest will have a blast playing. Serve a Greek Wedge Salad or this delicious Greek Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

Costume party themes from time periods like the 70s are tons of fun!

Characters: The Bee Gees, Donna Summers, John Travolta, the Village People,  KC and the Sunshine Band

Best Costume Prize: Disco ball, greatest hits disco CD

Set up a dance floor and spin some great music from the disco era, and your guest will be dancing the night away. For more ideas visit, How to Throw a ’70s Disco-Themed Party (Decor, Costumes, and Food)

If you are trying to find fancy dress themes, then defiantly host a black and white party.

Characters: Guests dressed up in either all white or all black fancy outfits.

Best Costume Prize: Trophies for best dressed

This party theme is an excellent opportunity for your guest to get all dressed up for a New Year’s Eve party. For inexpensive fancy dresses, head to your local thrift store. For more ideas, visit Entertaining Deva’s post, Black and White Party Ideas.

Menu Ideas: Design a menu that has only white foods served on black dishes like this White Gouda Mac n Cheese, 5 Ingredient Crock Pot Potato Soup and these  Copycat Starbucks Madeleines.

Characters: Big spender, show girl, casino dealer, magician

Best Costume Prize: Deck of cards, roulette wheel, monopoly money

Start the party off as soon as the guest pulls up in your driveway. Have Las Vegas signs in your yard pointing to your front door. Set up casino game tables throughout your party and encourage guests to try their hands at each table. For more ideas visit, All In: How to Throw the Ultimate Casino Theme Party

Menu Ideas: Serve up some steaks with Whiskey Marinade and a Green Jacket Salad. For a cocktail, serve a Transfusion or an Infused Vodka Cocktail.

If dress up theme ideas about adventure is your jam, then grab your safari costumes.

Characters: Guest will dress like they are on safari

Best Costume Prize: Toy lion or Jeep

A fun theme to decorate and dress up for would be an African safari. Guest could dress like they are heading out for the safari. Use African animals, leopard prints, or other African Safari decor. ,

Menu Ideas: Hit the trail and serve some snacks that can be packed for on the go snacking. Fill bags with Unique Chex Mix Recipe, Pimento Cheese Crackers, Copycat Gardetto Honey-Mustard Pretzel Recipe, or Sweet & Spicy Roasted Cashews.

If you want costume themes that don’t require a lot of work then grab a crazy wig and come as you are.

Characters: Friends who love crazy hair

Best Costume Prize: Gold scissors, hair dye

Everyone wears a wig to the party. It could be a crazy look or seriously gorgeous. Decorate like you are stepping into a barbershop or beauty salon.

Menu Ideas: Serve some of these Easy Make-Ahead Tea Sandwiches. Prepare a variety of sandwiches and use a wig-shaped cookie cutter to create fun and quirky sandwich shapes.

Characters: Guest will dress in traditional Italian costumes.

Best Costume Prize: Bottle of Italian wine, Italian restaurant gift cards

Get the party started with traditional Italian decorations. Learn how to throw an easy Italian dinner party using authentic Italian recipes.

Menu Ideas: For dinner, serve Ragu Bolognese , Spaghetti Sauce With Fresh Tomatoes, Fresh Tomato Salad With Italian Herbs, and Italian Style Stuffed Peppers. Be sure and make my favorite, Italian Herb Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread too.

Characters: Gilligan, Professor, Giner, Mary Ann, Captain, the Howells

Best Costume Prize: Coconut, toy palm tree, life saver ring

This is a fun throwback party that would be fun to do in your backyard. Try some of these Gilligan Island Costumes.

Menu Ideas: For dinner, serve up some Island Clam Chowder and Lemon Butter Tolopia.

Characters: Guest can dress like their favorite movie stars

Best Costume Prize: Oscar trophy

Hang white glitter stars all over for a fun party decoration. Here are a few more Oscar party decoration ideas.

Characters: Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, George & Myrtle Wilson, Owl Eyes, Klipspringer

Best Costume Prize: Champagne bottle

A great choice for a dress-up themed party is to do it around a book like the Great Gatsby. Decorations should reflect an art deco feel with lots of gold and black. Ladies can dress up in a 1920s Gatsby Cocktail Sequin Art Deco Flapper Dress

Characters: Guest should dress in traditional Mardi Gra attire.

Best Costume Prize: Fun masks, colorful beaded necklace, booze

This is the party you can go all out with shiny decorations—great your guest with a big glittery sign that says Welcome to Mardi Gras. Or try some of these fun Mardi Gras decorations.

Characters: Andy, Opie, Aunt B or Golmer, Lucy, The Bunkers, Ed Sullivan, Cher, Andy Williams, Denis the Menace, Bever, Hazel, and on and on.

Best Costume Prize: TV Phone Holder 

This is a unique party theme. Have your guests dress up as their favorite old-time tv characters. Set the years the shows could be from.

Menu Ideas: Get the TV trays out and prepare a serve yourself a baked potato bar. Make these easy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes. Then create a Baked Potato Toppings Bar. Need a throwback dessert to serve? Try these Grasshopper Mint Parfaits.

Characters: 1960’s hippies

Best Costume Prize: Peace sign neckless

Bright tie-dye decorations, peace signs, smiley faces, and a Volkswagen bus are all great ways to decorate for a Hippie party. This party is all about hanging out and singing 60’s music. Peace man!

Menu Ideas: Set up a dessert bar for this party and serve items such as a buttery pound cake, Molasses Cookies, and of course, Brownies.

Groovy 60s Parties

Check out all these great Groovy 60s Party Themes. The 1960s has so many great retro party themes I had to make you a whole post about it. So many groovy ideas you are going to be sure and find one you will want to use for your next party.

Characters: Danny, Sandra Dee, Pink Ladies, or the ‘T’ Birds.

Best Costume Prize: Toy Thunderbird, hair grease

A Grease party is all about the 50’s decorations. Serve drive-in food and play the movie on a big screen in the backyard.

Menu Ideas: How about setting up a soda fountain serving these great Frosty Copycats and Cranberry Brownies with a scoop of ice cream on top?

Characters: Cleopatra, Mummy, Pharaoh, Gods and other Egyptian Costumes

Best Costume Prize: A toy pyramid

Egyption party decorations could be Egypt maps, large palm leaves or backdrops.

Menu Ideas: Serve a feast with the centerpiece being a crown roast with Maple BBQ Dry Rub. Head to the store with this list of 36 Exotic Fruits To Try. Purchase several and lay the feast before the king.

A pajama party is a great idea if you want to relax and enjoy spending time with friends.

Characters: Good friends that want to relax and chill.

Best Costume Prize: Pillows, eye masks or fuzzy socks

Ok, I must confess I am most relaxed when I’m in my pj’s. This would be a great movie night party. Have everyone wear their favorite comfy pj’s, and serve popcorn and candy for snacks. For fun, have everyone bring their own favorite pillow and blanket. Here are some fun Pajama party decorations.

Menu Ideas: Enjoy some snacks such as Maple Popcorn, Sweet and Spicy Cashews or Salted Maple Whiskey Carmales. And, since it’s just the girls, be sure to serve a Pink Cocktail!

Characters: Frank n Furter, Magenta, Columbia, Riff Raff, Brad, Janet, Dr. Scott, or Rocky.

Best Costume Prize: Rocky Horror prizes

Ok, this is probably for an older crowd who remembers this cult-like movie. It was so fun smuggling in all the paraphernalia to throw at the screen. Be sure to decorate with rice, confetti, newspapers, water pistols, candles or flashlights, toast, and party hats.

Menu Ideas: For snacks, don’t forget the hot dogs and prunes!

Characters: Toby Flenderson, Pam Halpert, Ryan Howard, Oscar Martinez, Andy Bernard, Angela Martin, Jim Halpert, Dwight Schrute, Jan Levinson, Michael Scott

Best Costume Prize: The Office Dwight Schrute Roar pillow

Have everyone choose their favorite character and dress up like them. If you need some party ideas visit Laura at EventOTB post, How to Host Your Michael Scott, Pro-Am, The Office Party .

Menu Ideas: Then whip up some of Kevin’s homemade chili. Just don’t spill it!

Characters: Any character your guest can find in onesie PJs

Best Costume Prize: Pillows, sleeping aid, blanket

Dressing up for this party is not for the faint at heart; it takes courage to walk out of your house in adult onesie pajamas. It’s easy to find some crazy ones at your local Walmart or other family clothing-type stores. You can also order onesie adult PJs online.

Menu Ideas: Make it easy on yourself and set up a snack food bar for your guests.

Characters: Aliens, Star Wars characters, Back to the Future, Star Trek, Avatar, or Men in Black

Best Costume Prize: Alien toys, space ship toys

Outer Space decor theme is a great option to set the stage for this party. Here are a few more Sci-Fi decorating ideas.

Menu Ideas: If you have a crowd for this party then be sure and check out my 60 Great Meatball Recipes to serve as party snack ideas.

Characters: Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion, Scarecrow, Wicked Witch, Glynda, Toto, Wizard

Best Costume Prize: Red sparkly slippers

Buy a roll of yellow paper and have your guest enter on the yellow brick road—more Wizard of Oz party supplies.

Characters: Alexander the Great, Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Julius Caesar, Virgil, and Paul.

Best Costume Prize: A Greek leaf crown headpiece.

Grabe a bed sheet and wrap up a toga for this fun and slightly crazy party theme. This party is centered around the old Greek and Roman lifestyle. For decorations go with classic gold and white. For activities, play some Greek games.

Menu Ideas: Hosting a fabulous Greek dinner party will be easy when you use this inspirational menu idea, easy printable decorations, and even a fun printable Greek game. Your guests will have a blast playing.

Characters: James Bond, Axel Freed, Mikey Rosa, Ramond “Rain Man” Sam “Ace Rothstein.

Best Costume Prize: Gold deck of cards

Put a twist on your Casino party by having everyone come as their favorite character from a gamblers movie. Of course, you are going to set up some fun gambling tables, but you could also have dinner and a movie. Watch The Gambler, 21, Rain Man, Casino, and Rounders.

Characters: Madonna, Michael Jackson, Tome Cruise, Boy George, Ronald Ragan, Princess Diana, or Prince.

Best Costume Prize: 1980s retro box of candy

The 80s were all about being bold. The dress code is neon, hot pink leg warmers, and shoulder pads. Have everyone dress up as their favorite famous celebrity in the 1980s.

Characters: Jack Nicholes, Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Sam Snead, Tom Watson

Best Costume Prize:: Bobblehead Golfer Trophy or tickets to the Masters.(just kidding)

Have guests dress up as their favorite golfers. For dinner and a movie party, watch Utopia, Bobby Jones, The Greatest Game Ever Played, and of course, don’t forget Caddyshack.

Food Ideas: Your guest will be impressed when you serve up authentic Masters concession stand recipes.

Masters Concession Stand Copycat Recipes

• Masters Pimento Cheese Sandwich Recipe
• Masters Chicken Salad Sandwich
• Famous Masters Egg Salad Sandwiches Recipe
• Peach Ice Cream Sandwich
• Secret Masters Stand 12 Drink Recipe

Famous Augusta, GA Recipes

• Green Jacket Salad Recipe
• Transfusion Cocktail
• Arnold Palmer Drink
• Azalea Cocktail