Help me dress to conform!!

April 17, 2007 3:39 AM

Fancy Dress advice needed. I need to dress to conform!

I am going to a fancy dress party in a couple of weeks. The theme is Dress to Conform (basically stereotypes - think Mexican in Poncho and sombrero, Think Tory MP with suit, women’s underwear and a brown paper envelope of money...... etc)

What shall I go as?

The party is with a pretty mixed crowd, I would say above average intelligence, mainly female, mainly gay, and mainly fabulous.

I am of the female variety.

Any ideas would be fabulous!

posted by informity to sports, hobbies, & recreation (22 comments total)

Perhaps a little risky, but... Do you have short hair? How about some dungarees and some big 80s red-framed glasses, underarm wigs etc.?
posted by handee at 4:09 AM on April 17, 2007

Teenage Goth. Red or purple streaks in your hair (you can get colored extensions to pin in here and there), skeleton-print gloves, red or black corset-y top, bondage pants or a black skirt with a tulle petticoat sticking out, striped stockings, and those awful boots with the big soles and the bits of metal all over. Don't forget a few Nightmare Before Christmas-themed accessories (a 'Jack' hoodie works well) and a coffin-shaped handbag.
In fact, dressing as any teenage subculture could work well. Look Here for inspiration. Or just head to the local McDonald's and observe some Chavs and Chavettes in their natural habitat. They seem to dress pretty uniformly.
posted by Wroksie at 4:57 AM on April 17, 2007

Go as yourself. Call it "self-conformation". Or maybe "trendsetting".
posted by DU at 5:38 AM on April 17, 2007

My link was supposed to go here. Sorry!
posted by Wroksie at 5:50 AM on April 17, 2007

gay and fabulous? conformity? and you're female?

50's housewife, my dear! donna reed all the way! you could glam it up by emulating julianne moore in far from heaven. here's a google search of pix.
posted by thinkingwoman at 5:57 AM on April 17, 2007 [2 favorites]

Dress as someone dressing as a 50's housewife.
posted by DU at 6:12 AM on April 17, 2007

gay and fabulous? conformity? and you're female?
Go as a drag queen.
posted by FreezBoy at 6:30 AM on April 17, 2007

American Tourist (which is funny because that's a beast that's easily identifiable in the wild) Binoculars, very very white sneakers, for a woman, a pale blue button up short sleeve shirt, money hider flapping out of your shirt collar, maybe some bright pink capri pants.

or

Teenage American Girl makeup, talk about your leg wax, your fake tan, stuff that bra, maybe a wig or an updo, photo of your boyfriend, some gum to crack, and super high heels with a tiny skirt.
posted by bilabial at 6:37 AM on April 17, 2007

Ok, maybe not such a tiny skirt, how about big poufy bridesmaid/ prom dress?
posted by bilabial at 6:43 AM on April 17, 2007

If all else fails, khakis, white t-shirt, with a barcode design.
posted by mrbugsentry at 7:05 AM on April 17, 2007

Wal-mart employee! Starbucks employee!
posted by mendel at 7:37 AM on April 17, 2007

I love this language. 'Cuz in America, "fancy dress" means to dress formally... and I'm thinking up all of this advice for you and then I see the more inside & remember "Riiiight. Fancy dress costume party!"

I agree about the housewife idea, although I just don't know what the trends are in your area. I love the Far From Heaven look linked above. Around here though, moms tend to look more like this. Mom jeans are everywhere. "I'm not a woman anymore... I'm a mom!"
posted by miss lynnster at 7:49 AM on April 17, 2007

UPS driver in shorts. Go all polyester as an old man w/ high waisted pants & white shoes or old woman with blue or pink hair, big glasses, big purse. Get all hiphop & gangsta with megabling. Or Heavy Metal. Once you have a theme, google will give you many fine images to use. Sounds like a lot of fun.
posted by theora55 at 7:53 AM on April 17, 2007

I like the 50's housewife idea. Naughty Schoolgirl (a la Britney Spears) is another typical outfit that could be lots of fun.
posted by junkbox at 8:18 AM on April 17, 2007

Oh honey, who but the queen of conformity? Khakis, denim shirt, short blond wig... Martha Stewart.
posted by Help, I can't stop talking! at 10:26 AM on April 17, 2007

Ghetto thug wannabe. Wear an oversized pair of men's boxer shorts pulled up to your chest, with a huge pair of jeans down around your hips. A sports jersey or hooded sweatshirt and a backwards baseball cap, and you're good to go.
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:55 AM on April 17, 2007

Leather daddy.
posted by infinitewindow at 1:25 PM on April 17, 2007

Teenage American Girl makeup, talk about your leg wax, your fake tan, stuff that bra, maybe a wig or an updo, photo of your boyfriend, some gum to crack, and super high heels with a tiny skirt.

You could take this same costume and go as a WAG. Just don't forget your Cricket bag!
posted by triggerfinger at 2:02 PM on April 17, 2007

I think most westerners would see Japan as very conformist, so what about a Geisha?

Alternatively you could have a fancy dress and a pun in one, by conforming to the Norm
posted by Jakey at 2:48 PM on April 17, 2007

Make sure of the theme. There's an hilarious essay in Last month's Vanity Fair which describes ex-pat Brits going to a "fancy dress" party!
posted by Neiltupper at 5:57 PM on April 17, 2007

tuxedo.
posted by ilsa at 9:38 PM on April 17, 2007

Thank you for all your ideas.

Love 50's housewife....... going to buy an appropriate dress and some rollers this afternoon!
posted by informity at 6:45 AM on April 18, 2007