Stag dos have become increasingly more elaborate over recent years. No longer is a night out in the local pub with your friends sufficient – the 21st century stag do is more likely to mean a weekend somewhere overseas instead.
Having a costume theme for your stag do is guaranteed to attract attention and make it a trip to remember.
But what is the perfect costume for a party which could include people from several generations?
Remember the Practicalities When Choosing Fancy Dress!
Probably the most crucial piece of advice when choosing a theme for your stag do is to keep one eye on the practicalities. Full-length superhero costumes might look amazing, but are they really the most appropriate choice for an August weekend in Ibiza?
Similarly, if you’re heading to eastern Europe in the winter, short and skimpy could potentially result in hypothermia.
Choose something comfortable, as you’re going to want to wear your costumes for hours on end. Remember also that it's always best to steer away from anything which could cause offence unless you want to round off your stag do with a night in the police cells.
Get Into Uniform for Your Stag Do
Uniform fancy dress suits all ages and is certainly more comfortable than some of the weirder outfits on the market. Although most countries have laws against impersonating a police officer, paramedic or fireman, nobody’s going to think that a dozen people all dressed the same are actual officers.
However, make sure to stay on the right side of the law by opting for another type of uniform, such as a pilot, priest or perhaps even a doctor.
For stag dos in warmer locations, what about a lifeguard (complete with lifeguard's inflatable board, just in case you hit somebody on the head with it during the frivolities) or how about a pirate instead?
Accessories rather than Full Fancy Dress
If you’re on a budget and trying to keep costs down, a good option is to decide on a basic dress code such as jeans and a black t-shirt, and use accessories rather than full outfits.
Another reason you might want to keep it low key is so that those who are not as keen on full fancy dress costume for the stag do feel as though they are still part of the occasion.
Hats are the obvious choice, as long as you choose something which isn’t going to get squashed in your hand luggage.
Mexican sombreros, Chinese brocade caps, crowns, witches hats – the choice is endless. You could also add a Mexican poncho too to really make your gang stand out from the crowd.
Get a slightly larger or more elaborate version of the hat you’ve chosen for the stag.
Alternatively, choose a complete outfit for the stag, and get everyone else a hat which ties in with his costume.
Go All Out
For those who want to go all out and have all attendees wearing something to truly remember, Disco Man is always a popular choice, or really anything which hits the notes of the 80s and 70s.
There's also the ever popular Groovy Dancer outfit.
Weird and Wacky Fancy Dress Outfits?
It’s tempting to let your imagination run wild when choosing fancy dress for a stag do, and take the opportunity to select the most outrageous outfit you can find for the stag.
If you’re still single and planning on getting married at some point too is this really wise?
Your choices could come back to haunt you in the future when it’s your turn to get hitched.
If you choose a fun costume which isn’t going to embarrass the stag, hopefully he’ll return the favour. Colourful and wacky is fine, but there’s a fine line between that and embarrassing.