Children love dressing up and with fancy dress parties becoming more popular, the pressure is on to get even more innovative with the outfits. When selecting the fancy dress outfit, you need to be creative to help your child to stand out from the crowd. Don't panic if you're not sure what outfit to get next, though. No matter what the occasion, there's an outfit to match - here are some top tips...

Birthday

Fancy dress birthday parties can be great fun! For this, it's great to dress your child up as their favourite celebrity singer. Whether they love Britney or Beyonce, your daughter will look great in big hair and some bling. Dressing up as their favourite star will also give them an excuse to put on some make-up. Let them try your lipstick and eye shadow for the day. Plus, if the party needs some entertainment, at least Britney or Beyonce will be there to sing a song!

Christmas

It might be predictable, but dressing your child as Santa Claus at Christmas is a great idea! They can dress up in the white beard and fat suit; carrying with them a sack that contains gifts and treats. If your child doesn't want to dress in the full gear, then you can buy them a red and white outfit. This sticks with the general theme and will help them look festive regardless.

Dressing as one of the wise men or a shepherd is also a great choice. It will require a cane and they can get into character by going barefoot - only if the party's inside, though.

Sadly, some Christmas parties won't require any fancy dress costumes - but you can still buy some fancy dress accessories to liven up an outfit. Reindeer ears are always a hit, as is the old favourite - tinsel. Wrapped around a kid's wrists or ponytail, this can add some real pizazz to an outfit.

Halloween

Kids love dressing up at any time of the year, but Halloween is an extra-special day. Not only do they get treats at the end of the night, but they also get a chance to dress up; scaring their friends, family and neighbours. They can become a witch, a vampire, a ghost or a zombie; entering a fantasy world.

Dressing up on Halloween doesn't always have to involve a really scary outfit though. They can also dress up as a character from their favourite book or movie. A great idea is to go as Harry Potter. Buy some fancy dress accessories - including the cape and the wand - then use makeup to recreate the famous lightening-shaped scar that Harry Potter has.

The above are fancy dress ideas, but you also need to consider the following when selecting outfits and accessories. Choosing an outfit isn't just about how your child looks - it's also about how comfortable they will be in the fancy dress gear. In order to ensure comfort, make sure it fits well. It doesn't have to be a perfect fit but it does have to keep them safe. Try to avoid getting a costume that drags on the ground and make sure the costume/accessories aren't too tight around the neck.

Author Byline:

A2Z Kids aims to provide the most comprehensive range of children’s fancy dress and accessories available in the UK online market-place. Birthdays and other special occasions return year after year but each time it becomes increasingly difficult to come up with new and original ideas. So we've come up with our best party ideas and articles to give you a little inspiration.