Bachelor Party Costumes: Funny Stag & Hen Do Fancy Dress Ideas

A good costume puts the guest of honour centre stage and gets the whole group laughing. Classic comedy or over the top, shop-bought or homemade: here are fancy dress ideas for women, men and whole themed groups, plus an honest look at what matters at the door and for comfort. If you’re still torn between a shirt, accessories and a costume, our outfit overview helps you decide.

Costumes by theme

A shared theme turns individual costumes into a proper entrance. The crew dress to the theme and the guest of honour gets the special role. These ideas almost always work:

1. 70s disco: loud colours, glitter and afro wigs for everyone, with the guest of honour as disco king or disco queen.
2. Superheroes: the crew as sidekicks, the groom as “Captain Bachelor” with cape and mask.
3. Pirates: a ragtag pirate crew around their captain.
4. Baywatch beach: red and white swimwear, with the guest of honour carrying a rescue buoy.
5. Wild West saloon: hats and boots for everyone, plus a sheriff or a saloon girl.
6. Rock stars: everyone as their musical idol, the guest of honour as the star of the night.
7. Enchanted forest: a group of fairy-tale characters with a king or queen in the middle.
8. Jurassic party: dinosaur costumes for the crew, a T-Rex as the main attraction.
9. Hippie love: flowery 70s outfits and one especially colourful flower-power piece.
10. Spaceship crew: everyone as crew members, the guest of honour as captain.

Our guide to bachelorette party themes has more themes with matching decorations and slogans.

Costume ideas for women

At a bachelorette party, playful and glamorous themes are especially popular. A selection that works well in a group:

1. Fairies and unicorns: wings or a unicorn look for everyone, plus a special tiara for the bride.
2. 80s aerobics: neon leggings, headbands and crop tops, Jane Fonda style.
3. 50s pin-up: petticoats, polka dots and red lips, with the bride as Sandy from Grease.
4. Fairy-tale princesses: everyone as their favourite princess, the bride as the queen.
5. Superheroines: Wonder Woman, Supergirl and friends, with the bride as the ultimate heroine.
6. ABBA or Spice Girls: glitter and 90s girl power for everyone, and the music comes with the theme.

Costume ideas for men

On a stag do, clear and slightly silly themes go down best. These reliably work:

1. Baywatch lifeguards: red swim shorts for everyone, the groom with a rescue buoy.
2. Sailors and captain: ideal for a stag do by the water, with the groom as captain.
3. Romans and gladiators: togas for the lads, with Caesar in the middle.
4. Cowboys: hats, bandanas and waistcoats, with the groom as sheriff.
5. Football team: shirts of your favourite club, the groom wearing the captain’s armband.
6. Star Wars: everyone as their favourite character, the groom as Darth Vader or a Jedi.

You’ll find more ideas specifically for the lads in our guide to bachelor party ideas.

Outrageous costumes that stand out

If the guest of honour can laugh at themselves, the wackier options are fair game too. These are guaranteed to get laughs:

1. Baby in a romper: a grown adult in a nappy, with a dummy and romper suit.
2. Inflatable suit: a dinosaur, sumo wrestler or unicorn to blow up.
3. Tutu or sparkly dress: a man in a pink ballet tutu turns every head.
4. Gorilla or banana costume: the classic that never fails.
5. Cow or chicken: animal costumes stand out and cost little.

What still matters: people should be laughing with the person, not at them. Whatever you’ve cleared with them in advance goes down best.

Making your own costume

DIY is cheaper, more personal and already part of the celebration. A few basics go a long way:

• Superhero logo in fabric paint or iron-on vinyl on a coloured T-shirt, plus a cape made from a piece of fabric.
• Animal costume from a hoodie with sewn-on ears; for a lion, a felt mane on the hood.
• Rocker look from old jeans and a shirt with studs, patches and a wild wig.
• Pirate outfit from a ripped shirt, a bandana, an eyepatch and a fake beard.

When making it, use sturdy materials and attach the parts securely, or the costume won’t survive the night. If you’re designing on the computer anyway, our roundup of stag and hen do apps has suitable tools.

What to watch out for with costumes

Three things decide whether a costume survives the day. Getting in: not every venue lets in groups in fancy dress, so check the dress code in advance and pack a change of clothes. Comfort: you’ll often be wearing it for many hours, so avoid costumes that restrict you or make you overheat, and always wear comfortable shoes. Weather: heat turns thick costumes into torture and rain ruins delicate fabrics, so plan according to the season.

Alternatives to a costume

Not every group wants to dress up, and that’s absolutely fine. A printed group shirt gives you a matching look without anyone wearing a full-body costume. If you want even less, go for accessories such as hats, sashes or novelty glasses. And sometimes no fancy dress at all is the best choice, in which case the budget goes into the activities. If you don’t want to put the schedule together yourselves, our itinerary generator builds you a complete day from real venues.