What to Wear to a New Orleans Theme Party

New Orleans knows how to throw a party for Mardi Gras. Opulence and outlandishness run rampant at this famous New Orleans festival, so don't go for subtlety when deciding what you're going to wear for the party. Feel free to take a walk on your wild side and go all out with your costume.

While costumes of any color combination are welcome at a festive Mardi Gras party, purple, green and gold are the traditional colors. The color scheme was selected in 1872; purple represents justice, green is for faith and gold is for power. You'll even see this bold color combo sprinkled on the celebratory King cakes.

When pulling together your costume for the New Orleans theme party, include the traditional colors if possible. Any costume will do. Try a sexy belly dancer all decked in purple, green and gold. Other popular costume ideas include a playful jester, a Renaissance-style outfit and a can-can dancer.

If the New Orleans theme party you're attending is not a costume party, then just pull out regular clothes in the purple, gold or green color scheme.

Whether you're wearing a costume or not, a masquerade mask is a must for any New Orleans theme party. Costume shops and online stores will have many varieties to choose from, including basic eye cover masks, shapes such as butterflies and heavily adorned masks with sequins and feather plumes. While a mask with an elastic strap is always an option, you also can choose a mask on a stick. These elegant masks allow you to easily put the mask to your face and remove it as you wish.

You can even design your own unique masquerade mask. Just choose a basic mask from a costume store. Then, armed with glitter, feathers, sequins and craft glue, make your own one-of-a-kind design.

Mardi Gras beads first showed up on the parade route in the 1920s. For parade-goers, the beads are a highly sought-after prize. And contrary to what some people might think, you don't have to expose parts of your body to score beads.

Odds are your party hosts will have beads for guests. But to make sure your outfit is in keeping with Mardi Gras, start the night out with some beads already included. It also would be fun to bring your own beads to pass out to other party guests.