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Hen do fancy dress can be a tricky one, while for some it is just a brilliantly fun way to get dressed up and share a few laughs, for others it is an instant turn off and a bit of a worry. But there really is nothing to fear, done well and organised with panache there are some hen-tastic hen party fancy dress ideas.

Get Alphabetised

O is for Organised. With a bit of organisation and planning ahead you can ask all the hens to think of a costume set around the bride-to-be's first initial. Not only does this keep the focus on the guest of honour but also it gives the hens a lot more leeway with their hen party fancy dress ideas as they'll have so much to choose from; Paula could be Puppy, Pussycat, Purple, Pink Panther, Pants, etc. Unless her name is 'Zita' in which case be prepared for a number of zips, Zorros and zebras.

Job Lot

If the bride-to-be has an interesting or unusual job then you can once again make her the centre of your plans and have everyone dress in a suitable style. Teachers could find their hens all dressed as school girls. Any job involving a uniform can be fun, armed services, nurses, etc. Researchers or IT wizards could see everyone looking suitably brainy and boffin-like. Hairdressers can enjoy the sight of all their hens coming resplendent in curlers or foils. Once again it's a great place to let your imaginations run wild and let all the girls bring their own hen do fancy dress ideas to the fore.

Interesting

Does the nearly-wed have a passion for a particular movie, TV show, book or hobby? If so you can pick up on her interests and let that inspire the hen do fancy dress theme.
If your special guest star loves "I'm a Celeb..." then you could ask all the girls to wear suitable jungle garb or create T-shirts for everyone that represent those worn by the celebs themselves on the show. Or perhaps she has a (not-so) secret passion for Made In Chelsea in which case you could ask all the girls to come as 'posh totty'.
For fans of definitive film franchises or novels such as Harry Potter or Twilight then there is plenty of food for fancy dress thought to be found in their characters.
Perhaps there is an obvious hobby horse you can pluck inspiration from such as all wearing riding gear if she has always been an keen rider.
Alternatively she might be an avid gamer in which case characters from well known computer games might be a fitting ideas (fitting... fancy dress... get it? - tumbleweeds).

Name Game

Perhaps the big day will see the bride take on a new name that you can have some fun with; Carpenter, Archer, Walker, Bakers, Butler, Miller, Hunter, Cook, Constable, Fisher, Knight, Sergeant, the list is endless and for some it really is all in the name when is comes to looking for the perfect hen party fancy dress idea.

Mark the Date

Alternatively the bride's date of birth could so the seed for fancy dress ideas. If she has an interesting birth date such as the 4th of July, St Valentines Day, Christmas, St Patrick's Day, etc. Alternatively the decade could be influential with an 80's or 90's spin on things.

The Classics

Then of course there are the classics. Some hen party fancy dress ideas never seem to get old as they are easy for all the girls to find something suitable from their existing wardrobe without too much of a need for shopping (but hey, whose complaining about having to go clothes shopping?!?), or they are themes that can be found fairly easily in fancy dress shops.

50's/Grease
60's
70's
80's
90's

G.I. Janes
Movie Characters
Movie Stars
Music Heroes
Superheroes

Steampunk
TV Shows
School Girls
Onesies

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A Word to the Wise...

One thing always worth taking into consideration is that not every venue will allow fancy dress, some bars, restaurants and clubs will only allow fancy dress on certain night or won't allow it at all. Also onesies can sometimes bring down the barriers as they are banned completely from many establishments and no amount of flattery or puppy dog eyes will make the doorman/manager bend who is just doing their job and possibly not responsible for creating the rules but merely upholding them.

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