Not only did people flock to the normal locations like Trafalgar Square etc to see in the New Year in fancy dress, but quite a few weird and wonderful costume events took place for charity. One that really caught our eye New Year’s Day Loch Lomond ski. Yes, waterskiing across Loch Lomond in 1 January in fancy dress. The water was icy cold and costumes included Banana Man and the professional water skier Tom Scott who took to the water in nothing but a kilt … brave lad!

And if that sounds too specialist, how about the families who undertook three laps of Hampton Park Green in Salisbury in memory of Harvey Warren who died when he was just nine weeks old. The fancy dress wheelbarrow race is now in its third year and raises funds for charities relating to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. While most competitors were husband/wife or parent/child combos, one cute competitor was a little boy in Spiderman pyjamas with a toy wheelbarrow … all together now, awwww…

If you’re going to compete in fancy dress, we have some tips for you!

How to choose a fancy dress for a sporting event

1. Decide if you want to win or win applause - it’s difficult to do both! If you’re competitive then superhero costumes can be a good choice because they allow you full range of movement and aren’t too heavy or prone to over-heating.
2. Practise the necessary movements - whether you’re a giant cockroach or an Avenger, your costume is likely to change the way you move and may even impede your view. Our Shark Bite costume, for example, is a real crowd pleaser but to be able to run in it effectively you’d need to spend a bit of time practising with the fancy dress outfit to ensure that you knew where the blind spots were … that should definitely get you a lot of attention as you pound the streets in your neighbourhood!
3. Consider team costumes for maximum impact - if you’re raising money for a good cause, team costumes can generate a lot of crowd donations so make sure all your team members have a donation tin or bucket.