Book Week 2012

Book Week is the longest running children’s festival in Australia. The whole of Australia celebrated its 65^th Birthday in 2010. This year Book week will be running from Saturday the 18^th to Friday the 24^th of August. Many schools and public libraries from all over Australia spend this week celebrating books as well as Australian authors and illustrators every year. Teachers and librarians Australia wide develop activities, offer competitions and tell stories that all relate to a theme.

The theme for 2012 is … Champions Read…

Dr Seuss, Beatrix Potter and E.B White are just three of the many influential children books authors of all time. They have delighted both parents and their children for generations.

Dr Seuss’ books have been popular for an extended period of time. It is his crazy rhymes and the creative illustrations that draw the children in and ensures that they enjoy the books. The two most popular out of all of his amazing books are Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. The book Cat in the Hat has helped many children learn how to read. There are many characters that you can be from this exciting book. This of course includes Cat in the Hat, Thing 1 and Thing 2, Sally and Conrad.

Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Peter Rabbit is a story which follows Peter as he adventures into Mr McGregor’s garden against his mother’s will. In this time Peter loses his jacket and Mr McGregor uses it for a scarecrow. This then prompts the sequel The Tale of Benjamin Bunny. So you can dress up as Peter Rabbit by wearing some ears as well as a little blue jacket.

E.B White’s Charlotte’s Web is a very popular book that has been made into a cartoon movie as well as a real live one starring Dakota Fanning. This follows the story of Charlotte and her friend pig Wilbur as he journeys to becoming a famous and champion pig. The characters that you can dress up as include Wilbur the pig by wearing a pig set, Charlotte the spider and Fern.

Although these three authors have been on the best-selling lists for generations, it was in the 1990s when the amazing tale of Harry Potter written by none other than J.K. Rowling that stole the hearts of many children and adults. The first book of the series Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone sold over 107 million copies worldwide. There are many characters that you can dress up as but the most popular would be Harry Potter himself, Hermione, Ron, Voldemort and Death Eaters.

The Adventures of Tin Tin is a series of comic books which was created by Belgian artist Remi Geoges who wrote under the name of Herge. This is one of Europe’s most popular comics of the 20^th Century with translations in more than 50 languages. It has just recently been made into a movie. Characters that you can dress as for book week include Tin Tin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus and Thomson and Thompson.

The Truth About Verity Sparks is a book written by Australian author Susan Green. Verity is a 13 year old orphan working as a milliner in London. But she is no ordinary girl. She has an almost perfect memory and possesses the talent of Teleagtivism. She uses her talents to help solve crimes. It is “an adventure/mystery novel with a dash of the supernatural thrown in”. So you can easily dress up as Verity Sparks.

 Roald Dahl is another one of those authors whose books will live on forever after his passing. His most popular book being The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory series has been made into 2 movies both with different adaptations of his creative candy makers and inventions in them. There are a variety of characters that you can dress up as from this book. This includes Charlie Bucket, Willy Wonka, Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Veruca Salt, Mike Teevee, and last but not least the Oompaloompas.

Where the Wild Things Are is a classic story written by Maurice Sendak. It follows the character Max who is a disobedient little boy who is sent to bed without his supper. It is then that he created his own world; a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler. Boys can dress up as Max by wearing a onsie and having a gold crown and staff.

Madeline is a children’s book series written by Ludwig Bemelmans. The story takes place in a Catholic boarding school in Paris. Contrary to popular belief, the girls are not orphans as their parents are mentioned in later sequels. The most famous line to come out of this series would be “That’s all there is; there isn’t any more.” This is uttered as the closing line. Girls can dress up as Madeline and her many friends from boarding school and the boys can dress up as Pepito the Spanish Ambassador’s son.

Pippi Longstocking is a Fictional character in a series of children’s books by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Pippi is unconventional, assertive and has superhuman strength. She frequently mocks and dupes adults she encounters, an attitude likely to appeal to younger readers. So all girls need to dress like her is her signature orange plaits sticking out your head.

Wonder Woman

Wonder woman radiates contagious love, addictive peace and not to forget sensual sexiness that every woman would love to be attributed with. The super heroine came at a time when the world in general required sexual equality with the comic world portraying a patriarchal chain of thought since most of the heroes at that time were all men. It is against this backdrop that wonder woman costumes are created.

A woman wearing a wonder woman costume definitely wants to be attributed to power, peace and sexiness. The costume has a lot of deviations with some spotting a skirt and other staying true to the classic wonder woman costume of a bikini bottom. The costumes are however consistent in colour which is usually blue for the skirt or bikini bottom, red for tube top or spaghetti top and a red cap. The outfit is usually completed with knee high red boots with a single line stripe at the front. The sexy super heroine costume is finally topped off with a golden tiara or crown worn on the head.

 Wonder Woman Justice League Womens Costume

The wonder woman costume is definitely meant for a woman who wants to radiate power and is definitely not shy about her sexuality. Versions of the costume are available for girls and are less sexy with emphasis lying more on feminine power. All of these varying wonder woman outfits are available from Costumes Direct.

Anime - Wonder Woman Adult Costume

Mardi Gras Fun!

Summer is certainly the festival season, with parties, concerts and events and running wild in the summer heat! With the Mardi Gras slowly creeping up into season, why not get in early to purchase your outfits for the big day?

The Mardi Gras season for Australia happens once a year in Sydney and has already been a long re-occuring event that attracts global visitors. The term 'Mardi Gras' derives from french word 'Fat Tuesday' which refers to a previous night of enjoying luxious, vibrant and rich foods while in good company. This has evolved into a global phenomenon which symbolises the fluorescent, lively and diverse society that we all reside in.

The Mardi Gras season enfolds a range of different activities and celebrations that both parade folk and the general public can enjoy. The bright and bold clothing theme also extents to the millions of guests attracted each year. Attendees can enjoy a variety of different parades in which the gay and lesbian community can express their beliefs and views in public society without hesitation.

Not to mention the mountain of celebrities that are attracted to the event, with this year our own Kylie Minouge set to ride a giant float down parade central.

But this event isn't just to only draw attention to the gay and lesbian community's vibrant lifestyles but envoke a sense of acceptance within the community and essentially obtain more rights for their cause.

ABBA 1970s Disco Mens Costume

Barbarian Mens Costume

Black and White Spot Morphsuits

Cowboy - Ride Em High Cowboy Costume

Bollywood Belly Dancer Bra and Panty Set

Angel Womens Costume

Burlesque / Showgirl / Macau Womens Costume

Can-Can 5 Piece Womens Costume

1980's Costumes!

The 1980s was filled with a cultural and economic revolution. The first space shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 is considered to be the most momentous event of the 1980s; In 1985, the Live Aid concert was held in order to fund relief efforts for the famine in Ethiopia; Ukraine and much of the world is filled with radioactive debris from the 1986 Chernobyl disaster; The Iran-Iraq War leads to over one million dead and $1 trillion spent.

The new music scene exploded in this era, with metal bands such as Metallica, Iron Maiden and Megadeath becoming the most dominant bands of the era. Madonna and Michael Jackson led the way for pop music, paving the way for future music stars through MTV, with other huge stars such as Cyndi Lauper, Billy Idol and Kiss remembered not only for their music, but for their fashion. For the men, this decade is littered with mullets, mohawks, piercings, tattoos, leather jackets and more. Women can wear fluoro coloured tulle and petticoat skirts, fishnet stockings, lots of beads and jewellery, and fluffed up hair.

70's Rocker / Kiss Mens Costume

80's Diva Womens Costume

80's Diva Womens Costumes

Demon Deluxe Adult Costume - From Kiss

Michael Jackson / Adam Ant Adult Deluxe Mens Costume Black

MC Hammer Old School Rapper Mens Costume

1970s Costumes!

Do you have a 1970s party coming up? Need a 1970s costume? Costume Direct stocks a huge variety of 1970's costumes!

The social progressive values started in the sixties developed into the 1970s, with a move into the environmentalist movement. The feminism movement, anti-war movement and civil rights movement continued into the seventies decade. The early 70s saw the rise of soft/ pop rock music with recording artists such as Elton John and Fleetwood Mac. The Godfather, Saturday Night Fever and Star Wars were huge movies of the 70s, still widely acclaimed today. Clothing styles during the 1970s were influenced by outfits seen in popular music groups and Hollywood films.

Clothing styles during the 1970s were influenced by outfits seen in popular music groups and Hollywood films. Much of the 1970s fashion styles were influenced by the hippie movement of the 1960s. Significant fashion trends of the 1970s began with a continuation of the mini skirts, bell bottoms and psychedelic dresses from the late 1960s, was soon sharply characterized by several distinct fashion trends that have left an indelible image of the decade commemorated in popular culture. These include platform shoes, worn by both men and women. Wide-legged, flared trousers were another fashion mainstay for both sexes throughout most of the decade, and this style has been immortalized in the 1977 film, 'Saturday Night Fever'. The "disco look", complete with three-piece suits for men, which the film further popularized, lasted until it was gradually replaced by punk fashion. Hot pants were a fashion craze for young girls and women in the early 1970s. Sideburns and beards came back into style for men, as well as the large, round Afro. Women's hairstyles went from long and straight in the first half of the decade to the feathery cut of Farrah Fawcett.

Hippie Print Leg Avenue Womens Costumes

1970's Disco Queen Costume

Dancing Queen 70's Womens Costume

Whether you have a 1970's party, 70s fancy dress up, decade party or just a fancy dress up party, you'll have plenty of choice with Costume Direct's 1970's costumes!

Wizard of Oz Costumes

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!"

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film based on the popular L. Frank Baum stories, about a teenage girl, Dorothy, who lives in Kansas with her aunt and uncle. Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado's path and somehow end up in the land of Oz. Things in Oz are strange and beautiful, but Dorothy is desperate to get back home. In Oz, Dorothy is told to follow the yellow brick road to the emerald city to see the Wizard of Oz who can help her get home. Along the way, she meets a myriad of colorful characters such as the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, the Scare Crow and the Wicked Witch of the West. Her film follows the journey of Dorothy and her friends to meet the wizard, who everyone says can help her return home and possibly grant her new friends their goals of a brain, heart and courage. Dorothy is helped by the Good Witch of the North, but she's also in trouble with the Wicked Witch of the West, who seeks revenge for the death of her sister, for which she blames Dorothy.

Dorothy Wizard of Oz Womens Costumes

Dorothy Wizard of Oz Leg Avenue Womens Costume

Dorothy Wizard of Oz Womens Costume

Dorothy Wizard of OZ Plus Size Womens Costume

Dorothy - Deluxe Wizard of Oz Girls Costume

The film received large positive reviews, won two Academy Awards and was nominated for Best Picture of the Year. The song, "Over the Rainbow" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the film itself received several Academy Award nominations. Telecasts of The Wizard of Oz began in 1956, re-introducing the film to the public and eventually becoming an annual tradition, making it one of the most famous films ever made. The film was named the most-watched motion picture in history, is often ranked among the Top 10 Best Movies of All-Time, and is the source of many memorable quotes referenced in modern popular culture. As such a famous movie, the characters of the film are easily recognizable and make for a great costume!

Tin Man Wizard of Oz Mens Costumes

Scarecrow Wizard of Oz Mens Costumes

Cowardly Lion Wizard of Oz Mens Costumes

Dorothy can be recognized by her brown hair, classic blue dress with capped sleeves, white apron and iconic sparkly red shoes. The Dorothy costume is a popular character to dress up as, as her outfit is simple and can be customized to be worn for women of all ages. Whether you want to wear the more classic longer Dorothy dress, or change it up to be worn shorter, you'll be easily recognized as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz!

Dorothy's Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers

Dorothy Wizard of Oz Wig

Dorothy- Toto in a Basket