If like me you love dressing up, then this is the shop for you…read more Pretty new to Bristol and with some heavy competition in the shape of Christmas Steps Costume and Chaplin's this place is doing just fine. Not only do they buy in some crazy costumes but they also have the knowledge and capabilities to knock them out on site. Some of my favourites are the traditional Clown suit and the Alien from Outer Space. Prices vary depending on what you want with most trousers for £10, a suit for £25 and their most expensive - £130 for a full Roman Centurion dress-up (the actual one worn outside the Coliseum!) Give them a ring or pop in, and I'm sure they can get your party going with a bang.

For flamboyant, funny or fantastical fancy dress costumes, this is your place. From Action Heroes…read moreto Wizard of Oz characters, they can help you. Not only does this shop sell ready-made costumes, but they even make stuff to order at very reasonable prices, so even if your party theme is completely off-the-wall you should be able to get kitted out here. The staff couldn't be more helpful, and seem genuinely into the whole costume thing - without making you feel under pressure to buy if you're not sure. For between £10-20 you can buy some of the simpler ready-made costumes, while for bespoke designs you're obviously going to pay quite a bit more.

Fantastic little vintage store tucked behind Whiteladies Road on Cotham Hill. I always thought this…read morewas just a fancy dress shop and indeed you can hire many of the items inside as well as purchasing a wide range of accessories from Indian headdresses to bumble bee antenna. There is a good range of make up too which matches the reasonable prices of the dress-up accessories. What I particularly like about this store is the vintage clothing. Catering for both men and women, there is a good range of 50s through to 80s stock in good condition and at reasonable prices - dresses are around £15. I particularly liked the bargain bin in front of the counter where everything was £5. There were a few dresses, a handbag and some retro men's shirts - all of which I had to dig around for but that's half the fun isn't it? Although I came away empty handed I would definitely come back here for a vintage or fancy dress fix.

This is a great fancy dress shop. It's really fun and colourful and a really lovely shop. They make…read moreyou feel welcome and are extremely helpful. Unlike some fancy dress shops all the costumes are out in the shop, hanging on the racks in all their bright, beautiful glory...tempting me to dress up as the space cowboy I've always wanted to be. They have a lot of useful party/festival clobber in Naff, including chest wigs...perfect for those Magnum PI parties (?). I have friends who actually buy their sunglasses from this shop; they say they prefer them to the proper ones. So some of the stock is actually pretty good quality and not the tacky, cheaply made plastic costume items you usually find. You can spend one minute in this shop and find some really fun stuff, things you didn't even know you need to be wearing on your next night out.

The name Kathryn means 'pure' and I love a party so this store should be made from me. I love fancy…read moredress and dressing up and so the costumes on display here are not really me. There is an excellent range of Smiffy costumery here however so if you're stuck to wear something for a fancy dress party and you're not particularly inspired to come up with your own outfit, you'll surely find something here to do the trip. It has loads of balloons and decorations so if you have an occasion coming up that needs the streamers touch, I'm sure you'll find your party needs here.

As the name suggests, you can get just about everything you could possibly need for a party at this…read moreplace, except crack, of course. You'll find the usual array of balloons and decorations, as well as a pretty extensive fancy dress section - great for Halloween and student nights. What's on offer is pretty standard - don't be surprised to go out and see at least ten other people in town all wearing the same Frankenstein mask as you. Still, if you're not creatively inclined, but want to get in on some of the dress-up action, it's a good place to find something to make it look as if you've at least put a bit of effort in. It's averagely pricey for this kind of stuff, so don't expect to find any bargains, either.

This is the place to go in Bristol if you're planning or going to a fancy dress party - or indeed…read morejust about any party. It's easy to miss because it's not particularly striking and it's located on the busy A38, so if you aren't specifically looking for it you'd probably drive straight past. Once you're inside, however, it's a different story. It's stocked just about floor to ceiling with wrapping paper, pretty ribbons, party streamers, table displays, balloons, gift boxes, and cards and cake decorations for every occasion. Whether you're after birthday surprise banners, congratulations cards, or Easter chicks, you'll find it here. They also stock some excellent accessories for the Stag and Hen party markets - including a range of cheeky items to surprise the bride-to-be. But perhaps most exciting are the fantastic party costumes, whether you're looking for a complete Halloween outfit, or just some amusing accessories such as fake moustaches or wigs. Whether you want to dress up as a Mexican or a Medieval lady, a French maid or a Flower-power hippy, they've got it all - including a few saucy costumes, too. It's a while since I've been to Flingers, but when I did visit it was good fun, well-stocked and run by friendly staff.

Really love this shop, has everything you could possible want from fancy dress, children's parties…read moreto Weddings and balloon displays. Great customer service, very helpful. Will re-inflate balloons you've bought from other shops for a small charge

chaplins does not do refunds…read more I went in to buy a costume (£30) and the shop does have a good selection. however, I presumed I could try on the costume at home and return if it didn't fit very well. When I found that the size was wrong, I went back with the costume in pristine condition and packed back how it had been when I purchased it. I only then saw on the receipt that no refunds or exchanges were offered but I thought I would pop into the shop just to enquire. Although I understand that no refunds/exchange policies are common in the fancy dress business, there are no signs around the till indicating that refunds are not offered. I simply explained to the same salesperson that the size wasn't right and I thought it was worth speaking to the them in person to ask for a £30 refund despite the policy. I was not pushy in anyway. The response was unnecessarily harsh and patronising given I was simply asking a reasonable question. When I mentioned the sizing, the salesperson indicated that it was up to me to make the costume "look nice" and generally they were very condescending. I will not be shopping at Chaplins in the future but be warned that refunds are not accepted.

Chaplins of Bristol is wonderfully located in the centre on Bristol, very near to the Bristol…read moreHippodrome. It has a good range of costumes for most ages. There is also a huge range of accessories and face paints. Price wise, Chaplins isn't that cheap. I went in to buy some braces for a geek outfit and the cheapest they had was £6. I ended up buying some from another costume shop in Gloucester Road for £4. Inside it is a tad crowded. There is a lot of things crammed in, and if there is more than about 3 people in the shop you all will struggle to navigate yourself around. One word of warning: this is not a shop to bring children in (unless you are fine with them seeing what you would expect in the 'restricted area' of Ann Summers).

Perhaps I encountered the staff on an off day, make that days, but whenever I've frequented this…read morecostume shop the atmosphere has been flat and the staff have been quite abrasive. There is no doubt that this is one of the best fancy dress shops in town, with a huge selection of hire outfits and accessories to buy. But while I was in there looking for an 80s outfit (not my party I would like to add!) I felt that I was being watched the whole time. The staff were cranky when I wanted to try on a wig and just didn't seem interested. If you're a student then this place is the equivalent of those newsagents that have a handwritten sign in the door: no more than 2 school children at any one time allowed inside!

The Christmas Steps Costume Hire and Joke Shop is a wonderful shop hidden away just a short walk…read morefrom the city centre. It does look a little tacky from the outside and I think that a bit more effort in the shop window could really help draw more customers in. Inside, they have pretty much anything you could ask for. Their website isn't great and doesn't do the business any justice so if you are looking for a costume definitely pop in for a visit. Their catalogue is extensive and I'm sure you'll find something to wear! The staff are also really lovely. They were really helpful and informative, and they never seemed to complain no matter how many costumes I wanted to try on!

Are you arty or crafty? Are you into beads or jewellery or embroidery threads or frames or paints…read moreor glitter or ribbons or lace? Then at Creativity you'll be in good company. Creativity is an independent art and craft supplies shop, and they stock everything in their tiny shop, all of the above and much much more. Anything you can't find you'll probably be able to order from their website.

Creativity is an art supply shop just off Whiteladies Road. It's got things like beads and cloth in…read moreabundance. As well as plastic stuff they've got some more exotic bits and pieces, including semi-precious stones and crystals. A good place to get a bit of alternative or DIY jewellery. An absolutely essential for for my friend that's into costume design. They've got an extensive supply of textiles and ribbons, as well as everything you'd ever need to do with knitting and needle work. Cards and stamps are the other thing they mainly do. If, like my mum, you like to make your own cards, this is a great place to come. Somewhere for the enthusiast this does its various little niches in a lot of detail.

This is quite a big (ok, giant!) party and fancy dress shop, located on Moorland Road in Oldfield…read morePark. There's pretty much everything you could possibly need when it comes to dressing up as a pirate/police man/doctor, etc so if you're in need of a quick costume, then this is the place to head to. It's probably the biggest shop of it's kind in Bath and I imagine that they do a good amount of trade with the many students who live in the area needing outfits for various SU nights. They also do a massive range of balloons and other party accessories, so if you're planning an event then it's certainly worth checking out.