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.

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.

So, you want a nurse outfit? Boom, they've got it! 80's themed party coming up? Boom, got some of…read morethat! Rambo, clown, fairy, mermaid - boom, boom, boom, boom! In terms of customer experience, Fancy Dress Fanatics have got it nailed. The lady who owns the shop is lovely and really helps you get the right look; without trying to sell you moustaches or eye lashes you don't need. I went in with a few mates to try on some of the Oppo suits for a stag do (if you don't know what Oppo suits are, Google it). We were allowed to get the suits out of the boxes and try several on to get the right size. The lady said she would set up a spreadsheet for all 26 of us, take individual deposits and then the final amounts just before we leave, which I thought was great. As best man it certainly takes pressure off me. With lots of costume and fancy dress shops in Bristol, it's difficult to do anything really different. From the outside, Fancy Dress Fanatics don't really offer anything to set them apart, but go in, chat to the owner and try some stuff on - you'll see why I speak so highly of it. Great shop, but above all, great customer service/experience.

I was trying to find something for the yelp Halloween get together tomorrow and i thought i'd try…read morethis place out as Thom had said good things. I'm glad i decided to come here as they had loads of stock without looking over full, loads of choice and i was allowed to not only take out the outfits from the packets i could try them on! My usual go to fancy dress shop does not allow this making it really difficult to assess whether it will fit or not. The shop is quite big with rental fancy dress at the back along with changing rooms. They sell contacts, any accessories you could possibly need and the best range of costumes i've seen to date. If you don't know what to go as (like me) then you'll get a hundred and one ideas popping in there, they have outfits i've never seen anywhere else which i love, something a bit different! Variety is the spice of life :) The staff were really nice and helped me when needed. Prices were actually cheaper than i was expecting to pay-bonus! I think this may replace the other shop as my go to fancy dress destination.

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.

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!

Fantasy World is a fancy dress shop where costumes are available for hire or to buy. They stock a…read morepretty good range, so if you fancy being a Cowboy or a Nun or Santa then this is the place to go. As well as fancy dress costumes Fantasy World also has a large range of accessories so if you already have your costume and just need the finishing touches then it's still worth a visit. Fantasy World also has it's own website so you can get an idea of a costume before you visit. My only gripe with Fantasy World is the staff, sometimes it seems like they are not too interested in spending time helping you, they just appear to want your money.

i got my new years eve costume from here - lots to choose from !!! highly recommended place to go…read moreand take a look

This isn't just your typical fancy dress place catering to the needs of the weekend hen party, no…read morethis place is a huge warehouse of costumes with anything you can probably imagine dressing up as. A lot of what they do is costumes for Film, TV and theatre so they pretty much have costumes that represent every period in history. The ladies who work there are fantastic, they can make you an outfit or source something specific your looking for if they don't have it. They even offered me tea and biscuits while I waited to pick up a load of costumes. There is also a selection of outfits and wigs to buy. Its not in town and has plenty of car parking space too so its easy to access by car and only a 5 minute walk towards the bay from the train station.

Incredibly rude staff. I didn't catch her name, however she was so disrespectful, dismissive and…read moreunprofessional.

Just for fun has everything you need for a fancy dress party and more!…read more A decent sized shop that is just away from the main city centre high street and right next door to a petrol station! You can get everything you need here and they also sell things for wedding, hen nights, stag do's and other generic parties. As well as costumes you can buy they also have a large range of fancy dress costumes to hire! In the past i have hired a scarlet o hara costume! When it was my friends hen night we were able to get L plate and hen night balloons, willy straws, party bag items and dares! Using just for fun i have managed to dress up as a cowgirl, a black fairy, a moulin rouge girl and scarlet o hara! I really want to try there tinkerbell costume as well as it looks so cute! Make sure you get in there early on special occasions. For example on Halloween at about 1pm it was one in one out at the door! If this is the case there is a larger store in Hedge End.

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).