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.

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.

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.

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).

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

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.

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