I don’t really do fancy dress. That is, I don’t usually do fancy dress. The last time I properly went all out with the fancy dress was a New Year’s Eve party about 7 years ago. The theme was 1970s. I bought a long red Cher wig and teamed it with a pair of those shorts dungaree things – playsuits I think they’re called. Thing is, my shorts were a bit tight and I didn’t realise until I was at the party, 15 miles from home, sporting a major camel’s toe. It wasn’t a good look.

My sister, on the other hand, is a big fan. For some reason, it seems to be the law that if you study medicine you have to wear a fancy dress costume on every night out, ever. My sister is now a fully qualified doctor and that law still applies.

The one time of year that I’m willing to let my fancy dress guard down is Christmas. With fancy dress options pretty varied I’m almost spoilt for choice. Checking out the Christmas fancy dress from Fancy Dress Ball gives me quite a few ideas. There’s the usual sexy Santa outfits and cutesy elf costumes, but the ones that really catch my eye are the Christmas novelty costumes.

Is it just me, or is fancy dress meant to be fun and silly and a little bit stupid? In my mind, if you’re going to go out in anything other than your favourite dress, massive pants and achingly high heels, then you may as well do it with aplomb. Going to a fancy dress party at Halloween as a sexy cat or to a party at Christmas as a sexy Santa is just cheating.

Which is probably why the giant penguin costume gets the thumbs up from me. I also rather like the Christmas tree outfit – complete with huge tree-shaped hat. Ridiculous, hilarious and just what fancy dress should be.

Of course, the fancy dress rules completely go out of the window when young children are involved. They can wear pretty much anything and get away with it.

Meet my two year old, the Sugar Plum Fairy:

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