February is a big party month for those living in or around the New Orleans area, as well as other celebrating cities, all thanks to the great festival of Mardi Gras (sometimes referred to as “Carnival”). Celebrations begin as early as January and continue on through Tuesday, February 9th: Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras began hundreds of years ago and stems from the Christian ritual of Lent, a period of fasting. Therefore, the few weeks before Lent calls for mass amounts of drinking, eating and celebrating—hence the name “Fat Tuesday.”

If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of individuals flocking to New Orleans this February for Mardi Gras—or if you just really enjoy celebrating Mardi Gras—you may already be aware of some of the Mardi Gras accessories that are necessary to add to your party attire in order to celebrate the festival. If you are unaware of the traditions of Mardi Gras, this guide will assist you in putting together the best Mardi Gras ensemble for any and all of your Mardi Gras festivities! Don't forget to take advantage of our Mardi Gras supplies when you're planning for your celebration.

You must wear one or all of the following colors: purple, green and gold.

Purple, green and gold are the three colors associated with Mardi Gras, dating back to the very first Mardi Gras celebrations. Each color has its own meaning, with purple representing justice, green: faith and gold: power. When participating in any Mardi Gras festivities, it is highly recommended that you wear one or all three of these colors. Also keep in mind that there is no such thing as wearing too much green, purple and gold, or too many accessories. When it comes to Mardi Gras—the more, the better!

While standing in the streets of New Orleans watching the parades go by, you can sport some gold, green or purple face paint. To ensure your face paint will be seen after daylight, use glow-in-the-dark face paint. Glow face paint will show up matte during the daytime and will illuminate in the dark. You can create your own masquerade mask with this face paint, or you can simply paint cool, Mardi Gras themed designs.

Feathered boas are also a popular Mardi Gras accessory. Hang a green, purple or yellow feather boa around your neck to coordinate with your Mardi Gras attire, or wear a feather boa containing all three colors! If boas are too frilly for you, sport some cool Mardi Gras themed eyewear, instead. 

If you know your partying won’t quit once the sun goes down, wear a few bright glow Mardi Gras accessories! You’ll stand out from the crowd and your friends will easily be able to spot you. Add a few green, yellow or purple glow bracelets to your arms, or wear Mardi Gras colored glow sticks as necklaces when you aren’t waving them around in the crowd.

Add a traditional piece of headwear, such as a crown, jester hat or masquerade mask.

King’s crowns are one of the many symbols associated with Mardi Gras. This is because Mardi Gras celebrations began during the Medieval period when kings ruled most countries in Europe. And also because every year in New Orleans, there is a crowning of a king. Each year at Mardi Gras, a New Orleans organization crowns a new Carnival king, typically a prominent person of New Orleans. So, proudly wear a king’s crown while celebrating at Carnival this year!

Another Mardi Gras icon is the jester. Sport a fun and goofy jester hatthat is sure to get you noticed this Mardi Gras season. If you would like to go the more understated route when it comes to headwear, try a colorful feather or sequin mask. Masks are a popular accessory worn at Mardi Gras celebrations due to the Masquerade Balls held for secret society members during the early ages of Mardi Gras. Some organizations still hold these Masquerade Balls, but you can only attend one if you are invited. It is also required that individuals riding floats in the parades wear masks.

Beads, beads and more beads.

And finally, you should top off your Mardi Gras getup with as many beaded necklaces as possible. Beads are everywhere at Mardi Gras—people are wearing them, tossing them, and so on. Wear endless strands of purple, green and gold beads. You can even get creative and use these Mardi Gras beads to decorate pieces of clothing. Some girls will use Mardi Gras beads to create a type of corset top, as well as skirts. 

At Windy City Novelties, it’s our hope that this article inspires you to create a fun and unique party for your loved ones. For more helpful tips on organizing your event, email our dedicated party planning experts at [email protected]. You may also subscribe to our emails for weekly party planning ideas, featured products and more at https://www.windycitynovelties.com/customer/account/create/