With the last minute preperations being put together for New Years Eve Parties across the world, The classic masquerade ball theme this year again proves our most popular theme of NYE 2009.

[caption id="attachment_247" align="alignleft" width="272" caption="Cinderella Costume"][/caption]

From Hotels that are going all out putting on Fancy Dress Masquerade Balls to black tie events that have been give that extra sprikle of magic by adding eye masks to their dress code requirements there simply isn’t a better way to spend New Years than with friends at a ball surrrounded by people you’re not quite sure you recognise.

  (18.99 Euro)

Masquerade balls started in the late middle ages and are closely nowadays associated with th venetians. Royalty found it appealing because, as noone was known, rigid protocol & court etiquette could be suspended, and they could have fun, dance and flirt with whoever they wanted, without it becoming a state scandal. They remained popular with the aristocracy, and were one of Marie Antoinettes favorite forms of entertainment. Nowdays they are more associated with a black tie events and often use ventian masks as the favourite form of disguise.

 (10.99 Euro)

In 1979 a group of young theater students decided to revive the Carnival in Venice and with Ventition masks came back into fashion and slowly spead again across Europe. In Ireland Masquerade Balls have become increasingly popular in the last few years. Turning otherwise very predictable black tie events into colour infused, exciting and fun events. Many charties and colleges spice up their events and the masks cost between 10 – 20 Euro so everyone can afford to look great without much expenditure… Ofcourse if you are sweating out cash you can have a hand made masquerade mask designed to your specifications by various artistic types around ireland.