From an early age boys and girls just love dressing up in Wild West fancy dress costumes. Playing Cowboys and Indians is probably the second most common children's dress up game after Doctors and Nurses.
Well, if the costume parties over Halloween and New Year's Eve are anything to go by, this childhood obsession is perhaps something that never quite goes away. Cowboy and cowgirl outfits seem to be getting worn more and more at these parties, as well as at Carwash Nightclubs, meaning that Wild West fancy dress appears to be more popular than ever before.
So if you have decided to go to the upcoming party as a cowboy or a cowgirl, then you now need to make the decision as to whether or not you are going to buy your Wild West fancy dress costume online or have a go at making your own. Whatever you decide to do, you should still consider the following accessories, in order to transform your outfit into a realistic looking cowboy or cowgirl costume.
Cowboy hat
Perhaps the most obvious accessory to go with your cowboy/cowgirl outfit is a Western style hat. If you have purchased your costume, then there is a good chance that you will get a hat as part of the ensemble, however, if you are making your costume yourself then this is obviously something you are going to need to buy.
Holster and gun
Toy guns are not everyone's cup of tea, but if you have already made the decision to go to the party in Wild West fancy dress, then the chances are that you are going to want to buy a toy gun to compliment your outfit. Most specialist cowboy fancy dress websites carry a range of toy pistols and holsters to choose from, but the Pecos Hand Gun, crafted from die cast metal and plastic, is particularly realistic looking.
Neck scarf
An accessory that is often overlooked in this genre, but one which can really add a lot to your outfit, is that of the neck scarf. In the dusty plains of North America, the neck scarf was as an important item to the cowboy as his holster and gun, so adding one to your costume will help make it look that little bit more authentic.
Make-up
Ironically, it is more likely that the guys are going to be needing to apply make up to enhance their costume than the girls, because here I am actually talking about adding some stubble to give your character a more realistic hardened, Wild West look. Alternatively, there are some great looking cowboy-style moustaches that you may consider purchasing.
Cowboy boots
Undoubtedly the most expensive accessory you are likely to buy to go with your costume are a pair of Western boots. However, these are also the one item that will really add that extra something to your outfit and you may be surprised how reasonably priced they can be.
