What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (2024)

This guide to what to wear to Mardi Gras includes outfit and accessory ideas for Mardi Gras in New Orleans or a Mardi Gras Party.

Dressing up for Mardi Gras is so fun! It’s the perfect excuse to wear outrageous outfits, layer on beads, and dress to a theme. During my recent New Orleans girl’s trip, we went all out wearing Mardi Gras gear during the day and night.

Below, I’ll share outfit inspiration, style tips, and Mardi Gras outfit ideas for the daytime, nightlife, and even a Mardi Gras party at home.

Contents hide

What to Wear to Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras Outfit Inspiration

Mardi Gras Outfit Ideas for During the Day

What to Wear to Mardi Gras at Night

The Best Mardi Gras Accessories

What to Wear to a Mardi Gras Party

More Mardi Gras Outfit Ideas

FAQ – How to Dress for Mardi Gras

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What to Wear to Mardi Gras

The main thing you need to know when deciding what to wear to Mardi Gras is that the colors are purple, green, and gold. To put together the best outfit for Mardi Gras, simply combine clothing items and accessories in these colors.

Below, find outfit ideas for Mardi Gras and the best items to buy for the day and night. Once you have a variety of clothing and accessory items in purple, green, and gold, putting together an outfit will be easy.

Mardi Gras Outfit Inspiration

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (1)
What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (2)
What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (3)

Before we get into the shoppable portion of this guide, here are some outfit ideas for what to wear to Mardi Gras.

As you can see from these group photos, its basically an explosion of the theme colors. Mardi Gras outfits can be wacky and outrageous, so don’t be afraid of leather, glitter, sparkles, and feathers.

The general idea for planning an outfit for Mardi Gras is choosing a colorful clothing item such as bodysuit, dress, or pants then pairing it with other neutral items and a ton of colorful accessories.

For example:

  • Green dress (colorful clothing) + Jean jacket (neutral clothing) + Purple Shoes and Boa (colorful accessories)
  • Purple bodysuit + Black Jeans + Purple Wig and Yellow Glasses
  • Gold Joggers + Black Bodysuit + A ton of colorful beads

Mardi Gras Outfit Ideas for During the Day

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (4)

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (5)

During the day for Mardi Gras, you will likely spend time exploring the city and seeing the parades. For these activities, I recommend wearing comfortable clothes in the theme colors. The above graphic shows some great ideas for what to wear to Mardi Gras during the day.

The items are comfortable, casual, and can be dressed up or down depending on how festive you want to be. These items are also great for a family or daytime Mardi Gras party if you aren’t visiting the festival.

Some simple outfit ideas for the daytime are green cargo pants with a purple crop top or a matching yellow linen set. If you want to be a bit more festive, you can easily dress up or down a gold body suit or joggers.

Shop these daytime Mardi Gras outfits

What to Wear to Mardi Gras at Night

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (6)

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (7)

At night in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, you will likely spend your time at parades or visiting bars on Bourbon street. For these activities, I recommend wearing the theme colors in more unique or sexy items.

Night is also a great time to go even more over the top with your outfits. I love the matching sets, bodycon dresses, and the mint green leather pants in the above graphic.

These outfit ideas are also great for a nighttime Mardi Gras themed party or event. For a more casual look, match a colored body suit with fun pants.

To be more themed, I absolutely love the gold tinsel jacket or purple sequined duster jacket above.

Shop these Mardi Gras outfit ideas for nightlife

The Best Mardi Gras Accessories

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (8)

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (9)

The best way to enhance your Madi Gras outfit is with a ton of accessories. In the above graphic, I share my favorite, affordable accessories. Some great items are wigs, boas, colorful makeup, and face jewels.

You may be tempted to buy a bunch of Mardi Gras beads, but hold back. You will get hundreds of beads from the parades and the balconies on Bourbon street.

Shop these Mardi Gras accessories

What to Wear to a Mardi Gras Party

If you can’t travel to New Orleans for Mardi Gras this year, you can still get in the theme at home. What to wear to a Mardi Gras Party is the exact same as what to wear to Mardi Gras – festive colors, lots of beads, and flashy outfits.

If you are hosting a Mardi Gras party or attending one, I encourage you to go all out. Have every item you wear be green, purple, and yellow. Then, layer on as many Mardi Gras accessories as you can!

110 New Orleans and Mardi Gras Instagram Caption Ideas

More Mardi Gras Outfit Ideas

If you’re still struggling with what to wear to Mardi Gras, the three above collages show complete outfit ideas for what to wear to Mardi Gras.

You’ll notice that each outfit is full of green, purple, and gold plus a ton of accessories. The key to a great Mardi Gras outfit is being over the top and on theme.

Shop these outfits: Outfit 1, Outfit 2, Outfit 3

FAQ – How to Dress for Mardi Gras

What color to wear on Mardi Gras?

The most iconic colors associated with Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold. People often wear masks and elaborate costumes in these colors. Tradition has it that purple stands for justice, green is for faith, and gold is for power.

What do you wear to a Mardi Gras party?

Mardi Gras is a time to let loose and have some fun. The dress code for Mardi Gras parties can range from casual to dressy depending on the event you are attending.

For casual Mardi Gras events, think bright colors, masks, and fun outfits like jumpsuits or rompers. For more formal events, try wearing a maxi dress with some glitzy jewelry or a colorful suit with a bold accessory like a feathered boa.

What is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is a Carnival celebration that takes place in many cities around the world, such as New Orleans. It is a day of indulgence and feasting, usually celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent and the 40-day period leading up to Easter.

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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

As an expert and enthusiast, I can provide information and insights on a wide range of topics, including what to wear to Mardi Gras. While I have personal experiences or preferences, I can provide general guidance based on the information you provided.

What to Wear to Mardi Gras

When deciding what to wear to Mardi Gras, it's important to keep in mind that the traditional colors associated with the event are purple, green, and gold. To create a festive outfit, you can combine clothing items and accessories in these colors. Here are some outfit ideas for Mardi Gras:

  • During the day: For daytime activities such as exploring the city and watching parades, it's recommended to wear comfortable clothes in the theme colors. You can consider wearing green cargo pants with a purple crop top or a matching yellow linen set. If you want to be more festive, you can dress up or down a gold bodysuit or joggers .

  • At night: For nighttime activities like attending parades or visiting bars on Bourbon Street, you can opt for more unique or sexy items in the theme colors. This is also a great time to go over the top with your outfits. Consider wearing matching sets, bodycon dresses, or mint green leather pants. You can also accessorize with items like a gold tinsel jacket or a purple sequined duster jacket.

  • Mardi Gras party: If you're attending or hosting a Mardi Gras party, you can follow the same guidelines for what to wear to Mardi Gras. Embrace festive colors, lots of beads, and flashy outfits. Try to incorporate green, purple, and yellow into every item you wear and layer on as many Mardi Gras accessories as possible.

The Best Mardi Gras Accessories

To enhance your Mardi Gras outfit, you can add a variety of accessories. Some popular options include wigs, boas, colorful makeup, and face jewels. However, it's worth noting that you may receive hundreds of beads from parades and balconies on Bourbon Street, so you may not need to purchase additional beads.

Additional Mardi Gras Outfit Ideas

If you're still looking for more outfit inspiration, you can check out the provided collages in the article. Each outfit is designed to be full of green, purple, and gold, along with a variety of accessories. Remember, the key to a great Mardi Gras outfit is being over the top and on theme.

FAQ - How to Dress for Mardi Gras

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about dressing for Mardi Gras:

  • What color to wear on Mardi Gras? The most iconic colors associated with Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold. These colors represent justice, faith, and power, respectively.

  • What do you wear to a Mardi Gras party? The dress code for Mardi Gras parties can range from casual to dressy, depending on the event. For casual events, bright colors, masks, and fun outfits like jumpsuits or rompers are suitable. For more formal events, consider wearing a maxi dress with glitzy jewelry or a colorful suit with a bold accessory like a feathered boa.

  • What is Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is a Carnival celebration that takes place in many cities around the world, including New Orleans. It is a day of indulgence and feasting, usually celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent and the 40-day period leading up to Easter.

I hope this information helps you plan your Mardi Gras outfits! Let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with.

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas (2024)

FAQs

What to Wear to Mardi Gras: Festive Mardi Gras Outfits Ideas? ›

We encourage you to consider wearing one, or at least accessorize with a sparkly headdress and some feathers. At the very least, wear something in the Carnival colors — purple, green and gold. Not only will it get you into the Mardi Gras spirit but you will fit right in.

What do you wear to a Mardi Gras co*cktail party? ›

Stick to the classic Mardi Gras colors – purple, green, and gold – and capture the party spirit. Remember that Mardi Gras is a time to blast and soak in the fun. So, as you gear up for the festivities, let your outfit show off your lively personality.

What do people wear during Mardi Gras to hide their identity? ›

And gold is for power. Besides the famous beads, Mardi Gras—February 13 this year—is best known for the colorful masks that revelers wear. Mask-wearing dates back to the earliest carnivals in 13th-century Venice. Masks allowed people to hide their identity and to remove their social differences.

Why do people dress crazy for Mardi Gras? ›

There are many different reasons why people choose to dress up in costumes for Mardi Gras. For some, it is a way to express their creativity and have fun. Others believe that the costumes represent different aspects of life and have a lot of meaning and symbolism.

What are the colors of the Mardi Gras? ›

The Colors of Mardi Gras

The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold. These are said to have been chosen in 1892 when the Rex Parade theme "Symbolism of Colors" gave the colors their meanings.

What colors do you wear to a Mardi Gras party? ›

Mardi Gras is synonymous with bold colors: purple symbolizing justice, green representing faith, and gold for power. Incorporating these vibrant hues in your attire is a surefire way to blend in with the festive spirit.

What do you wear when an invitation says co*cktail attire? ›

co*cktail attire isn't overly formal and is encouraging guests to be dressed a step above smart casual. For women, an above-the-knee hem (or any length above floor length) is appropriate. For men, they can wear a suit (tie optional) or sports jacket and dress shirt.

How do locals dress for Mardi Gras? ›

"As a rule, the more brightly colored and crazy, the better. It's anything goes, as long as it's over the top." The variety with Mardi Gras costumes is seemingly endless: satin, sequins, embossing, feathers, rhinestones, masks, headdresses, wigs, beading, makeup, and more.

What is traditionally worn for Mardi Gras? ›

Mardi Gras is about music, parades, picnics, floats and excitement. It's one big holiday in New Orleans! Revelers know to wear costumes or at least dress in purple, green, and gold, and adorn themselves with long beads caught from the floats of previous parades.

Why do you wear beads for Mardi Gras? ›

Traditional Mardi Gras beads are purple, green, and gold colors. The purple symbolizes justice; the green represents faith, and the gold signifies power. If you are participating in the Mardi Gras carnival this year, make sure you get plenty of colorful beads!

What are five common foods eaten during Mardi Gras? ›

  • King Cake. This delicious and traditional cake is a staple for the Mardi Gras season. ...
  • Crawfish Étouffée. Though significantly harder to find in Athens, crawfish étouffée is a very traditional dish in Cajun and Creole cuisine. ...
  • Dirty Rice. ...
  • Po' Boy. ...
  • Jambalaya. ...
  • Crawfish Boil. ...
  • Pancakes.
Feb 12, 2018

What does 504 mean in Mardi Gras? ›

May 4 isn't just the day before Cinco De Mayo, it's 504 Day, a reference not only to the date but to the New Orleans area code. In Houston, they celebrate the connection between the two cities with a festival and crawfish boil, featuring “beignets, bounce and brass.”

What is New Orleans co*cktail attire? ›

Semi-formal: The only dress code that changes depending on time of day. Before 6 p.m. this means a suit for him and an appropriate shorter dress or dressy suit for women. After 6 p.m. calls for a dark suit for him and a co*cktail dress for her. co*cktail: Dark suit for him and short, elegant dress for her.

What is the dress code for Mardi Gras? ›

Mardi Gras celebrations are replete with fantastical costumes. Anything goes here – and we do mean anything – but if donning an extravagant ensemble isn't your thing, wear the traditional Carnival colors of purple, green and gold to fit right in. Either way, be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

What is the dress code for a co*cktail session? ›

When an event calls for a co*cktail dress code, that means you've got permission to look a little more polished and put together. The idea is to look dressed up without going full-blown black tie. This generally translates to wearing well-fitted slacks with a crisp button-up.

What is the dress code for co*cktail day? ›

Ultimately, it aims to strike a balance between formal and casual, as well as elegant and comfortable. For an event with this dress code, such as a wedding, men typically wear a suit and tie while women wear a co*cktail dress.

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