fancy dress

noun
a costume for a ball, masquerade, etc., chosen to please the fancy, usually a costume characteristic of a particular period or place, class of persons, or historical or fictitious character.

Origin:
1760–70

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
fancy dress
 
n
a.  costume worn at masquerades, etc, usually representing a particular role, historical figure, etc
 b.  (as modifier): a fancy-dress ball

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Fancy dress is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
Example sentences
The woven fabric imparts the essential character to the headband, which is a
  well made item of fancy dress.
Far too many literary adaptations wear the fancy dress of high culture prestige
  or bind themselves into corsets of reverence.
The invitations for the fancy dress ball were issued this morning.
Freddie was uncomfortable in her fancy dress, wishing she was wearing her usual
  old blue jeans.
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