Updated date:

Jul 17, 2014

Fancy Dress Costume Themes_Underground Stations - Costume Ideas

Author:

Hi, I am Adele, and I have run a large fancy dress shop in Essex, England, since 1998. I'm happy to pass on my knowledge to help others.

Choosing The London Underground As a Party Theme

If you are not British, you probably already think that us Brits are completely eccentric anyway, but this hub will probably prove that we are all completely 'barking mad'!

There has been a little bit of confusion as to what this hub is all about so I will try to explain it for all of my readers that are not based in the UK.

The theme that has been chosen is The London Underground, sometimes also known as 'The Tube'. Your guests have to dress up as the name of one of the stations. Although some stations are easy to depict - Angel or Blackfriars - for many stations it is a play on words (or pun) and you need to think a bit 'outside the envelope!' Some stations may be linked to something, Wembley for example is England's home venue for football, so you could dress up as a footballer. Holloway has a large ladies prison, so you could wear a convict outfit. Hope you get the idea! I appreciate that it may difficult for non-UK residents to get all of the costume suggestions, but hopefully it may give you some ideas for your own more local area, think about the New York subway stations and see if you can think of costumes that could be used.

Choosing 'London Underground Stations' for a party theme seems a great idea. Your guests however may not agree with you! They will receive an invitation and particularly, if they are not keen on dressing up, may not turn up at all, or turn up but refuse to wear a costume. Costume parties work best when all, or at least the majority of your guests are dressed up. So what can you do? Well, this hub, I hope, will help. I have listed lots of London Underground Stations below and given some costume ideas. You could print this list off or give your guests a link to this page so they can have a look. For even more underground station costume ideas have a look here.

As with any of these types of themes, improvisation and innovation have a role to play, so costumes may go beyond just station names, as in the case of a person who turned up wearing a particular well-known designer brand highlighted with arrows - Mind the GAP! (Again, quick explanation for our overseas readers: 'Mind the Gap' is a regular tannoy/PA announcement at older tube stations where the edge of the platform and the door-edge of the carriage are not the same height or flush with each-other).

Oxford Circus - Just add a mortar board or carry an Oxford dictionary

Wear a large beehive wig for High Barnet

Sherlock Holmes for Baker Street | Maid Costume just add a veil for Maida Vale or a cross for Charing Cross

Party Competition

Give your guests a sheet of paper and they have to guess what stations your other guests are. As your guests arrive you would need to take their name and the actual station that they are trying to be - you will need this list later to compare. The winner is the person who guesses the most. You can also give a prize for the most inventive costume.

Guests Who Just Don't Want To Dress Up

No matter how much information you give there will still be a small percentage of people who just do not like dressing up. Fair enough, not everyone is the same. I have given some ideas of props or wigs that can be used for some Underground Stations. Most guests who do not dress up will often regret it once they have arrived as they feel like an outsider. We can't have that, so It may be worth your while buying a few of these accessories that you can hand out to these guests.

A beehive wig - High Barnet
Monolopy Money - Pinned on to 'normal' clothes - Bank
Safety Pins - Pinner
Wings - Angel
Chef's Hat - Baker Street
Dog Mask - Barking
Tennis racket - Wimbledon
Picture of Vauxhall car - Vauxhall
Bows - Pinned on for Bow
Cricket bat - Oval

London Underground Costume Ideas

Some of these require more work than others but hopefully they will give you a starting point. Some rely on word-play and puns, so there is a risk that you might have to spend time explaining the ingenuity of your creation, but it's a good ice-breaker!

North Wembley - Football kit

Wembley Central - Football kit

Queens Park - Queen costume with parking sign. You could always use a Freddie Mercury type of costume to make it more difficult to guess

Maida Vale - Maid costume wearing a veil (or a Bottle of Beer - Maid of Ale)

Paddington - Paddington Bear (soon to be seen in his own movie).

Baker Street - Chef or Sherlock Holmes Costume

Oxford Circus - Clown costume wearing a mortar board or Oxford Dictionary. Or wear a headmaster gown, mortar board with a clown's red nose and/or face paint.

Regent Park - Royal type of costume with a parking sign

Charing Cross - Maid (or Char) costume holding/wearing a cross

Waterloo - Abba or Nelson or Napoleon costume

Elephant & Castle - Elephant Costume maybe carrying a picture of a castle (or a Rook chess piece)

Shepherds Bush - Shepherd/Nativity costume with a large beard

Holland Park - Dutch costume with a parking sign

Notting Hill Gate -Carnival costume

Royal Oak - Brown trousers, green top, green wig and a crown

Bow Road - Covered with lots of various bows

Queensbury - Queen costume holding some berries

Use a Georgian costume (with a white court wig) for Baron's Court & Earls Court

Add a cross to this Elvis costume for Kings Cross

London Underground Fancy Dress Costumes & Ideas UK
For all your London Underground Stations costumes. A fancy dress theme to remember! In stock for Next Day delivery.
Costume Party Themes_Underground Stations
Even more London Underground Party Themes
BBC - London - Travel - London Underground Map
A map of the London Underground to help you choose your station
Train Songs
For more train related song titles

More Underground Station Costume Ideas...

Bond Street - Dinner Suit / Wet suit

Tottenham Court Road - Football kit with a court wig

St Pauls Bishop costume

Kings Cross - Elvis costume with a cross

Cannon Street - Religious Costume

Blackfriars - Black Monk costume

Victoria - Queen Victoria / Victorian costume

Sloane Square - Twin set and pearls, la de da voice

Barons Court - Baron Costume, court wig

Earls Court - Georgian Costume with a court wig

West Ham - West Ham Football kit

Upton Park - West Ham Football kit

Barking Dog - Dog costume (or a Straitjacket - as in Barking Mad)

Hornchurch - Religious Costume with horns

Kingsbury- King costume holding some berries

Canary Wharf - Canary Costume

Going Underground - The Jam

Music To Use

As your guests arrive it would be a good idea to try to have music on that helps to create the mood and has a train / underground theme. Once the party gets underway, normal party music can continue.

Some musical ideas include:

Going Underground - The Jam
The Locomotion - Kylie Monogue
Waterloo - Abba
Waterloo Sunset - Kinks
Blue Train - Johnny Cash
Downbound Train - Bruce Springsteen
Downtown Train - Rod Stewart
Finchley Central - New Vaudeville Band http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvMYHbN5baw
Friendship Train - The Temptations
Ghost Train - Bee Gees
Hear My train a Comin' - Jimi Hendrix
Locomotive - Motorhead
Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & The Pips
Mystery Train - Elvis Presley
Runaway Train - Elton John
Runaway Train - Eric Clapton
Silver Train - Rolling Stones
Station to Station - David Bowie
Sunny Googe Street - Donovan
Warwick Avenue - Duffy

I am sure you can think of some more...

______________________________________________________________

And yet More Underground Station Costume Ideas....

North Greenwich - Watch or clock, arrow pointing north

Oval - Cricket gear

Angel Islington - Angel costume

South Wimbledon - Womble costume or tennis whites

Knightsbridge - Knight costume, holding a picture of a bridge

Covent Garden - Vampire costume holding a bunch of flowers

Caledonian Road - Scottish Costume

Holloway - Convict

Arsenal - Arsenal football kit or carrying loads of weapons

Cockfosters - Chicken costume holding a can of Fosters larger

Blackhorse - Black horse costume

Seven Sisters - Attach 6 blow up dolls to each other on a pole (+ you)

West India Quay - West Indian man or lady holding a key

Whitechapel - Jack the Ripper (Victorian costume)

New Cross - Large Cross

Fantasy Underground Stations

As if there were not enough real London Underground Stations already, there are also quite a few fictitious ones as well! In the interests of completeness (or confusing things further) here are a few of the fakes (although not many lend themselves to conventional costuming)

Hobbs End - A station which was centre to the action in the 50s sci-fi serial 'Quatermass and the Pit'

Vauxhall Cross - The underground station in which Q (John Cleese) reveals the 'invisible' Vanquish car in 'Die Another Day'

Walford - Possibly the most famous fictitious station, being the one local to the 'Square' in the BBC soap opera/drama series 'Eastenders'.

It May Be Worth Your While Checking To See What Costumes Are Available On eBay

Take a look at some of our other hubs

If you have any great ideas for this theme please add them here.

trainman2 from Ohio on October 27, 2011:

For the New York City Subway:

Bowling Green - Green Bowling Shirt and Bowling Ball

Center Street - Target

Court Street - Judge's Robe (can also be used for Chambers Street)

Times Square - Clock with Square Face

Penn Station - Keystone

KLeichester on November 24, 2010:

Who does not want to experience these costumes?! I like them. Thanks!

Andy on October 16, 2010:

A GreenWitch :)

Rob on July 07, 2010:

I'm going as Swiss Cottage this weekend. Wearing a lederhosen and a picture of my house (which is a cottage)!

Electric Feel from California on July 07, 2010:

Everyone loves people that glow. You should consider adding a hub about glowing costuming ideas. Feel free to ask how.

vampire costume on June 30, 2010:

hi i was expecting to see a vampire costume on here but what is the difference from a costume and a fancy dress?

thanks

Brent from vampirecostumes.net

Fancy Dress Costumes on March 10, 2010:

This is great stuff, I'm going to sort out some hire costumes for my shop! I hope it's a popular theme! I'll let you know how it goes. Leigh

Claire on February 03, 2010:

other ideas for this theme:

Shepherds bush - dress as shepherd holding branch/ topiary bush.

oval - cricketer

seven sisters - group costume, girls numbered 1-7

knightsbridge - dress in armour holding a bridge scorecard/pack of cards.

russell square - russell brand

all saints - group costume, dress up as saints or the girl band!

Aresenal - footy player

Black horse road - black horse costume.

Bank - banker

hope this helps!

Tara on January 26, 2010:

Air Hostess or pilot for Heathrow.

Vampire Costumes on January 19, 2010:

i like your underground clown idea the best but even though i am biased to wearing a vampire costume for dressing up the clown thing looks fun.

Westie on May 21, 2009:

Can anyone think of one for West Kensington...

Ryan on February 25, 2009:

This is a great hub. Well done, looks like you put a lot of time an effort into it.

Ryan

LisaPark from Philippines on January 25, 2009:

I love your hub! love the dress up costumes, too...^^

Elsa is Elsa from Anywhere - Canada most of all on July 05, 2008:

Very creative - like your othr hubs as well. What got your creativity to flow into tailcoats, tall hats, 60's stuff and so on?

Robert Huizenga from Muskegon, Michigan on June 24, 2008:

Very creative hub. Well done!

bailiqin from San Diego on June 21, 2008:

Funny and interesting!

Linda on June 20, 2008:

Wow, what a creative approach! "Down in the tunnel trying to make it pay"!

Party Girl (author) on June 04, 2008:

I hope my explanation at the beginning of this hub has helped all of you who were a little confused. It has given me an idea to do another hub for maybe the New York subway - look forward to hearing some of your ideas!

Party Girl (author) on June 04, 2008:

Jungle Talk on June 03, 2008:

Hey Party Girl... your hub makes me want to go to a party! What a great way hub, it stimulates party ideas. Good going!

Party Girl (author) on June 03, 2008:

Hi Sandra, all the costume suggestions are names of London Underground Stations - for example Kings Cross is an underground station,so we use an Elvis (The King) costume wearing or holding a cross. It is just a play on words and can be adapted to any city's underground network. Hope this has explained it for you.

Thanks everyone for looking!

L'Elzet Gites from L'Elzet Gites, Cevennes, Languedoc, South France on June 02, 2008:

Entertaining hub! I didn't know there could so much choice! Love the ideas and photos

Annette UK

Ask Sandra on June 02, 2008:

Great costume ideas, Party Girl! You really have some super costumes and ideas for a great masquerade party. I'm still a little stumped as to what this has to do with the London underground, but it doesn't matter-- it's a terrific set of ideas for a fabulous party! Thanks so much for sharing this.

Party Girl (author) on June 02, 2008:

Thanks everyone for your comments and time looking at this hub.

YourTouristGuide from Valley of the Heart's Delight, California on June 01, 2008:

Elvis for Kings Cross made me smile. My girlfriend went to a party last year as the St. Pauli Girl (think beer), which might be another fun idea for St. Pauls. This looks like BIG FUN!

Addison on June 01, 2008:

Fun hub - got a chuckle on many of the English-themed costumes as I sepnt time there and can relate.

wjaegel from Bangkok, Thailand on June 01, 2008:

Great costume ideas. I'm getting into party mood & mode just by browsing this page :)

June Campbell from North Vancouver on June 01, 2008:

Great hub. I love your creative suggestions. I wonder if something similar could be done for Vancouver.

Kyle (the Captain) on June 01, 2008:

If your looking of costume party ideas and to enhance your party experience this is the place to be. Now if we could get the cruise lines to institute a costume night that would had to cruise.

Kyle

Alla on June 01, 2008:

It's the pleasure to follow your costumes ideas

The first point where I will check when I need the costumes

suptjim from Kuttawa, KY on June 01, 2008:

You have to be the "queen of costumes"! Another great job! Keep up the great work!

Jim

want2know on June 01, 2008:

Lots of fun costume ideas, and they look way beyond the "party store" quality in their construction.

Acey Gaspard on June 01, 2008:

Great Job!

I think a most popular costumes would be a good addition as well

Party Girl (author) on May 24, 2008:

Just to keep you all updated, we are expecting 'Barbie' and 'Ken' costumes in in August so it will be even easier to dress up as Rebecca has suggested. Email me if you would like to see images of these costumes.

Party Girl (author) on May 23, 2008:

Great idea Rebecca! If you think up others let me know.

rebecca on May 23, 2008:

for Barbican - this needs two people - one dresses up as barbie, the other ken