One of our masks

If you are planning a party, having a ‘masked’ theme can make it great fun! We’ve received some beautiful new masks – ornate, feathered, glittered, and masks for men too – so do come and have a look if you haven’t already.

Masks were worn in Venice, not only during the Carnivale but also in the lead up to Christmas.

The simple act of hiding your face behind a mask can do two things. Firstly, it allows you to project an alternate persona – you may express a side of yourself that nobody usually sees. This persona may be very different to how you usually behave. By choosing colours to match an outfit, facial expressions, and patterns you can create a character and play a different role to the one you usually play.

Secondly, if your identity is hidden from others, you may be uninhibited! Free from being judged by social class, appearance and religion, many in Venice persued activities that they would not have dreamed of without a mask – illicit liasons with lovers, gambling… the list goes on.

For most people nowadays, a masquerade ball may not be as serious (or as debauched) but they can be great way to have fun. If you are invited to a masked ball or are running one, come down and try some masks on!  Although we’ve only put a teaser picture of one mask, we’ve got many, many different styles.