Australian Party Costume Ideas

Coming up with a costume for an Australian-themed party may leave you perplexed, but Australia has many characteristics that make it stand out from other countries, all of which you can draw upon for a costume. Look to ideas ranging from food to celebrities to find the ideal Australian-themed costume.

Australia has produced many well-known actors, including: Geoffrey Rush, Hugh Jackman, Heath Ledger, Nicole Kidman, Chris Hemsworth and Rebel Wilson. Dress like one of their on-screen, more recognizable characters, such as Heath Ledger's "the Joker" in "The Dark Knight." To achieve this look, don a purple suit and apply the Joker makeup. Alternatively, go as Thor, the Marvel superhero that launched Chris Hemsworth. For a more light-hearted character, dress like Rebel Wilson's character Fat Amy in the film "Pitch Perfect" by wearing a short-sleeve pink shirt, black yoga pants, running shoes and a pink headband. Don't forget to put your hair in a ponytail and bring your sense of humor.

Australia is home to animals, such as the kangaroo and platypus, that cannot be found anywhere else. Create an inexpensive koala bear costume by pairing gray-colored clothing, such as pants and a long-sleeve shirt or a simple grey-colored dress, with koala ears. Instead of purchased ears, make your own by cutting out two 3-inch oval or circle-shaped ears from felt, gluing a bit of fake white fur in the middle of each ear and attaching the bottom of each to a thick headband.

A number of Australian classic movies feature characters that almost everyone will recognize. Become Mick Dundee from "Crocodile Dundee" by wearing a brown vest with no shirt, tan pants, an outback-style hat, boots and a crocodile-tooth necklace and carrying a stuffed or blow-up crocodile. For Mel Gibson's famous Max character in the "Mad Max" films, don a black motorcycle jacket, white T-shirt, black leather pants, black leather gloves and black boots. To dress in a more flamboyant costume, go to the party as one of the drag queens from the Australian film "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert."

Wear clothing that you might find in Australia, such as a cork hat, a slouch-type hat with corks attached to the brim, which is worn to keep flies away from the face. Pair the cork hat with some traditional Australian garb, such as Stubbies shorts and a singlet top. Vegemite, a paste-like condiment popular in Australia, is often spread on toasts, sandwiches and biscuits. Make a Vegemite costume by printing or drawing the Vegemite logo on a large sheet of paper; attach a string to the logo to wear it around your neck or shoulders.