Being born and bred in Louisiana I feel as if Mardi Gras runs in my blood and sparkles were my first love. I’ve been catching beads since before I can remember, I’ve been in the krewes, I’ve worked for Mardi Gras costume designers, and I absolutely love anything big, bold, and sparkly. I’ve been doing this for 22-years and though I wouldn’t call myself an expert in the slightest, I promise I know a thing or two.

While Mardi Gras is a beautiful tradition filled with joy, excitement, and a whole lot of chaos, it has roots as deep as the old oaks on St. Charles.

The festivity, along with its traditions, was brought over by the French from Europe during their migration to Louisiana. The festivities began in the 1700s and were medieval celebrations of feasting before the Catholic period of Lent. It was not until the 1830s that Mardi Gras krewes and parading began.

Parade culture marked the rise of towering gowns, heavy crowns, and New Orleans “royalty”. The kings and queens of each krewe threw purple, green, and gold beads as a way to give back to the people. The crowd goers lining the roadsides wanted to be seen by the court, so the costumes grew bigger and bolder, and so did the throws.

Carnival in New Orleans allows each individual the ability to make Mardi Gras whatever they want and need it to be. Mardi Gras is a time to forget your worries and hardships and enjoy the moment. It should be a time to have fun, to be with the people you love, and to be yourself – and I personally think you cannot be your truest-self unless you are wearing an outfit you love.

These local and second-hand spots will get you carnival-ready…

Uptown Costume & Dancewear

It’s hard to miss the bright orange shop on Magazine Street with the sparkly wigs and tutus in its window, if you haven’t yet popped in your head, you’ve got to stop by Uptown Costume & Dancewear. Any local knows where to find the best assortment of wigs or last minute costumes, but Uptown Costume is the best place to shop the vibrant green, purple, and gold accessories. I personally shop here even when I’m not looking for a costume but in need of a unique statement piece or something extremely sparkly.

Miss Claudia’s Vintage Clothing and Costume

Now if you stop by Uptown Costume, you must walk down the street to Miss Claudia’s Vintage Clothing & Costume. Miss Claudia’s has vintage wear from the 60s to the 2000s, and you can find unique pieces from every decade in between. Are you looking for some sparkly sheer stockings or a beautifully beaded shawl? They’ve got both and even more than you can imagine! By the way, I heard she has some fire pink and green leopard print fur coats in store right now…

(Students can now get 10% off on gloves, tights, and drawers this Mardi Gras season!)

Century girl

Now if you are a lover of designer vintage, vibrant colors, big furs, beaded corsets, and all things stunning, you have got to go to Century Girl. This is my favorite store to just be a girl and to admire everything beautiful. They have vintage Mardi Gras krewe costumes from at least a century ago and extravagant feather headpieces to go with your costume. If not to buy, then to just window shop – you just can’t claim to be a fashion girl in New Orleans if you have not been here.

Funky monkey

Funky Monkey definitely lives up to its unique name. Located right next to a popular and student-favorite coffee shop, The Vintage, you can take a peak in before grabbing brunch with your friends. This shop has both women and men’s vintage and first hand pieces. From cool graphic tees to hot pink wigs, you’re bound to find something cool and truly funky.

(If you bring your gently used clothes & items you can get in store credit!)

Buffalo exchange

And we’re still here for the classics… If you’re like me, you’ve probably gotten so many different costume pieces and spent way too many hours at the classic and never-failing Buffalo Exchange. Buffalo is a store that you can likely find everything you are looking for, or everything you didn’t expect to be looking for. Thankfully, the locals aren’t afraid of making their own costumes and then donating them for others to repeat the cycle. There are racks and racks of handmade, hot-glue, sequinned-covered bras, tiny skirts, and stiletto pumps.

Alligator Eyes

If you are looking for a funky earring, a beautiful headpiece, or just some face glitter, Alligator Eyes has everything to fulfill your sparkle needs. This small store, located on Magazine Street right across from Romney, has handmade accessories, vintage items, and bold statement jewelry.

Big Star

Just a quick afternoon walk from campus is the tiny but mighty Big Star. If you’ve ever walked down Freret, you have likely seen their clothing rack outside. Big Star is a vintage store with pieces from every decade and every sort of style. It is a perfect place to find a unique item or accessory to add to your outfits and collection.

Mad Liberation Vintage

Now I can’t forget this gem in the Lower Garden District. Mad Liberation Vintage is the store for all of your Y2K needs. Their pieces are bold, unique, and look like they came out of a Britney Spears music video.

(If you show your student ID in store, you can get 10% off!)

Maskarade

If you find yourself in the Quarter and are searching for a locally made accessory, you need to make your way over to Maskarade. This store is stocked with one-of-a-kind masks created by a long list of talented artists. From traditional carnival masks to sequin and feather-a-fied ones, you can choose a mask for every day of carnival.

Ric Rac

And if all else fails, baby, you just gonna have to make it yourself! My personal favorite thing to say when someone complements my outfits or a certain accessory is “Oh! I actually made it.” Sometimes you just have to pick up your hot glue gun, throw a ton of sparkles on some fabric, and let your creativity run wild. Ric Rac has everything you need to create a beautiful top or an extraordinary headpiece, and all of their materials are donated and second-hand.

If you still don’t have time to shop in person, you can always turn to Depop, Etsy, Ebay, and other online second-hand platforms to find unique pieces to add to your costume box ;) And a final insider tip, if you can stick to the traditional purple, green, and gold color scheme, the locals will love you for it and your neck will be dripping with beads this Mardi Gras season.

Happy carnival season!

Love,

Taylor

Ma Cher! Mardi Gras & Shein don’t mix!

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