There’s a reason why Halloween is not only for children, but for adults too. In addition to the fun and laughs associated with dressing up, taking on a different character or persona for an evening gives people a chance to step outside themselves and create an alternate version of reality for the night.

While on the surface, it might seem odd to throw a costume party at any time throughout the year, it’s actually not such a radical idea. If you’ve delved at all into Shakespeare and other classic literature, you may have read about masquerade balls, where attendees dressed up in elaborate garb and masks, adding intrigue and mystique to the evening’s spectacle.

Centuries later, things have changed plenty, but the idea of wearing costumes make a gathering more spectacular still holds up. If you’re looking for ideas for your party, peruse the adult costumes retailers such as Wholesale Costume Club or follow one of these suggestions:

* A costume for every holiday. Make a holiday gathering more intriguing by inviting your guests to dress up in a costume consistent with the occasion. For your traditional winter holiday gathering, have your guests dress up as traditional characters like Santa or reindeer. Or make a lower profile holiday like Presidents Day more of an event by encouraging your guests to dress up as famous politicians from the past or present.

* Vegas, baby. Nothing is more entertaining than a trip to Vegas, but not everyone can afford to drop everything and head to the desert. Bring the pageantry of Sin City to your next gathering by setting up some blackjack tables and encouraging formal evening wear or celebrity impersonator costumes.

* When in Rome. If there’s one thing we know about the ancient Greek and Roman cultures, it’s that they really knew how to throw a party. In addition to offering the finest meats, fruits, cheeses and wines, encourage guests to dress to fit the theme. They’ll have options that run the gamut from elegant to mythical to sexy costumes.

Coming up with a theme for a costume party only takes a little imagination or ingenuity, as any theme you could possibly imagine can work if you do it right. There’s a reason costume parties have been around for centuries – they’re a lot of fun.