By Mark Nobes and Hannah Johnson
If you're looking for a 1980s, celebrity or music themed costume idea, then keep reading! We're going to show you how to dress up as the Queen frontman and rock legend Freddie Mercury, with a choice of fancy dress costume ideas which are inspired by his iconic 80s looks.
Break Free Costume (Housewife)
Do you remember when Freddie dressed-up as a housewife in the video for I Want To Break Free? This was one of the most memorable and funniest videos from the 80s, in which the band were parodying the ITV soap Coronation Street.
For this look, you will need a pink tank top, a shiny black PVC mini skirt, black fishnet hold-up stockings, a black bob wig and a false moustache.
There are actually two ready-made costumes available which include everything needed for the look.
The one by Orion Costumes includes a black, shiny mini skirt, pink tank top, wig, moustache, clip-on earrings and a Hoover vacuum prop, which looks like the one almost everyone seemed to own in the 1980s! It comes in two sizes, medium and X-large.
The Smiffys Queen Break Free Costume does not include a vaccuum cleaner prop, but does include a dress (pink top and black skirt joined together), wig and stick-on tash. This one comes in three sizes; medium, large and extra large.
So which one should you choose? Well you will need to check the latest price of each one of you're considering your budget. The pricing is very similar, as I write, though. The fact that a vacuum cleaner is included with the Orion Costumes version makes it appear better value, and this definitely adds to the comedic value. However, the Smiffys costume is licensed and does look and feel slightly better in terms of quality, and has the Queen band logo on the skirt. It also has better sizing options.
Whichever one you go for, you will definitely be recognisable as Freddie at any 80s themed party or event. For extra effect, we suggest adding black fishnet stockings and high heel shoes.
Please not that a fake moustache is notoriously difficult to stick to the skin for any lengthy period, so if you can grow a tash then that would be a far better option.
An easy option is to pencil in a moustache using a black eye liner pencil.
If you're brave enough to wear it then you're going to get a lot of laughs at whatever party or event you're going to. If you feel you're not up to wearing women's clothes, then you may be more interested in the next option...
Wembley Stadium Costume (Yellow Jacket, White Trousers)
When Queen played live at Wembley Stadium on 12th July 1986 during theiur Magic Tour, Freddie Mercury created one of the most iconic looks of the 80s when he wore a military style, yellow buckle jacket and white trousers with a red and gold stripe down the sides. There are a number of fancy dress costumes available which suit all budgets.
There are many suppliers selling various costumes, but the vest value and best-rated is the one above by Smiffy's. It is also available in a XL size, which is ideal for covering my beer belly!
You can also buy just the jacket. These are pretty expensive but the quality is superior to the one included in a full costume and has premium stitching. The jacket is, no doubt, the main focus of the costume, so you may want to splash out on a decent one if you're planning to wear it many times.
Our first choice is the most expensive option, but is of a superior quality to the other fancy dress options. This is a proper military style, yellow faux leather cosplay jacket with an inner lining, metal buckles and shoulder straps, and it comes with optional white Freddie Mercury trousers with red and gold side stripes. This is a really decent looking jacket, and if you really want to impress and you have the budget, then this is the best choice.
This costume by Fun Shack is the most popular Freddie Mercury costume on our Men's 80s Fancy Dress page, and highly rated by customers. Included is the yellow jacket and white trousers with stripes. This is a very decent option for the price.
You will definitely want to consider this similar outfit which is the best value option. It's substantially cheaper than either of the previous options and also includes both the jacket and trousers.
The Large Costume and Medium Costume are sold on separate listings on Amazon.co.uk, and may have different suppliers, so it would be wise to check the supplier feedbackrating before ordering.
The cheapest of all the costumes featured on this page is this one, although you will only receive the jacket. However, it has metal buckles, although the material feels quite plasticky, but for the price asked it's a nice choice. If you have a pair of white trousers to hand, then this could be a worthwhile and budget-friendly option.
To complete your look you'll need to grow or buy a tash, as it isn't included. Freddie without a tash is like a beer with no head - it just doesn't look right! The most cost-effective option is actually to buy a pack of 12. That's not a bad idea as you can play around with the six different styles to see which one looks best.
Whichever option you may go for, there's no doubt that Freddie Mercury was a legend, and a Freddie fancy dress costume is, of course, ideal for 80s or rock star themed parties and events - there surely can't be a soul who can't guess who you've come as, can there?
