Calypso Costume Ideas

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About Calypso

A popular Caribbean-flavored genre of music, calypso is upbeat and percussion-heavy with a sound and beat similar to that of reggae. It originated in the late 1800s in Trinidad and Tobago, and like reggae, has many significant messages in its songs. Calypso singers and this music was considered a reliable way of transmitting news and information as the nation was under an oppressive British rule. Years later in the 1950s, a more commercialized, accessible version of calypso music was popularized in the United States by Harry Belafonte, best known for his rendition of the "Banana Boat Song" (Day-O).

Dressing up as Calypso

Get ready to get on the banana boat and roll up your jeans and put on a Calypso Straw Hat. Carry a bunch of bananas to get your "Day-O" on!

For a more traditional calypso costume, particularly suited to couples, there are brightly colored male and female costumes that are color-coordinated. The female Calypso costume is styled like Carmen Miranda with a turban-style headpiece and a midriff top of bright banana yellow trimmed with multi-colored ruffles at the belled sleeves. Also included is a matching yellow skirt with tiers of brightly colored ruffles.

The {Calypso men's} costume includes a pair of black pants with matching sun-colored ruffles at the hem. Also included is an open-front shirt in black trimmed with yellow, red, and orange trim down the front and a series of ruffles comprising the sleeves.

Grab your maracas and shake a pair and get this party started!!