Masquerade parties have been around for centuries and can be traced back as far as the Roman Times. In Western society the Romans were the first ones where we actually have examples of their masks carved in stone in the open air theatres of Rome. These are the comedy tragedy figures which you still see today and go back to the 4th century BC. Venice began using masks from its earliest times but Carnival started around the 7th Century and flourished in the 14ththrough 17th Century as a festival that lasted as long as 4 months.
Nowadays we use masks for everything from weddings to graduations to fund raising masquerade balls. Going to a masquerade party for whatever reason gives you the opportunity to change your personality completely if that is what you want to do. The shy reticent young man can dress and act like Don Juan if he wants and the usually outgoing woman can masquerade as a nun if she so desires. It gives us the opportunity to choose any type of personality we would like to portray and act and dress accordingly.
It is interesting as an observer to see what your friends dress as, and it will give you a perspective of their personality that we get no other way.
Another reason the masquerade party is so darn much fun is that it gives us an opportunity to let go of our daily life and live a fantacy life for a few hours.
A perspective of masquerade parties by the owner of venicebuysmasks.com.
