 Wang Yuanyuan cheekywang@hotmail.com WHAT better way to liven up your weekend than throwing or attending a fancy dress party. You can live out your fantasies in public, and you won’t have to feel self-conscious because everybody would be in the same boat. Whether you want to be a nurse or policewoman, this young and trendy city has many places where you can shop for costumes. But when looking for a costume, the Internet should be your first port of call. Taobao.com, the country’s largest online shopping Web site, may have everything you need at very reasonable prices. The price of a costume tends to be around 100 yuan (US$15.87) to 300 yuan, but pay attention to quality and size because some sellers may not be able to offer refunds, so it is better to confirm their credibility with previous buyers. Also, it can take three days to deliver an outfit, even longer if it is custom-made, so be organized and order it early. You may consider it a waste to spend hundreds of yuan on a costume you may only wear once. Don’t worry, you can also rent one at costume shops in Shenzhen. Dongmen in Luohu District should probably be your first port of call. There are more than 20 costume shops in the shopping area, offering a wide range of costumes from Japanese cosplay sets to Western-style fancy dress. Most of the shops are in Animation City and Lemon Street Shopping City. The average cost of renting a costume is about 100 to 200 yuan per 24 hours and you may get it cheaper after bargaining. The shops can also adjust the costumes for your size. You can also buy a costume from one of the shops, but those in good quality may cost more than 1,500 yuan. Another good place to buy costumes is Yinsheng Building in Futian District and its surrounding area. The area is associated with theatrical costumes but many shops also provide fancy dress costumes. The prices are similar to those in Dongmen. Many of the shops can tailor-make your costume, so you may get the costume that is just right for you if you pay a bit more, and to save some money you can provide your own material. If you want to buy a wig, Luohu Commercial City in Luohu District is a nice choice. There are several shops located on the third to fifth floors where you can have wigs made in all styles and colors. A wig can cost from 20 to 100 yuan, but real-hair wigs cost more than 500 yuan. Shops will also offer advice on selecting the right wig and how to look good in it. If you cannot find the costume you want in any of the city’s shops or even on Taobao.com, you don’t have to worry as you can make your own. Just get some cloth and accessories at Zhongwei Cloth Wholesale Market in Dongmen and find a tailor there to help you make that dream costume. Where to find  Luohu Commercial City Add: 25 Guangchang Road, Railway Station, Luohu District (罗湖区火车站广场路25号罗湖商业城) Metro: Luohu Station (罗湖站), Exit B Yinsheng Building Add: 1001 Hongli Road, Futian District (福田区红荔路1001号银盛大厦) Metro: Hongling Station (红岭站), Exit A Dongmen Animation City Add: Lixin Road, Dongmen, Luohu District (罗湖区东门立新路东门动漫城) Metro: Laojie Station (老街站), Exit A | 