Masquerade attire is one of the most elegant and intriguing costume traditions that still stands today. Whether it be a part of the fun festivities of mardi gras or a formal Masquerade ball, there's something beautiful and classy about this style. Figuring in prominently in the Broadway musical, "The phantom of the opera," the deformed Phantom who hides his scarred visage behind a mask anyway, gains entry to a high-society Parisian masquerade ball.

If holding your own modern masquerade ball, consider any number of beautiful costumes. There are costumes inspired by 18th and 19th century Parisian courtesans with elaborate hoop skirts complimented by hand-held, embellished masks or their courtly, male counterparts. For more of a fun look there are vibrantly colored masked court Jester costumes. If you're looking for something even more modern, there are several Cirque Du Soleil costumes with their own character half-masks to bridge the gap between grotesquerie and elegance.

For a mardi gras-style masquerade, there are tons of masks as simple or as decorative as you desire. Pick your own favorite color palate with sequined and feathered masks in a variety of tones, or go with the traditional mardi gras colors of emerald green, royal purple, and brilliant gold.