Now 44, despite a memorable appearance as Mustafa in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the actor really only became noticed along with other members of the generation known of the “Frat Pack”, by appearing in such films as Zoolander and Old School at the start of the 2000s.

One of Will’s most popular characters is that of the lead role in Elf, where he played Buddy, an oversized “elf” on a mission from the North Pole to find his father. This character made the movie an instant Christmas classic and made elf fancy dress costumes extremely well-sought-after products.

As well as appearing in films like Stranger than Fiction and The Other Guys, the role that really stands out with fans of Will Ferrell is his star role in the 2004 comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

At the start of this current decade Will’s star appeal has led to a four episode guest appearance on the American version of The Office.

Along with his wife Sharon, who has remained in the public eye herself recently through judging roles on The X Factor and America’s Got Talent, Ozzy has always been portrayed as living life to the extreme. He may have declared himself sober now, but years of wild partying, plus drug and alcohol abuse has made the 62-year-old a much publicised figure with the world’s media.

Whether you got to see The Osbournes, and how the family lived at the beginning of the 2000s, or not, there is something quite captivating about them and their unique lifestyle.

The Birmingham-born “Prince of Darkness” may have mellowed a bit in recent years but the mention of his name still draws interest in his exploits and what he is currently up to.

If you want to dress up as this popular rock icon, then you now can with the instant Ozzy Osbourne kit, which is just perfect for fancy dress parties.

The 25-year-old diva has made a name for herself as much for her fashion sense as her music, although her success speaks for itself. Not afraid to try out new things, with extravagant outfits always at the forefront of her wardrobe, this has resonated with the youth of today who admire her quirkiness and garishness.

When it comes to fancy dress parties, there is nothing as popular as Lady Gaga at the moment. That is not to say that everyone looks the same – with a wide range of outfits to fall back on, dressing up as the star will never appear boring.

You will find there is a variety of different Lady Gaga costumes available, so you can take your pick and go for the one that best fits with your own personal dress sense and style.

Bands such as KISS and Alice Cooper were known for their theatrics, outlandish outfits and use of make-up, with the genre as popular for its wild image and partying as it was for the music being played. Epitomised by epic guitar solos and big hair, glam metal bands and other rock artists like Def Leppard, Iron Maiden and Van Halen enjoyed plenty of success.

As we reached the mid-1980s, this was when the sound started to become rawer and the image less glamorous. The Los Angeles music scene was predominant during this time as Guns N’ Roses and Metallica took centre stage in the rock arena.

This part of rock history is always remembered fondly today, with no bigger compliment being the fact that the iconic rock star costume is a favourite at most 80s themed fancy dress parties. Whether it is the chance to put on the rocker wig or play the air guitar while dressed in leopard print trousers and ripped T-shirt, who knows?

There really is no such thing as a stereotypical fancy dress party goer. Most people put a lot of effort into what outfit they will wear at the party and so this should hopefully produce an event where everybody is dressed in something different, with the party a mix of colour and outlandish costume choices.

One thing fancy dress party attendees often share though is the sense of excitement and the chance to get creative with what they will wear. Some might see it the other way round, but if you don’t have any ideas for costumes, fancy dress suppliers now offer so many different options, there is bound to be at least one thing they have which appeals to you.

Going to the party in good spirits will mean that you can have a great time, with plenty of like-minded people.

Before your friend ties the knot it is important to ensure this goes with a bang. Fortunately, there is a lot of free information available online these days to assist you with the planning process. The bride-to-be needs to be assured that everything is taken care of, so it is up to you to arrange for friends and other members of the bridal party to join you in the celebrations, whatever they may be.

When it comes to ordering your hen night accessories, you can really get creative. Here is a selection of the fancy dress items available:

Hen party L plate confetti

L plate confetti consists of lots of tiny hearts and stars along with metallic L plates to make for an excellent addition to the table preparation.

Pink balloons

Decorate the room for your friend with these hen night balloons.

Bride-to-be sash

A hen party wouldn’t be the same without the bride-to-be sporting a traditional pink sash.

The glam rock era of the 1970s combined outrageous outfits with a stage performance that was more reminiscent of theatre, with artists like Alice Cooper using a live show to shock the audience. He used props and costumes to create more of a horror movie feel and this all added to the appeal of seeing him perform.

Other artists like Queen and David Bowie wore a range of colourful outfits and used stage effects and lighting to bring more to their tours.

If you want to dress up as your rock idol or singer from your favourite band, why not consider going to a party in a Freddy Mercury outfit or Alice Cooper kit. You will be able to adopt the stage persona of your chosen icon and impress all the other guests at the fancy dress bash.

If you are hosting a BBQ gathering or party at your home this July or August then why not go the whole hog and make it a grand occasion? When the weather is hot there is nothing better than to have a fancy dress party in the garden.

For this you could decide on an apt theme, such as Hawaiian fancy dress. These cool outfits will be a popular choice with all your guests, especially with temperatures set to soar.

Despite the fact that we can’t always rely on weather predictions in Britain, Met Office figures have indicated that this summer could be one of the warmest in five years. While it might be hard to believe that we could match the Mediterranean weather here for too long, it is always good to make the most of it while it lasts.

Therefore, a vibrant Hawaiian-themed fancy dress party could be the thing to really get your friends and family excited this summer. These summer outfits are great for men and women with Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts available respectively.

At the start of last month the actor made a semi-permanent return to our screens as presenter of the clip TV show World’s Craziest Fools, which is shown on BBC3. This 10-episode series features video clips and CCTV footage of people acting as “Fools”, either accidentally or otherwise. This programme is primarily aimed at young adults, rather than the family entertainment of You’ve Been Framed.

Mr T has certainly come a long way since the 1980s, when he played his most notable roles as Clubber Lang and BA Baracus, and while he may never be able to get away from these characters, you can still say that he has had a decent career.

If you are a fan of the star, with his legendary “I pity the fool!” catchphrase, then you can now dress up as him by wearing the Mr T fancy dress kit.

As the media frenzy has followed them, from the UK premiere in London last week to the New York City red carpet event on Monday, it is all starting to dawn on actors like Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe that this is indeed the end of their obligations to everything associated with J. K. Rowling’s creation.

Fans obsessed with the boy wizard have been lapping up as much of Pottermania as they could over the past few weeks and the anticipation has now reached fever pitch. Huge interest is expected over the weekend for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 movie, with many fans looking to turn up in Harry Potter fancy dress outfits.

So far, the film has been getting positive reviews and the leading critics have generally had only nice things to say about this last instalment and the battle of Hogwarts. Therefore, don’t expect to go to the cinema over the next few weeks without spotting a sea of Harry Potters in the ticket queue.