October 17 – Wear Something Gaudy Day

Wear Something Gaudy Day is Today!

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HOW TO CELEBRATE WEAR SOMETHING GAUDY DAY STEP-BY-STEP

Wear something fun and gaudy today.
Check our Party Swizzle for decade themes.
Visit Goodwill for gaudy clothes and costumes.
Hold a gaudy clothing fashion show. What does gaudy mean?
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12/20/2024 05:37 am GMT

National Wear Something Gaudy Day, celebrated on October 17, is a lighthearted holiday that encourages people to embrace bold, flashy, and over-the-top fashion choices. Originating from the idea of stepping outside the bounds of ordinary style, this day is all about wearing bright colors, clashing patterns, and outrageous accessories to make a statement and have fun. Whether you’re sporting sequins, neon colors, or multiple layers of mismatched prints, National Wear Something Gaudy Day invites people to let loose and be unapologetically bold. It’s a fun, creative way to express individuality, break the routine, and bring a little humor and flair into everyday life.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WEAR SOMETHING GAUDY DAY

The origins of National Wear Something Gaudy Day are often traced back to the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company, where the character Larry Dallas, known for his flashy and outlandish style, introduced the idea of “wearing something gaudy.” This humorous concept took root with fans, evolving into a lighthearted holiday that celebrates self-expression through bold, mismatched, and flamboyant fashion. Over time, Wear Something Gaudy Day has grown beyond its TV origins, encouraging people each year to break from their usual style, embrace vibrant colors, and enjoy a carefree approach to fashion. Today, it’s celebrated as a playful reminder to have fun with personal style.

100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE WEAR SOMETHING GAUDY DAY

Host a Gaudy Fashion Show: Organize a runway where everyone shows off their wildest outfits, complete with funny poses and commentary.
Gaudy Costume Contest: Have a contest to see who can wear the most outrageous and clashing outfit, with prizes for the best looks.
Gaudy Photo Booth: Set up a photo booth with gaudy props like feather boas, oversized sunglasses, and sparkly hats for fun photos.
Tacky Tie Exchange: Bring the craziest ties you can find and exchange them with friends, creating a memorable collection.
Ugly Sweater Party (Off-Season): Repurpose holiday sweaters for a mid-year ugly sweater celebration, emphasizing the most colorful and loud designs.
DIY Gaudy Accessory Station: Set up a station with beads, sequins, and glitter to create DIY accessories like bracelets, pins, or headbands.
Clashing Colors Picnic: Host a picnic where everyone wears mismatched colors and patterns, adding vibrancy to an outdoor gathering.
Gaudy Karaoke Night: Sing karaoke in your loudest outfit, embracing over-the-top style while belting out favorite songs.
Mismatched Socks Game: Have a “who’s got the craziest socks” competition, encouraging everyone to show off their most garish pairs.
Gaudy Dance Party: Play upbeat music and invite friends to dance in their flashy attire, creating a fun and energetic vibe.
Neon Face Paint Workshop: Use neon and metallic face paint to create bold, unconventional designs that match the day’s theme.
Gaudy Hat Contest: Host a contest where everyone wears the most eccentric hat they can find or create, with prizes for creativity.
Color Clash Group Photoshoot: Take group photos with everyone wearing clashing patterns and colors for a lively, unforgettable snapshot.
Glitter Makeup Station: Set up a makeup station with glitter and bold colors, inviting friends to create unique, flashy looks.
Tacky Gaudy Parade: Go for a group walk or parade in your neighborhood, showing off your eye-catching outfits and spreading smiles.
Flashy Jewelry Swap: Bring in the gaudiest jewelry pieces you own and exchange them with friends, adding flair to everyone’s style.
Gaudy Potluck Party: Host a potluck where each dish is decorated with over-the-top garnishes, matching the day’s playful vibe.
Fashion Disaster Bingo: Play bingo with squares like “wearing clashing patterns” or “excessive glitter,” celebrating gaudy style.
DIY Bedazzled T-Shirts: Provide plain shirts, rhinestones, and fabric paint, letting guests design their own “wear something gaudy” attire.
Gaudy Game Night: Play classic board games in your flashiest attire, bringing extra fun and laughter to game night.
Red Carpet Paparazzi Entrance: Set up a “red carpet” entrance and snap photos of everyone arriving in their loudest outfits.
Mismatch Outfit Relay Race: Create relay teams where participants must swap pieces of their gaudy attire for a fun twist on a relay race.
Exaggerated Fashion Tips Workshop: Hold a funny “fashion class” teaching everyone how to “clash with style” and make gaudy fashion statements.
Tacky Decorating Contest: Decorate a space with colorful, over-the-top decor to match the day’s theme, making it as tacky as possible.
Gaudy Potluck Awards: Award prizes for the best, brightest, and most creatively dressed guests at the end of the party, recognizing their boldness.
Gaudy Bingo: Create bingo cards with gaudy fashion elements like “feather boa” or “animal print,” and mark off as you spot them.
Tacky Relay Race: Set up a relay where each team member has to wear and pass on a piece of gaudy clothing before the next person runs.
Fashion Police: Designate a “fashion police” to award “tickets” for the best (or worst) gaudy outfits, with prizes for ticketed participants.
Mismatch Dance Freeze: Dance in mismatched outfits and freeze when the music stops; anyone caught moving is out.
Blindfolded Gaudy Makeover: Pair up, blindfolding one person to give a “gaudy” makeover using wacky accessories.
DIY Gaudy Outfit Challenge: Divide into teams and create the most over-the-top outfits using only craft supplies and random clothes.
Pin the Gaudy Accessory: Play “Pin the Tail” with a twist, where players try to pin a gaudy accessory on a mannequin or drawing.
Guess the Gaudy Item: Place gaudy accessories in a bag, letting players feel inside and guess each item by touch.
Tacky Trivia: Play trivia with questions on famous fashion disasters or iconic gaudy moments in pop culture.
Pass the Feather Boa: Pass around a feather boa while music plays; whoever has it when the music stops must model it.
Fashion Disaster Pictionary: Draw outrageous outfit ideas in a Pictionary-style game, with teams guessing each other’s sketches.
Mismatch Outfit Musical Chairs: Play musical chairs while wearing clashing outfits, making each round even more colorful.
Gaudy Outfit Obstacle Course: Run through an obstacle course in gaudy attire, adding a hilarious twist to each movement.
Guess the Pattern: Show snippets of patterns or materials and have players guess the gaudy item or accessory they’re from.
Exaggerated Compliment Contest: Take turns giving the most exaggerated, funny compliments about each other’s outfits.
Speedy Outfit Change: See who can put together the wackiest outfit the fastest with a pile of random clothes and accessories.
Tacky Fashion Memory Game: Create a memory match game with pictures of over-the-top fashion items, matching pairs.
Runway Strut-Off: Host a runway strut-off where players walk down a makeshift runway in their best gaudy attire.
Flashy Fashion Charades: Act out famous, tacky fashion icons or moments, letting others guess who or what it is.
Who Wore It Best?: Vote on the “best-dressed” in specific categories like “Most Sequins” or “Most Colors in One Outfit.”
Extreme Mix & Match Scavenger Hunt: Find items that clash the most in colors and patterns, racing to build the tackiest look.
Gaudy Twister: Play Twister while wearing loud outfits, making the game even more hilarious with mismatched colors and patterns.
DIY Gaudy Hat Decorating: Decorate hats with as many bold accessories as possible, then model the creations.
Tacky Sock Puppet Show: Make sock puppets using colorful, mismatched socks and put on a mini puppet show.
Photo Pose Game: Strike funny, gaudy poses in different outfits, capturing the best moments with silly photos for memories.
DIY Feather Boa: Use colorful feathers and a piece of rope or ribbon to create your own gaudy feather boa.
Bedazzled Sunglasses: Glue rhinestones, glitter, or small gems to a pair of sunglasses for an eye-catching accessory.
Sequined Headband: Attach sequins and sparkly fabric to a headband for a flashy hair accessory.
Patterned T-Shirt Painting: Use fabric paint and stencils to cover a plain t-shirt with bold, clashing patterns.
Glitter Shoes: Cover an old pair of shoes in glue and glitter to make them sparkle.
Layered Necklace: String together beads, charms, and colorful pendants to make an exaggerated, layered necklace.
Pom-Pom Earrings: Make large, colorful pom-poms and attach them to earring hooks for a fun and fluffy accessory.
Gaudy Brooch: Create a brooch using buttons, gems, and fabric scraps, pinning it to your outfit for extra flair.
Clashing Print Scarf: Sew different fabric patterns together to make a scarf that’s loud and mismatched.
DIY Sequin Belt: Attach sequins to an old belt for a sparkly accessory that stands out.
Painted Denim Jacket: Use fabric paint to decorate a denim jacket with bold colors, slogans, or patterns.
Flower Crown: Make a flower crown with artificial flowers in bright, clashing colors for a whimsical look.
Studded Hat: Add metal studs or rhinestones to a hat to create a bold and flashy accessory.
Rhinestone Bracelets: Glue rhinestones onto thick bracelets for chunky, shiny jewelry.
Fringe Gloves: Sew fringe onto the edges of gloves to add a dramatic touch to your outfit.
Patchwork Tote Bag: Sew or glue fabric patches onto a tote bag, creating a gaudy, colorful pattern.
Beaded Hair Clips: Attach colorful beads or sequins to hair clips for a glitzy hairstyle.
DIY Sequin Bow Tie: Make a bow tie from sequin fabric for a sparkly addition to any outfit.
Gaudy Ankle Socks: Glue small pom-poms, lace, or sequins onto ankle socks for a fun, decorative look.
Colorful Bead Rings: Use wire and chunky beads to create oversized rings in bright, contrasting colors.
Glitter Bangles: Cover plastic or wooden bangles in glue and glitter for sparkling, stackable bracelets.
Decorative Suspenders: Add sequins, buttons, or patches to suspenders for an over-the-top look.
DIY Tassel Earrings: Make long, colorful tassels from yarn or embroidery thread and attach them to earring hooks.
Painted Sneakers: Use fabric paint to cover sneakers in wild patterns or bold colors for a gaudy twist.
Bold Pattern Arm Warmers: Cut the sleeves off a patterned shirt and decorate them with sequins for DIY arm warmers.
Rainbow Layer Cake: Bake a multi-layer cake with each layer a different bright color and cover with vibrant frosting and sprinkles.
Confetti Cupcakes: Make cupcakes filled with colorful confetti sprinkles, topped with neon frosting and glittery sprinkles.
Fruit Kebabs with Glitter: Skewer bright fruits like kiwi, pineapple, and strawberries, and sprinkle with edible glitter for extra flair.
Tie-Dye Sugar Cookies: Swirl multiple colors of icing on sugar cookies to create a tie-dye effect.
Layered Jello Cups: Create layered Jello in rainbow colors, filling clear cups for a colorful and wobbly treat.
Neon Popcorn: Toss popcorn with food coloring and melted white chocolate for a bright, colorful snack.
Glitter Donuts: Frost donuts with colorful icing and top with edible glitter for an extra sparkling effect.
Bright Veggie Platter with Hummus: Arrange vibrant veggies like bell peppers, carrots, and purple cauliflower with dyed hummus for dipping.
Colorful Candy Bark: Melt white chocolate and swirl with food coloring, topping with sprinkles and candy bits for a fun candy bark.
Unicorn Hot Chocolate: Make hot chocolate with white chocolate and add food coloring, whipped cream, and colorful marshmallows on top.
Decorated Fruit Pizza: Spread cream cheese on a sugar cookie crust and top with bright fruits like kiwi, mango, and berries.
Confetti Pancakes: Add sprinkles to pancake batter for a pop of color, and serve with whipped cream and extra sprinkles.
Polka Dot Deviled Eggs: Dye the egg whites in different colors before filling them with classic deviled egg filling.
Sparkling Lemonade: Mix lemonade with edible glitter and food coloring to create a fizzy, sparkling drink.
Striped Jello Roll-Ups: Make layered Jello in a sheet pan, then roll and slice for fun striped Jello rolls.
Mosaic Cheesecake Bars: Dye parts of the cheesecake batter in bright colors, swirling them together for a mosaic look.
Rainbow Sushi Rolls: Use colored rice and bright veggies to make sushi rolls with a colorful twist.
Brightly Frosted Pretzel Rods: Dip pretzel rods in colorful candy melts and cover with sprinkles for a fun, crunchy treat.
Layered Parfaits with Fruit and Yogurt: Layer colorful fruit and yogurt in clear cups, topping with bright granola and sprinkles.
Polka Dot Mini Quiches: Add small bits of brightly colored bell peppers to mini quiches for a fun polka dot effect.
Neon Macarons: Make macarons in bright, neon colors with contrasting fillings for a colorful twist on a classic treat.
Sparkling Watermelon Slushie: Blend watermelon with ice and top with edible glitter for a refreshing, sparkling drink.
Taco Dip with Rainbow Veggie Toppings: Spread a taco dip base and decorate the top with bright veggies like tomatoes, peppers, and corn.
Decorated Rice Krispie Treats: Shape Rice Krispie treats into fun designs and decorate with bright icing and sprinkles.
Colorful Popcorn Balls: Dye melted marshmallow mix in different colors and coat popcorn, shaping it into bright popcorn balls.