What to Wear to a Butlins Big Weekender (Complete Guide)
What to Wear to a Butlins Big Weekender (Complete Guide)
Big Weekenders are basically a mini festival: themed nights, daytime drinks, loads of walking, and a lot of photos. This guide covers everything—what to wear in the day, what works for themed nights, how to coordinate your group, and what to pack so you’re not buying emergency tights and blister plasters from the on-site shop.
The quick outfit plan (works for most people)
If you want a simple plan that covers the whole weekend without overthinking it, do this:
Daytime / travel
- Comfy trainers
- Jeans/shorts/leggings
- Matching personalised tee (names/nicknames = great photos)
- Hoodie/jacket (it gets cold later)
Themed nights
- Tees + accessories (easy win) or full costume (headline night)
- Smiffys: wigs, glasses, hats, props
- One “full send” costume night if you want it
- Bring a backup tee for later
What to wear in the daytime
Daytime is a mix of hanging out, exploring, drinks, and wandering between venues. Comfort matters more than you think.
Daytime basics
- Comfortable trainers (you’ll do more steps than you expect)
- Layers: tee + hoodie/jacket
- Crossbody bag or bumbag
- Something you can sit in for hours
Daytime group look
- Matching personalised tees (names/nicknames)
- Same colour scheme across the group
- One shared accessory (hats/glasses) for photos
What to wear for themed nights
Big Weekenders usually include multiple themed nights. The best approach is to pick outfits that are photo-readable and wearable for hours.
Easy mode (recommended)
Base outfit + one or two strong theme accessories.
- Tees or normal clothes as the base
- Smiffys wigs, glasses, hats, props
- Swap accessories per night
Full send (best for one headline night)
Full costume for maximum impact—just choose wisely.
- Pick something breathable and dance-friendly
- Avoid fragile costumes (they won’t survive)
- Bring a backup tee for later
Group outfit ideas (that people actually wear)
If you want to avoid the group WhatsApp descending into chaos, pick one of these formats:
| Group format | Why it works | What to buy | Best link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matching personalised tees + accessories | Easy buy-in, comfy, good photos, works all weekend | Tees + theme accessories | Personalised tees |
| One hero costume + supporting cast | Big impact without forcing everyone into full costume | 1 costume + matching accessories | Smiffys |
| Same colour scheme + one shared accessory | Cheap, easy, still looks planned | Base outfit + accessory | Accessories |
| One full costume night only | Stops costume burnout | Costume + backup tee | Backup tees |
Footwear + comfort (don’t ignore this)
This is the bit everyone ignores and then regrets on night one.
Footwear rules
- Wear shoes you can stand in for hours
- Bring trainers as a backup (even if you’re dressing up)
- Blister plasters: pack them
Comfort rules
- Layers win (venues get hot, outside gets cold)
- Don’t pick outfits you can’t sit in
- Bring a “late-night” fallback tee
Packing checklist
Print this in your head. It’ll save your weekend.
Outfits
- 2–3 daytime outfits
- 1–2 themed night looks
- 1 backup personalised tee
- 1 warm layer
Essentials
- Trainers + comfy socks
- Blister plasters
- Mini sewing kit / safety pins
- Hair grips / tape (if needed)
Common mistakes (avoid these)
Going too complicated
- Overly specific costume requirements
- Outfits that are uncomfortable for hours
- Plans that rely on everyone being organised
Not having a backup
- No spare tee
- No trainers
- No plasters
FAQs
Do I need fancy dress for a Big Weekender?
You don’t need full fancy dress every night. Most people do a mix: one bigger theme night and easier looks (tees + accessories) for the rest.
What’s the easiest group outfit?
Matching personalised t-shirts with names/nicknames, plus one shared accessory (wigs/glasses/props). It’s comfortable and looks great in photos.
Where can I buy outfits for Butlins themes?
You can build outfits from normal clothes and add accessories, or shop fancy dress. Adult Weekender stocks Smiffys as our main fancy dress brand, plus personalised group tees.
Want a Butlins-ready outfit plan that actually works?
Start with matching personalised tees, then add Smiffys for the theme nights.