Abstract:
The careful representation of Fancy Dress masquerades in the Ghanaian space,
especially in Winneba, has been held in high esteem over the decades as part of
Ghana’s popular culture. Undoubtedly, the use of costume in this performative
art serves as the pillar on which masquerading hinges. Although Fancy Dress
masquerade costumes contribute greatly to the success of the performance, there
appears to be little or no empirical study on the use of costumes in this
performative art in Winneba. This study sought to explore and document the
use of Fancy Dress masquerade costumes among four masquerade clubs in
Winneba from 1958 to 2020. Using the qualitative approach and multiple
instruments (semi-structured interviews, observation and document study) to
collect data, thematic and document analytical frames were used to analyse the
data. Anchored on Goffman’s (1959) Impression Management Theory, the
findings revealed that the designing of Fancy Dress masquerade costumes is
based on the diverse inspirations of the various clubs with the use of varying
materials and the costumes characterised by various forms of aesthetics and
significance. Ultimately, the study contributes to scholarship on the use of
costumes for masquerade performances. With a treasure trove of findings, I
recommend a study be conducted on Fancy Dress masquerade costumes in other
Regions in Ghana to add to the discourse on Fancy Dress masquerade costumes.
