Mardi Gras has its own masquerade mask tradition, distinct from Halloween or a formal masquerade ball, with its own colors and its own practical concerns.
The traditional color code
Purple, green, and gold aren't just decorative at Mardi Gras — they're historically symbolic, dating back to the 1872 Rex parade in New Orleans: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. A mask built around some combination of the three is the most traditional choice, and it's the palette our Mardi Gras collection is built around. You don't have to use all three in one mask; even a single-color mask in one of the three reads as on-theme.
Parade vs. ball
Mardi Gras covers two very different kinds of events, and they call for different masks. If you're out at a parade for hours, standing, walking, and catching throws, comfort matters more than drama — a lightweight lace eye mask holds up better than anything heavy or elaborate. A formal Mardi Gras ball is closer to a masquerade gala, where a feather or laser-cut metal mask in the traditional colors makes more sense, since you're not on your feet outdoors all day.
Feathers are especially fitting
More than any other masquerade occasion, Mardi Gras is where feathers feel authentic rather than costume-y — the tradition is genuinely tied to elaborate plumage, especially in parade krewe costuming. Our feather masks in purple, green, and gold lean directly into this.
Pairing with a costume vs. wearing it alone
Mardi Gras is one of the few occasions where a mask is just as likely to be worn with a full costume as with regular formalwear. If you're building a full look, a bolder, more elaborate mask makes sense as the centerpiece. If you're wearing the mask over normal clothes at a parade or party, a simpler design in the traditional colors will look more deliberate than something overly ornate.