At masquerades, attendees donned masks to disguise their identity, and often dressed in elaborate costumes.  At private events, attendees might be tasked with discovering the identity of their fellow party-goers, but at larger events,  attendees simply reveled in the chance to shed their identity, and assume that of another.  The rich might dress up (or down) as chimney sweeps or sailors, while middle class bankers and merchants could show up as nobles or clergy.  Just like the halloween costumes that we wear today,  people attending eighteenth century masquerades tried to think of humorous outfits to wear that poked fun at aspects of British society.  They might also write witty songs or poems to accompany their outfits that they would perform in front of the crowd.

Just like today, there were people back then who didn’t like fun and opposed masquerades.  They believed that the mixing of social classes was symbolic of societal decay.  Indeed, some colonists – especially in New England – made a point of celebrating that Colonial Americans did not hold masquerades.  What fun they must have been at parties.  While Colonial Americans did not throw elaborate parties like their friends and foes across the pond, they were deeply interested in British masquerades.  Well-to-do colonials had their portraits painted in masquerade costumes.  In Philadelphia, a production of Romeo and Juliet featured a masquerade dance.  Visitors to colonial cities could purchase porcelain figures in masquerade attire to decorate their dining tables or parlors.