Barbie is helping to banish the boredom as Britain's most popular fancy dress costume.

With half of Brits struggling with boredom, getting into silly outfits is a sure-fire way to lift the spirits – that is according to new research.

And the pink doll outfit from the Hollywood blockbuster is our No.1 dressing up choice, followed by Batman and Cinderella.

TV personality Charlotte Dawson hit the streets of Stoke-on-Trent this week, identified as the UK’s most bored city, to bring the power of fancy dress to the high street and lift the spirits.Donning whoopie cushion, traffic cone and banana outfits, Charlotte rallied up the local shoppers and turned heads in her hilarious costumes.

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But behind the fun is some serious research; Brits are crying out for a little bit of fun in their lives and bizarrely, fancy dress has been hailed as one of the best ways to do it, with more than two-thirds of the nation (67%) saying it’s a sure-fire way to help them beat boredom.

When it comes to fancy dress, the British reserve goes out of the window as it helps people feel more confident and less awkward, and more likely to strike up conversations with strangers.

The research from Butlin’s Big Weekenders. also highlighted the average Brit dons fancy dress at least once a year, while almost one in 10 (9%) play dress up four or more times throughout the year, proving it’s not just for Halloween.

“I had a lot of fun getting onto the high street in Stoke and showing how fun, silly and carefree fancy dress can be,” said Charlotte.

The top 3 Fancy Dress Costumes for 2024

Barbie

Batman

Cinderella

Butlin’s is offering one lucky Brit the chance to win their own ultimate, all expenses paid Big Weekenders trip. For full competition details and to enter visit here