Stuck for a Hong Kong Sevens costume? Here are our predictions for what we’ll see in the South Stand
Our team of reporters take a guess at the most popular choices for 2018’s best dressed – from superheroes to cheerleaders
A big part of the appeal for the Hong Kong Sevens is group fancy dress and this year will be no different. Our team predict the costumes that you are most likely to see in the South Stand this weekend – and provide some last minute inspiration if you’ve left it late.
Not wanting to tar all Sevens attendees with the same brush, as some of them are probably there to watch the rugby, but experience suggests that a decent percentage of those hitting up Hong Kong Stadium are there for two things: heaps of boozing and an equally large portion of public cross-dressing. With that in mind, how can there not be a royal wedding party or two looking steadily more ragged as the day goes on? The two go hand in hand: one is a lot of posh people making a spectacle of themselves in fancy dress on a Saturday as part of one of the last hurrahs for colonialism ... and the other is the South Stand at the Sevens. For all the ginger gents, it’s not too much effort to go as Harry and a white frock will do you for Suits star Meghan Markle. Plus, much like the real nuptials (and arguably the British monarchy) there are roles for assorted hangers on too – Prince Philip anyone?
Jonathan White
It’s tough to look beyond the usual suspects for the common theme of this year’s Hong Kong Sevens costumes. Given the newspaper inches the deadly duo have garnered in recent weeks, I’d imagine we’re bound to see a glut of “Little Rocket Men” and “The Donalds”. It’s a theme that might go on and on for a few years yet, unfortunately. Away from politics, I expect we’ll see no shortage of Wonder Women and the hardiest of costume enthusiasts may stretch to Beauty and/or Beast rig-outs. Though I suspect few will fancy a furry monster outfit in the sweat box that is the Saturday South Stand.
Paul Ryding
I can vividly remember from my first Sevens in 2015 the sight of two presumably Australian chaps in custom mocked-up T-shirts listing every recent embarrassing result the England cricket team had endured in a particularly rough patch, each accompanied with the words “ENGLAND FAIL”.
Such wit is hard to contend with, but now the Poms can have their revenge at the Sevens after it turns out the Aussies are just a big bunch of cheats anyway! Be sure to bring along your Cryin’ Steve Smith face mask and cricket whites to soak up those crocodile tears, with extra sandpaper stuffed down your trousers. Note: probably best to refrain from bringing in cricket balls to tamper with – there are enough projectiles (vomit, urine) to contend with in the South Stand already without the need for some of Cameron Bancroft’s artificially engineered reverse swing. Although, it is set to be cloudy for Sevens weekend ...
Nicolas Atkin
Whether it’s perfectly crafted helmets with textured costumes or terrible cardboard cut-out masks with black morphsuits, the Sevens will undoubtedly feature a few Black Panthers in the stands.
Marvel’s first predominantly-black superhero flick is on track to surpassing Titantic (1997) as the third-biggest domestic grossing movie ever and is still going strong 11 weeks into its release. Only Avatar (2009) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) beat it, and we don’t need to go back too far to recall the Na’vis and Chewies running amok in Hong Kong Stadium.
Andrew McNicol
Kim Jong-un recently used the biggest sporting event of the year to spread his small nation’s soft power and project the image that the Hermit Kingdom is full of beautiful women all content singing the nation’s favourite songs. And so, I expect Hong Kong’s biggest sporting event to reflect the Winter Olympics and be full of North Korean cheerleaders – although drunk white men dressed in red are likely to be half as a attractive and not a bit as oppressed. Look for large groups waving small flags in unison in the name of the North. What’s more, there are likely to be a number of spandex suits as hammered expats emulate their favourite winter Olympic skiers. After donning their slalom costume they can legitimately say “it’s all downhill from here”.
Mark Agnew
