ICG Guidelines: Ensuring Fair Competition

Adopted May 24, 1992
Amended February 21, 1994
Amended May 26, 2006
Amended January 20, 2010
Amended April 25, 2021

Mission

The members of the International Costumers Guild, Inc. (ICG) have developed these Guidelines to promote fairness and equity in Masquerade competition and judging. The ICG Guidelines are rooted in decades of our members’ experience as costumed participants, judges, producers, and directors of such competitions. We hope these Guidelines will help make both novice and accomplished costumers’ experiences with Masquerade competition and costuming more comfortable and enjoyable.

Context

The purpose of these Guidelines is to assist Masquerade Directors in writing and implementing rules to ensure fair competition in the Masquerades they run, and to provide a resource for ensuring that all aspects of a successful Masquerade are covered. These Guidelines have been developed to serve international^* Masquerade competitions, but they may be adapted and applied when writing rules for any costume competition at any convention.

While Masquerade Directors are our intended primary audience, any participant (costumer, crew member, or judge) in any Masquerade can benefit from reading and following these Guidelines.

^*Any competition that draws both entrants and audience from outside the host country can be considered an international competition.

About the 2021 Edition

The 2021 edition of the Guidelines has been greatly revised and expanded. For convenient off-line access, download a PDF version of the Guidelines here.