Rio de Janeiro Carnival 2014: 5 Things That Make a Costume Carnaval Worthy

The Rio Carnival is quickly approaching. From February 28 to March 4, many will gather in Rio de Janeiro to celebrate and compete. This festival, which dates back to 1823, is the biggest in the world. And you don't get to be that big without putting on a show. Here are five things that make a costume Carnaval ready:

1. Large Props: Those who don't limit their costumes to just what's on their body will have an extra opportunity to wow. Plus, whenever someone can pop out of something-a cake or champagne flute-they also have an element of drama.

2. A Monochromatic Outfit: Other people will choose to wear all the colors, but going the opposite way is even smarter. Picking a bright color and pairing it with a more neutral background will result in the costume popping.

3. A hard to discern theme: If you can't figure out what someone's theme is supposed to be by just a quick glance, you'll be intrigued to keep looking. That's exactly what festival participants want if they are putting so much work into their costumes.

4. Ornate headwear: Carrie Bradshaw once said the bigger heels are, the better. The same applies to headwear. People won't normally wear such extravagant pieces atop their heads, so this is the chance to really go all out.

5. Confidence: It doesn't matter how good a costume is if the person wearing it feels self-conscious. The part that makes this festival so captivating is how much people are enjoying themselves. This is definitely not the time to be a shrinking violet.