while in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries costumes consisted of fuller outfits in the style of a grand baile, in the last seventy years, with carnival taking place at the hottest time of the year, the costumes worn to the balls have become considerably skimpier.

further, with the emergence of the samba schools in the 20th century, more exotic costumes, including sequins, feathers, bows and sometimes gems have come about - currently, costumes used at carnaval bailes generally follow event-specific guidelines.

costumes for some balls may have to use only a certain combination of colors, while other balls may require a theme to be followed.