depending on the bloco, there may be specific themes - some requiring participants to dress in accordance, such as the many ' blocos das piranhas' attended by men whom all dress as women.

another type of occasion during carnival, which welcomes its unique style of costume, is the carnival ball -  carnival balls, called bailes, were originally devised as a means of the upper class joining the celebrations and temporarily allowing them to break the norms of society.

today, they are popular throughout carnival, with their own intricate costumes, reflecting a more traditional party - bailes almost always require a certain type of costume, whether it is a medieval outfit or black-tie attire.