In pictures: The King’s College May Ball is a fancy affair

Students at King’s College, Cambridge, were seen out and about ahead of their May Ball.

But while many fellow University of Cambridge students adopted the traditional black tie and lavish ball gowns for their balls, King’s 1,500 undergraduates plumped for some interesting – and sometimes risqué – outfits.

The fancy dress ball, known as King’s Affair, took place last Wednesday evening (19 June).

Undergraduate and King’s Affair co-chair Marielle Lee said: “This year’s King’s Affair was a true testament to the student body at King’s and Cambridge as a whole.

“The multiple facets of the event, on an unprecedented scale due to the addition of a new Back Lawn quiet space, was bound by the theme ‘Falselore’.

“We chose the theme as our way of celebrating and reclaiming the shared experience and diverse modes of storytelling, on our own terms.”

The traditional techno backdrop to the event peaked with headliners Girls Don’t Sync and Yung Singh to which, says Marielle, “all 1,800 guests were grooving from all corners of the event”.

Marielle added: “It was inspiring to see the night unfold and two years of work and planning pay off, evident through the display of costume, creativity and awestruck expressions on guests’ faces as they gazed up at the suspended five-metre moon in King’s hub, Chetwynd Court.

“Speaking on behalf of the committee, we all felt an incredible sense of pride and accomplishment watching the fruits of our labour manifest in everything from the unprecedented use of the new anti-spiking provisions we introduced, to walking in the wake of a roaming, fire-breathing dragon.

“The event was all topped off by a spectacular survivors’ photo turnout backdropped by a beautiful sunrise behind the King’s chapel and the dimmed lights of the Ferris wheel and carousel.

“Seeing the crowd below cheer as the photo countdown was taken will definitely make the highlights of a night to be remembered and a Falselore cherished.”