Queen of the Broome party scene

Fancy dress queen Sharon Robertson has always had a penchant for dress-up and impersonating characters.

As a child, she had "half a fancy dress shop" under her bed and outdid everyone else when it came to wearing the most creative and original costumes at parties.

Earlier this year, she dressed up as a witch for Halloween and happily tore around town shrieking and scaring children.

"Maybe I'm a big kid," she said.

"A lot of people lose it (childhood fun) as adults…I love taking people back to their childhood - it's a form of escape."

So when the opportunity arose for her to take over Broome's fancy dress shop in 2008, she jumped at the chance.

When someone enters The Party Palace, they immediately step into a weird and wonderful world of fantasy and make believe.

The shop has become a playground for Sharon's imagination and creative juices to run freely when it comes to fashioning some of the most outlandish outfits for her customers, from an eye-popping Dolly Parton ensemble to a character from Dr Seuss.

These days, the long-term Broome resident might be known for her creative mind and whimsical nature, but earlier in life, Sharon was also a bit of a party girl with a sense of adventure.

Her flirtation with spontaneity began in her early 20s, when fresh out of Sydney, the young mother-of-two along with her husband bought an old bus, converted it and embarked on a trip of a lifetime around Australia which lasted 15 years.

They went on what she describes as a "big pub crawl", visiting hotels in every town, earning their dollars by restoring pool table covers before hitting the road again.

Sharon took up other jobs including waitressing and cleaning.

The experiences seemed limitless, with the couple occasionally deciding their next destination by the toss of a coin.

They finally arrived in Broome in the early 1990s and instantly warmed to the town.

"I loved Broome, surrounded by beaches," Sharon said.

"It was a really laid-back, country lifestyle."

As a new chapter in her life began, another ended and she and her husband parted ways soon after.

While working in various roles around town, Sharon became involved in Theatre Kimberley's Worn Art event during its 14-year reign, and dabbled in creative design.

Her creative contributions included a volcanic bra, nicknamed Twin Peaks, which was built with large crates made out of polystyrene foam and battery-operated tea lights in the centre for special effect.

The next year, she embraced the show's theme of Alice in Wonderland and transformed a bra into a cup and teapot, and the skirt into a table.

She also took an outdated bridesmaid's dress and created a red and black gown designed for Lewis Carroll's wickedly dark character, the Queen of Hearts.

The outfit now has pride of place in The Party Palace and is frequently hired out by partygoers. Sharon said her time with Worn Art was nothing short of memorable.

"It was such a great experience…it was so sad when it finished up."

But Sharon's dream didn't end there.

In fact, it was just the beginning when she eagerly seized the opportunity to take over Broome's fancy dress shop in 2008.

She purchased the stock and fittings to begin with before shutting down for five months to find a permanent space.

After finding a home for her business, she renamed the shop The Party Palace.

Her ultimate dream is to win the lottery and transform The Party Palace into a one-stop party shop set inside a grand castle, complete with bookshelves and a fancy throne.

Until then, Sharon is more than happy to continue to live her dream in her humble royal abode.