Top Seven Party Themes

 

Whether you’re organising a birthday party, an office party, a Christmas party, or just a get together with friends, having a theme always makes things a little more interesting.  Here are some great ideas for your next fancy dress event!

If you are really stuck you can get the full Costume List here.

1920′s Gangster Party



Prohibition began in 1920.  A Speakeasy or Jazz club was the only place to get a decent drink, recreate one in your home with black and white decorations and vintage art Deco posters. Provide your Guests with a Password to enter your establishment. No password, no admittance!   Have a ‘bouncer’ do a Gun check at the door.  Fill big metal tubs with ice, drinks & booze.  Maybe run an ‘illegal’ Casino and set up a gaming table.  Project a Black and white silent movie in the background.  Greet guests with some 1920’s slang and everyone will think you’re the Cat’s Meow!

Food/ Drinks:  Canapes, olives, crackers, potato chips, bread sticks, fried chicken, baked ham, Waldorf salad and  cream cheese sandwiches.  Drinks could be: Mint Julep, Coca Cola, ‘Bathutub’ gin, cocktails, whiskey and champagne.

 

Music:  Put on the vintage 20’s radio.  And don’t forget the classic Jazz tunes: The Charleston, The Black Bottom, The Lindy Hop and musicians Al Jolson, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Cotton Club, and Ragtime Band.

Games/ fun: Learn 20s dances like The Charleston and Shimmy.  Have everyone make up a 20s Gangster name for themselves.  Use 20s slang like: ‘bees knees/cat’s pyjamas’, ‘big cheese’, ‘baloney’ and  ‘going to see a man about a dog’ (buying illegal alcohol).  Stage a midnight raid by the gents from prohibition, start a conga Line.

Costume Ideas:  Flappers, Gangsters, Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel, Greta Garbo, Harry Houdini, the great Gatsby, Jean Harlow, Louis Armstrong and Mae West. Chicago, Laurel & Hardy, Marx Brothers, Rudolph Valentino.  More ideas…

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1950’s Rock n Roll




Grease back your hair and get ready to Rock n Roll.  The  1950’s were a vibrant and wholesome era, characterized by malt shops, sock hops, beatnicks, and the hula hoop.  Print out pictures of the classic 50’s cars to place on your walls.   Hang 45 records, posters with 50’s music legends such as Buddy Holly, musical notes and fuzzy dice around the walls for a hip 50’s vibe..   Decorate your home as a 50’s diner complete with jukebox, black and white checkerboard floor and roller skate waitresses.  Don’t forget to serve up malted milkshakes.  Or set up your own drive in theatre with a popcorn machine and watch Grease or Elvis movies.

Food/ Drinks: Cheeseburger and fries, bubblegum, popcorn, Milkshakes, malted milk, soda fountain, root beer floats, cherry cola. Meatloaf, and chow mien.

Music:   The mashed potato, the bop, the twist, boogie woogie blues, rock n roll and the hokey poskey.  Elvis, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino

Games & Fun :  Guess that 1950’s celebrity name, print our pictures of famous 50’s icons and guess who they are.,   Guess that price of product in the 50’s.  Ask guests to price products from the 50’s vs Todays’ prices.  Have a hula hop contest.

Costume ideas:  Clothing could be: Poodle Skirts & Pony Tails, Bobbie Socks & Sand Shoes, Leather & Slicked back hair, White t-shirts & cuffed jeans.  Don’t forget the GI’s Kharki uniforms.  Dress up as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Grease (Danny & Sandy), Jackie Kennedy, Elvis and Barbie.  More ideas…

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1970’s Funky Party




Boogie on down for a 70’s Disco Party or funky Abba night.  Make your own disco with a mirror ball twirling from the ceiling and a fog machine.  Other 70s-tastic decor could include: Brown, orange and green shades; wood veneer; Beanbags; shag rugs and 70s glassware from op shops. Borrow or get out of the cupboard a lava lamp to really set that funky feel.   For a cheeky touch set up a large glass bowl with sets of plastic keys in them reminiscent of the 70’s ‘key party’s’

Food/ Drinks: Fondue was all the rage both cheese and chocolate.  Skewer any of the following on a toothpick: cabannossi, gherkins, cocktail onions, cheese and pineapple, mini frankfurts.  Jello, French onion dip, hamburger helper, tater tots, quiche, pop tarts, rice a roni, and bundt cake.  Drinks: Koolaid, fruit wines, hawaiin punch, dacquiri’s, tom Collins, Zombies and Mai Tai’s.

Music: We are family, The Hustle, My Sharona, Benie and the Jets, Dancing Queen, Stayin alive, That’s the way I like it. Bustop. Artists David Bowie, Elvis, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Diana Ross, Eagles, The Doors, Abba, Bee Gees…..

Games/ Fun: Disco dance off aka John Travolta style.  Twister and Spin the bottle, Disco dancing competition, Biggest afro/platforms/bellbottoms competition. 70s Trivia, Play limbo!  Don’t forget to put our some pet rocks for guests to take home.

Costume ideas: Dress in Afros, flared trousers, safari suits, mini skirts and sequins for real disco feel.  Dress up as John Travolta, Star Wars, Sesame street, Twiggy, The Village people, Xanadu, Fame, Roller skates, Charlies Angels, Rocky.  More Ideas…

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1980’s Disco or Countdown Party




The ’80s were all about excess, so make your decorations dramatic and colorful. Use neon colors, animal prints or black-and-white geometric patterns. Plaster the walls with posters of quintessential ’80s pop stars like Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Prince and Madonna.  To really get in the spirit, pop in a DVD of an ’80s band’s video collection or favorite 80’s movie and have it playing, on mute, during the event.

Or maybe set up a 80’s nightclub– dark rooms with uv lighting and blue neon, decorate and serve neon colored drinks.,

Food / Drinks: Yuppies made sushi big in the ’80s, artichoke dip served in a bread bowl. Kid-friendly treats like Rice Krispies treats, frozen yogurt, Pringles, Twisties, garlic toasts, antipasto, Lollies such as Redskins, Red and Green frogs, Milk bottles andTeeth  Drinks: West Coast Coolers, Daiquiris, Blue Lagoon, Black Russians, Long Island Iced Tea, Sex on the Rocks, Screwdriver, anything with Galliano or Sambuca. Remember to serve with umbrellas!

Music:  Kylie Minogue, INXS, Duran Duran, Men At Work, Adam and the Ants, George Michael, Prince, Queen, UB40, ZZtop, 1985 Live Aid Concert, episodes of Countdown on the TV – you get the idea.

Fun & Games: Countdown Karaoke, recreate the dance moves from Thriller, ‘Who Can It Be Now’ – guess the 80’s band from their photo.  Make yourself and your guests part of the decor! Before the party, ask your guests to lend you a photo of themselves in their wildest ’80s outfit. Make enlarged copies of these photos and hang them up around the party area. During the party, your guests can guess who’s who and laugh at all the bi-level haircuts and pegged pants.

Costume Ideas:  AC/DC, Adam Ant, Beetlejuice, Billy Idol, Bon Jovi, Crocodile Dundee, Cyndi Lauper, Fame, Guns N Roses, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Miami Vice, Prince, Punk, Tina Turner, Top Gun, Karate Kid, Dynasty, Elton John, Spice girls, Michael Jackson, Wham, Prom Queen  More ideas…

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Fairytale Enchanted evening




Enter the land of make believe fun, with jeweled scepters, magic wands, and whimsical wonders — all waiting to be to be transformed into a fantasy or fairytale party.  Decorate your house as a grand castle.  Make a scroll and get a herald to announce each guest.  Cut out some knights in armour to stand guard around your walls.  Use fairylights to hang around your walls and place tea light candles on the tables to give a castle feel.  Places large candlelabras in each corner and make sure you have a big magic mirror at centre stage.  Lots of fairy tales happen in an enchanted forest.  Bring in all the pot plants you can find and cut out giant flowers and leaves from colored card.  Wrap ivy around the furniture and hide forest creatures in every corner.  You might like to have a garden arch at the front door so that the guests can walk through a magic entry to the enchanted world.

 

Food/ Drinks: Food plays an important role in fairytales.  Food can be poisoned, it can be magic, and it can lure children into a trap.  Use Gingerbread men, tea party sandwiches, cut fairy bread into little stars, make green punch for a witches brew, bowl of Jack’s magic jelly beans.  Fill a tub with water and toss in red apples and one green poisoned one.  Cakes and drinks can be labeled Eat me and Drink me like Alice in Wonderland.

Music: Disney’s Thinkerbell, Cirque du Soleil, New age music, Gothic music
A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (from Cinderella), Imagine (John Lennon), Dream On (Aerosmith), Once Upon A Dream (Snow White), Ever After, I’m a Believer-Shrek

Games/ fun: Make a miniature Story book and get guests to finish the fairytale.  Play party games with a fairytale theme such as kiss the frog( cutout), crown a princess or wand a wizard.  Organise a treasure hunt.

Costume ideas: Couples dress as Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Goldilocks and a bear, Sinlges can dress as their favorite character, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Puss in boots, Queen of hearts, Rapunzel, Alice in Wonderland and the Mad hatter. More Ideas…

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Heros & Villains




Superheros comics and movies are usually eye catching with lots of color.  Use food coloring and lollies to make your food just as colorful.  Print out superhero posters to hang on the walls.  You can also use wanted posters to capture the villains feel.  Don’t be shy about using handcuffs on any villains who show.  When you send out your invitations print them as comic book covers.  Use speech bubbles as decorations around the room.  Guests can pose next to them during the night.  It should make for some great photos from the evening.  Lines such as Bam! Pow! And Shazam!  Would be fun

Food/ Drinks: For fun label your food.  For super strength, For Xray vision and For super size. Make some hero sandwiches.  Drinks could be superman sling, Green Goblin cordial and Powerade punch.

 

Music: Play Super Hero theme music and let guest dance or practice their best Super Hero moves.

Games/ fun: Play games dividing guests into good and evil teams.   Set up a range of fun activities to test guests super abilities.  Blindfold them and get them to guess objects by using another super sense such as touch, feel or smell.  You can make a great looking “bomb” for your event. The villain can hide it and your guests have to dismantle or disarm the bomb by a certain time to save the city.

Costume ideas: Dress in spandex, with cape, gloves and mask and be your own villain or hero.  Other ideas, Jesus, Mother Teresa, Superman, Catwoman, Mary Poppins, The Devil, Hannibal Lecter, Darth Vader, Harry Potter, Batman, Buffy, Hulk, Lara Croft, Matrix, Star Wars and Astronauts.  More ideas…

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Hollywood Movie Night




Ensure your party is glamorous and use red, gold, silver and black as your color scheme.  Roll out the red carpet to your door and hire a friend to come as the paparazzi to take photos as the guests arrive.  Don’t forget to provide some fake security guards and dark sunglasses for those who don’t wish their photos to be taken.  Make invitations to look like a movie ticket to be torn by an usher.  Or send you’re a-list guests inviting them to a grand gala or opening night premier.   Have an autograph book for guests to sign.  Use movie scenes, titles of films and classic quotes to decorate your walls.  Screen some of your favorite Hollywood movies in the background.  Use director’s chairs and place stars on the floor to create a walk of fame.

Food/ Drinks:  Use fun gala style finger food.  Maybe American style hotdogs, chips, popcorn.  Movie titles could be used to dress them up.  American pie, citizen kane candy.  Desserts could be chocolate dipped strawberries, profiteroles and mini tarts.  Drinks martinis and champagne.

Music: Play Hollywood sound tracks, Oscar theme music and theme songs from famous movies.  Superman, Jaws, The Exorcist, Star Wars, Chariots of Fire etc.

Games/ fun: Give prizes for the best dressed and make them give an acceptance speech without crying.  Play cinema charades, and have the guests mime the titles of films or classic quotes from movies. Run a Hollywood stunt competition, making up a series of challenges each person has to complete.

 

Costume ideas: Dress as your favorite actor or film character.  Marilyn Monroe, Cleopatra, Dolly Parton, 1920’s flapper, Julia Roberts, Paris Hilton, Cher, fashion photographer, Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock, Hugh Heffner and Playboy Bunnies.  More ideas…

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