How to Host a Roaring Twenties Party
The "Roaring Twenties" is a period of American history following World War I that was marked by a freer moral climate. The 1920s, or the "Jazz Age," is known for art deco, colorful flapper and gangster outfits, "The Great Gatsby," speakeasy bars and ragtime music. All of these aspects lend themselves well to a theme party. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plan a High-Society Party
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Pattern your party's setting after the lawn parties described in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" or plan a glamorous evening shindig with music for dancing the foxtrot or tango. Even with all the more frantic flappers racing to the rhythms of ragtime, high society parties moved at a slower, more civilized pace.
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Play lawn games like croquet and badminton during a daytime Roaring Twenties party. Spread quilts on the lawn and enjoy a picnic lunch, including lemonade and finger sandwiches. Listen to soft music including jazzy piano or even a string ensemble. Dress in your tennis "whites" - long skirts for the women and light-colored pants and casual shirts for the men.
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Think Cole Porter when planning a night-time high society party. Women can wear long sequined gowns, slightly loose fitting, with a matching sequin band around their heads and big flower blossoms behind one ear. Men might wear black felt hats with white or black tuxedos. Hire a jazz combo to play and make sure you hire a torch singer.
Plan a Speak-Easy Party
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Hire a jazz combo to play big band jazz, lively music to encourage your guests to dance the jive, and then Charleston to Scott Joplin music. Include a torch singer for added fun. Music files online should be plentiful or go for compilation CDs from that era.
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Serve gin or other mixed drinks and any food you'd like, remembering to set a Prohibition tone. Champagne is always a good choice. Give your room a real "speakeasy" or casino feel with card dealers and bouncers.
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Dress like a flapper or a gangster. For women, think knee length sequin flapper dresses and sequin headbands with feathers attached and plenty of bright lipstick. Don a pageboy or bob wig. For the men, go all out with casino dealers wearing arm bands high on their arms over white shirt sleeves, or go as a gangster wearing pin stripes or a zootsuit with a big hat. You can also go Jimmy Cagney elegant in a black tuxedo and black felt hat, much like the outfit he wore in scenes from the film "The Roaring Twenties." Make sure you pack a toy gun in a shoulder holster.
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