7 Fun Ideas for a Themed Party ...

I always want to theme the parties I throw. I love dressing up; it’s so much fun. Inevitably though, I can’t decide what kind of costume I want everyone to wear so I end up abandoning the idea altogether. The fact that other people seem to have no trouble thinking up cool, interesting themes is really frustrating and I mentally kick myself (in a ‘why didn’t I think of that’ kind of way) almost every time I get an invitation to a costume party. For those of you who, like me, struggle to find inspiration, I’ve done a survey of the best dress-up do’s I’ve been to and picked out 7 fun ideas for a themed party.

This is the theme for my best friend’s birthday and it’s going to be just amazing. She’s taken her inspiration from the recent Tim Burton movie, so her recreation of Wonderland is a sumptuous combination of decadence and quirky design. She’s planning to have something of a tea party going on, complete with real-life tasty treats, and cocktails served in teacups and saucers.

Pirate themed parties are fab. There’s so much room to play around with costume. Guys can model their look on the infamous Jack Sparrow, complete with smudgy eyeliner and bottles of rum, and girls get to wear corsets and full skirted dresses. Serve your drinks in tankards and give your guests nautical snacks: think ship’s biscuits (mini pizzas) and salty-sea dog sushi

This theme is a little bit more glam, and usually I might consider it just a teensy bit pretentious. I prefer my costume parties to be a more ‘all-out’ affairs, complete with interesting drinks and ridiculous outfits. A few years back I went to a ‘sequins and suits’ do, though, and it was super-chic and a lot of fun: think tailored tuxedo and sky-high heels ... what’s not to love?

Imagine an absolute sea of leotards, lycra and legwarmers (and that’s just the boys), a steady flow of the cheesiest old-school pop around and tray after tray of ridiculous energy shooters: that pretty much sums up the standard eighties gym party. Get hold of a few old Jane Fonda workout videos and play them on as many screens as you can manage for a really ‘authentic’ feeling.

Actually, any decade from the twentieth century could make a fantastic theme for a party, but there’s something so glamourous about that Greta Garbo look, not to mention Coco Chanel’s original, elegant style. Think strings of pearls, shingled chignons and silk stockings. Get you man into a broad shouldered suit and tilted fedora: fantastic!

This party could equally be themed ‘18th century France’ but somehow I don’t think people would quite get the idea. There may have been an awful lot wrong with the Louis the Sixteenth’s aristocracy but you’ve got to admit, they knew how to do decadence! Watch the Coppola and Kirsten Dunst movie for inspiration and make sure you include a selection of beautiful petit fours or similar as a tribute to the queen’s famous (and contentious) ‘let them eat cake’ comment.

This one’s been done and redone a million times over but it’s still such a lot of fun. Go for an absolute Roman feast: in a roomy toga, guests won’t need to worry about curbing their appetites!

Hopefully, something on this list of 7 fun ideas for a themed party will have caught your eye; if not, drop me a line with your suggestions. I’m always on the look-out for new inspiration so your ideas definitely won’t go unappreciated!

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