There’s nothing more fun than hosting a retro party. Why not plan your next team building event with a retro theme and enjoy the sight of your coworkers team bonding in bell-bottoms? You could also get your friends and family together for a vintage birthday celebration they won’t forget.
Here are some ideas that will help you to create a nostalgic evening filled with retro highlights.
Retro party decorations
Decorations are the key to creating a perfect vintage vibe for your retro party. For 1970s and 80s themed discos let your guests dance the night away on an LED dancefloor and don’t forget to put up a disco ball for that authentic vintage party vibe.
For a hippy 1960s retro party theme, make sure you stock up on tie-dye accessories and decorate your party space with lava lamps, one of the most iconic trends of the late 1960s.
Retro party decorations don’t stop at what your guests can see. Create a truly authentic vintage experience by diffusing scents which were popular at the time, so that your guests can enjoy the retro scents of 80s spice or 60s patchouli.
Retro party costumes
One of the most enjoyable aspects of any retro party is deciding what to wear. Your guests don’t need to buy expensive costumes online – you can find retro clothes at affordable prices if you know where to look. Avoid overpriced retro boutiques and opt instead for vintage kilo sales where you can find an entire outfit for very little money.
The look most associated with retro parties is classic bohemian which was popular during the late 60s and early 70s. Think paisley shirts, round glasses, platform shoes and of course bell-bottom jeans. If you’re not feeling the John Lennon look however, there are plenty of other retro styles to try.
For a 1960s mod look, ask your guests to dress in bomber jackets, slim-fit jeans and Chelsea boots or bowling shoes. For an alternate 70s theme, try going all out punk. Play the Sex Pistols and enjoy the sight of your friends in mohawks, safety pins and leather. Fans of the 80s and 90s won’t be able to resist neon clothes, designer-style aerobic wear or grunge.
Once your guests are dressed to the nines in vintage fashion, why not give them the opportunity to pay homage to the decade and admire themselves in a retro mirror?
Retro party food
No party would be complete without refreshments. Delight your guests with a truly vintage menu or give modern foods a retro twist, it’s up to you!
Here are some suggestions for authentic retro party food:
60s party food
- Fondue
- Prawn cocktails
- Onion dip
- Pork pies
70s party food
- Cheese and pineapple sticks
- Twiglets
- Vol-au-vents
- Devilled eggs
80s party food
- Cocktail sausages
- Club sandwiches
- Creatively flavoured crisps, including pickled onion, bacon and scampi
- Rice Krispie cakes
90s party food
- Candy bracelets
- Party rings
- Potato smileys or waffles
- Fruit winders
Ideas for retro party games
Keep your guests entertained at your vintage-themed party with retro party games. Many popular tabletop video games are iconic to the decade in which they were developed.
The glowing lights of a Tetris machine are so evocative of the 1980s and a game of Snake is a must for parties with a 70s vibe. For a 1990s themed party, it might even be time to dig your N64 out of the attic and gather everyone around for a adrenaline-fuelled game of Mario Kart, Sonic the Hedgehog or – if you’re feeling really brave! – Doom.
If you have plenty of guests and plenty of room, consider taking retro gaming to the next level by hiring vintage arcade games to challenge your guests. Return to the 80s with a Pac-Man arcade machine or complement a discoteque theme with the 1970s classic Space Invaders – you can find a retro gaming table to suit any occasion.
