Throwing a 1950s-themed party is the perfect way to bring the decade of sock hops and drive-in movies back to life. Whether you are celebrating a birthday, having a family reunion or hosting a corporate event, a retro bash can be a great way to gather your friends and family together. With the right decorations and music, you can easily recreate the look and feel of the 1950s.
In this article, you will learn how to throw a 1950s-themed party that will transport your guests back in time. From decorations and menus to costumes and music, this step-by-step guide will help you plan an unforgettable event that is sure to be the “talk of the town.” So grab your poodle skirt, put on your dancing shoes, and let the good times roll!
I’m also super eager to hear if any of you lovely readers have ideas to add to make others parties perfect. Comment at the end of the post.
Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay, Unique Vintage, RocknRomance Vintage are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Note: If the item you clicked on is no longer available, just do a search for like items. There are loads of vintage items being added to Etsy and eBay daily!
UPDATED Sept 2024
1950s Party Guide Topics (click to jump ahead):
- Party Invitations
- 1950s Decor & Theme Ideas
- Food & Drink Ideas
- Vintage Cocktails
- Party Game Ideas
- 1950s Music
- 1950s Fashion Ideas
- Where to buy 1950s Clothing
- Host a Virtual Party
Mini Guide To Holding The Ultimate 1950’s Themed Party
NOTE: When I originally created this post it was because I had planned my mother’s 60th birthday and it was a 1950’s themed party. So I may make reference to this on and off throughout the post.
The Birthday Girl!
My mom and I this past summer. I’m wearing Glamour Bunny and my mom is wearing Bettie Page.
PARTY INVITATIONS
The invites have already gone out and I designed them myself thru a company called “Vista Print”.
BUT If you don’t have an ounce of talent in your pinky finger do not fear! Here are some great sites that can help you with that:
- Retro Invites
- Zazzle
- Etsy (just type in 1950’s invites as your search OR check out my 1950s Party Theme Invites Favourites List on Etsy for items you can buy RIGHT NOW!)
- Canva -Create Your Own Fun Invites for free
- OR just type in “1950’s party invites” into your search engine and options near you I’m sure will appear.
Online Invites Only:
1950s DECOR/ THEME IDEAS
This is the REALLY fun part and you can go so many different directions.
First up make sure you check out my 1950s Party Decorations Collection on Etsy. Lots of 1950s Party Decor you can buy RIGHT NOW!
1. 1950s Diner
Many party stores carry all kinds of décor for this kind of party, so if you are looking for an easy breezy décor idea, you can’t go wrong here.
Some Online Options:
- Etsy
- Online party stores (like Party City & even Amazon ).
2. Tiki Party/ Hawaiian Party
Many moon ago, the Toronto Vintage Society used to host fun Tiki Parties in Toronto. Here is an image of a past party.
Need a tablescape idea? Here is my recent May 2024 birthday party table decor that I put together using tiki mugs I had around the home. The flowers are from a craft store and the palm leaves from Amazon. It took me 15 mins to do. You can do it too!
Do you see the pineapple vase? I created that from looking a Pinterest. Message me if you need to know how to do it.
Tiki was HUGE in the 1950’s (learn about Tiki Culture here) and it’s a another décor idea that is really easy to come by at any party store or Dollar Store. I was recently part of a Tiki party in the summer time and most of the décor came from Dollarama. So go Tiki Crazy!
Tiki mugs make great decor pieces for this theme.
3. Sock Hop/ 1950’s Dance
4 girls decorating their gym with streamers for their highschool dance. Fun 1950s Fashions!
Source: Etsy-iloveyoumorephotos
Balloons more balloons and lots of streamers is pretty much all you need for this décor idea (like the photo above is showcasing). However other items like…
- records tapped to the walls or dangling from the ceiling;
- a real Jukebox or some party stores (& online like ETSY) carry Jukebox Standees if your budget is limited.
- All of these ideas will add a little extra to the party.
Looking for some fun dances to do? Check out my post on ” Vintage Dance Crazes” for ideas.
4. 1950s Cocktail Lounge Party (think Mad Men / Marvelous Mrs Maisel Style)
Low lighting, replace some of the lamps with coloured bulbs like blue or green. Setup your bar (create a bar) with vintage cocktail wears (or vintage looking) and make it the focal point of the party.
For a more detailed description on how to make this party come to life, please check out my blog post ‘How to Host a 1950’s Cocktail/Lounge Party’.
1950s FOOD & DRINK
For the most authentic experience you need to serve 1950’s food. If you want recipes or ideas see if you can find some old 1950s cookbooks online or in used book stores, they will really help plan your menu. However if you are just stumped for time or looking thru a cookbook is foreign territory to you (like me), here is a small list of ideas:
- French Fries
- Hotdogs and Hamburgers
- Celery & Cheese whiz
- Devilled Eggs
- Pineapple upside cake
- Casserole…anything
- Jello Mold!
- Fondue
- Fruit on Skewers
- SPAM!
- Roasts
- Swedish Meatballs
- Angel Food Cake
- Pound Cake
- Fruit Cup
- Meat Pies
- TV Dinners 🙂
- Soufflé
- Grilled cheese
- Ice Cream/Banana splits
- Non-Alcoholic Drinks: Soda/pop, Milk Shakes, Root beer floats etc.
NOTE: For a more detailed post on food options see the post ‘Party Foods of the 1950’s‘ & 1950s Dessert Ideas For Your Next Party!
One last thing! Make sure you check out my Etsy collection that I update once a month with vintage cookbooks from the 1900s to 1960s avail for sale.
VINTAGE COCKTAILS
- Manhattan
- Tom Collins
- Pink Lady
- Pina Colada
- White Russian
- Dirty Martini
- Screwdriver
- Singapore Sling
- Whisky Sour
- and a Champagne Cocktail to name just a few
Having a Tiki Themed Party? Here is a fun website to help with your Tiki Drinks, The Tiki Lounge Talk.
PARTY GAMES
The list is endless of all the fun games you can do, but here are some of my suggestions and make sure you check out my blog post ‘Party Game Ideas for a 1950s Themed Party‘
- Twist
- Hula Hoop Contest
- Name that Tune
- Name that 1950s TV Show
- Bubble-gum blowing contest
- Limbo Contest
- Trivia Questions about the 1950s
- Pin the Tail on the Donkey
1950s MUSIC
This is I think the easiest piece of the puzzle to make your party a success as there are so many CD’s (& Records) out there with “Best of the 1950s” and online radio stations playing that music, all you have to do is press Play.
For an extra fun add-on to the party check out “Rockabilly music”. Enjoy!
Here is my 1950s Party Spotify Playlist I am updating on the regular (March 31st, 2022 update)!
Best songs of the 1950s (1953-1957)
1950s PARTY OUTFIT IDEAS
How to dress is totally going to depend on the 1950’s theme you are going with. If you are doing “Tiki” you are going to want your guests showing up in Hawaiian shirts, and dresses, leis etc.
If you are going with 1950’s diner, sock hop etc. then your options are pretty open to anything from circle skirts, poodle skirts, capris pants, saddle shoes to cardigans and slacks for men.
Here are some inspiration pictures to help….
Circle skirts, pencil skirts, poodle skirts, apron, a slim fitting sweater and pearls will get the job done nicely. Don’t forget the crinoline (keep it under the skirt and not peeking out).
Further Reading: Juli Lynne Charlot-The Creator of the Poodle Skirt
Add slacks or capris to the mix with a beautiful blouse.
Jeans, dress pants, cardigans, and sweaters are easy to throw together from your modern closet. Don’t forget the white socks!
Source: Fine Art America
Jeans and Bobby Sox on display.
The Teddy Boys look. Read all about them (and Teddy Girls) and their fashion style HERE.
Saddle Shoes are a must!
(For more saddle shoe photos check out my Pinterest Board HERE).
If you are doing a Cocktail Lounge party you might suggest cocktail outfits. Like Tuxedos for the guys, as seen on Frank and Bing.
And beautiful 1950s Cocktail Gowns for the women.
For further 1950s fashion inspiration for women, please visit my 1950’s Fashion Pinterest Board HERE.
WHERE TO BUY 1950S CLOTHING (updated Sept 2024)
Do you wan the Poodle Skirts & Grease look? Try out your local costume store or online stores, they always carry that fun style.
Now if you are looking for something a bit more authentic here are some (not all) of my favorite online stores:
- Etsy (for vintage or reproduction. Use search words like: 1950’s Dress, 1950’s vintage Dress/skirt)
- eBay
- Unique Vintage
- RocknRomance Vintage
- Vivien of Holloway
- Stop Staring
- Pinup Girl Clothing
- Bettie Page
- Hell Bunny
- Rosie the Rebel
- Doll Factory by Damzels (CDN)
Examples of styles on RocknRomance Vintage website (not vintage but vintage reproduction. AKA modern sizes).
Examples of vintage reproduction 1950s clothing at Unique Vintage:
Brick & Mortar Stores: In your hometown venture to your local Vintage Clothing store and ask the staff to help you. I have sometimes found that just because you don’t see it on the floor, does not mean that it does not exist. You can also get creative with modern clothes that you might already have in your closet (or can find in a store). Pencil skirt and cute blouse will work perfect every time.
Here you have it, the “Mini guide to the throwing the ultimate 1950s themed party”. I hope you got some great ideas and if you do throw a party I would LOVE to see what you did. Share your post or images.
Happy Planning!
To end, I had to share the below video because the music is just too good to not share. Add these as well to your party!
HOW TO HOST A VIRTUAL PARTY-1950S STYLE
Currently as of April 21st, 2020 we are not allowed to meet in groups for birthday parties and other celebrations. While this sucks, it is for the greater good and I understand that this needs to be done. BUT in the mean time people are celebrating milestones in their life and they want to have a bit of fun with it. I know my birthday is coming up on May 4th and I want to have a Tiki Themed party. So how do you go about this?
Host an online party & invite your friends to join in on the fun.
There are many tools you can go about to do this. You can use Zoom, Facebook Messenger Video Chat, Skype or Facetime on your iPhone (only works if everyone has iPhones). My preference as of late has been Facebook but that is only because all my friends are on there. I Skype with my parents.
Once you have decided on the tools you want to use, decide on the theme of your party. I have suggested several themes above and you can really pull them all of in the comforts of your own home. How? Here are some tips to get you thinking:
Tiki Party:
Decorate the room you are going to be video chatting in with tropical tiki decor. Ask your party guests to do the same (if they wish) in their own home. Ask everyone who is attending to dress up in Tropical/ Tiki Clothes. Make a tiki drink to enjoy (boozy or not) while chatting with your friends. Have some tropical music playing in the background (low so you can hear your guests). Put the Enchanted Tiki Room & Trader Sams “Tiki Room” window on loop. It even has music!
Virtual 1950s Cocktail Party:
Ask everyone to dress up in their best cocktail outfits and make themselves a drink (once again boozy or not). Put on some lounge music (as stated above) and dim the lights to create some ambiance. Have some finger foods on hand while chatting with guests, OR have a fondue cocktail party. If any of your friends have fondue pots, as, them to fire it up and join in on the fun.
As you can see from the ideas above you really can make your 1950s party into a virtual party. Drop me a line if you want some more ideas.
Next up! Send out a virtual invite (ecard). I mentioned some above but here is a reminder of what you can use:
Party Tip: Go with small groups, have multiple parties! One at 7pm, One at 9pm. Too many people on a call makes it’s hard to chat with others, so break up the parties. It’s your party do what you want!
So my friends, you really don’t have to fret that you can’t have an in person party. You can still make your virtual party just as fun. Enjoy!
Liz
Further Reading:
Food:
- Party Foods of the 1950’s
- 1950s Dessert Ideas For Your Next Party!
- Let’s Get Cooking: Vintage Cookbooks 1940s & 1950s
- My 1950’s Betty Crocker cookbook and a few things I have learned from good old Betty herself
- Dig That Dish-The Coolest Vintage Recipe Book Around
Party Games, Party Decor, 1950s Music, 1950s Fashion & More
- Party Game Ideas for a 1950s Themed Party
- 1950s Party Decor that you can buy right now!
- Vintage Dance Crazes
- Vintage Dance Crazes-Part 2
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