How to host a 1920s party that would make the Great Gatsby's eyes water

Host a Gatsby party that will live in infamy

Vice. Decadence. Excess. Debauchery. All the essential elements of a good party. And which theme blends these essential ingredients? Disney? Too cute. Comic books? Don't make me laugh. 1920s? Now you're getting somewhere. Ah, yes. The roaring 1920's. What a time to be alive. A time of violent gangsters and scandalous flappers. A time of hedonism and excess. Boom-time. Pre-crash. And plenty of cash to splash. No other story better portrays this era than The Great Gatsby. Yes, a Gatsby theme fits your party aspirations like a glove holding a filtered cigarette. Now. How can you host a Great Gatsby themed party that would make the old boy proud? Pick up a pen and paper. It's time to make a list. great-gatsby Need a 1920s costume delivered to your mansion door? Shop for Great Gatsby costumes now.

First, find a mansion.

First item: the venue. Unless you live in a 19th-century mansion on Long Island, a true Gatsby themed party is not your typical house party. You need to go big. And you need to go bold. And you need to do it with class (well, at least for the first hour). So what kind of space is fit for a Great Gatsby party? Well, it absolutely must have:
  • A ballroom. And the bigger, the better. The town mayor will expect nothing less.
  • Spacious bathrooms with plenty of mirrors (guests will need to... powder their noses).
  • Handsome bartenders. Only perfect tens will do.
  • French champagne for guests. Served on a silver platter by a straight-faced butler.
  • Immediate access to the hors-d'oeuvre. Also served on a silver platter. Also by the butler.

And decorate to excess.

Baulking already? Do the venue requirements seem excessive? Well, I have some news for you. That's just the bare minimum. If you want a true Great Gatsby themed party, you'll need much, much more. Quick, you'll need to add these to the list:
  • A large ice sculpture in the shape of an exotic animal.
  • An actual exotic animal. Something endangered, if possible.
  • A large glass chandelier (a strong fixture to the ceiling will be highly necessary).
  • Fresh wax for the staircase bannisters.
  • Several leather briefcases of cash (Just in case you need to pay off the authorities. Or throw wads of money in the air).
Okay, I know what you're thinking by now: not all of us have an exotic animal dealer to pick up a Congolese boa constrictor. Okay, okay. Forget the exotic animals. The circus is a bit passe anyway. Let's move on. What about music then? Surely that's a simple list?

Gah! Don't forget the music!

But wait. What is 1920's music, I hear you ask? No idea. And it doesn't matter anyway. The real music of the 1920s is the sound of industry and capitalism. Hands slapping and shaking. The ruffle of bond notes. Champagne glasses clicking. The roar of laughter from a chubby gangster. Whispers of conspiracy in a dark corner. Ah! Who doesn't love a good party? Okay, okay. Yes, I hear what you're saying. We need music. Real music! How will those flappers flap without the finest jazz band in town? Fine. Get your pen ready and jot this down on your Gatsby party list. You'll need:
  • A twelve man brass band, with several members on cymbals.
  • A jazz pianist, strapped to an ivory piano levitating ten feet in the air.
  • A novelty-size gramophone.
  • A mahogany cabinet crammed with vinyl recordings of popular hits (ask your great grandmother about this).
  • Fireworks. Or at least a few sticks of TNT.
  • A Tommy gun (to be fired into the air at spontaneous intervals).
That is real 1920s music. Now, what's next? Ah, yes. Food. All that dancing will make your guests hungry.

What about the feast?!

Your guests must eat! Cocktail frankfurts between goblets of champagne simply will not suffice! There must be a feast. What is the measure of a great feast? A good yardstick is a pile of leftovers so large that the local homeless will live like royalty for a fortnight. You're a good Samaritan, after all. With that in mind, here is a suggested food list (for a guest list of 1,000. Adjust accordingly):
  • Two thousand rare beef steaks.
  • Two hundred wild quail, stuffed and fried.
  • Twenty-nine spit-roasted swine.
  • Five crates of pickled gherkins.
  • Eighteen pounds of caviar.
  • A frigate's net filled with sea critters (ever tried dolphin? Me neither!).
  • Three bathtubs of sweetened gelatin.
  • Eighty-two gallons of strong coffee and black tea.
  • Two wagons of shortbread biscuits. The ones with sugar dusted on top.
Hopefully, that will be enough for all your guests. But if you're ever in doubt, double the amount!

Well... At least the costumes will be easy.

By my calculations, this fine Gatsby party will only cost $137,659. Worth every penny. Of course, that's in 1920s dollars. Adjusting for inflation, you'll need roughly $1,514,297.18. What's that? You don't have the money?! Okay. That's fine. At least getting the 1920s costumes will be easy. How about this sexy 1920s flapper costume? Or this Coco Chanel inspired number? And there is this very classy Daisy-esque outfit, which will surely turn heads. Glitz and glam not your style? Then this omen's gangster outfit will make those heads roll instead. And for the gentlemen? Embrace your inner mobster. For those in a rush, this fast 1920s gangster costume is easy pickings. Or for those needing a bit of class, this pinstripe number or this 1920s gangster suit will suit. Bring your own Tommy gun, of course. Now you're ready to start planning your Great Gatsby themed party. Do it while we're still young, please. great-gatsby-costumes Get (almost) everything you need for your Great Gatsby themed party with Blossom Costumes. Shop for your 1920s era costumes now.