Themes
Games
Drinks
MusicGangsters and Flappers
By: The Costume King
For boys, the life of a gangster seems like a life of luxury earned through little to no work. It's a dream life glorified by some Hollywood movies. Though it can't be denied that the life of a gangster could be a tough one, it's still the perks of that lifestyle that gets everyones attention. With the Gangsters and Flappers themed party, party hosts will be able to pull the best of the 1920's and fulfill the dreams of many grown-up boys on campus.
Setting Up
Though the term gangster refers to a far less glorified lifestyle these days, keeping your party in a much older period will lighten the mood quite a bit and give it that party feel. Set in the theme of the 1920's, your Gangsters and Flappers party should take place in a "speakeasy", where gangsters were known to frequent and hang out. These venues were typically hidden and were the few locations where alcohol was illegally served during the Prohibition
To get the mood just right, here are a few things you'll want to have:
- Supply all attendees of the party with a secret password that must be spoken to get in. This will not only kick off the mood of the theme, but also cut down on unwanted guests.
- Treat the main entrance of the party space as the Speakeasy entrance. Ask a close friend to act as the "bouncer" who guests will speak the password to.
- Decorate the party space with some old fashioned kegs (found easily on-line)
- Ask another friend to act as the bartender for the night. Speakeasies were not "self serve", so neither should your party.
- Set up an iPod or stereo with era-specific music (mostly Jazz).
Your drink menu for the evening should include:
- Beer
- Bourbon
- Whiskey
What to Wear?
Typical gangster costumes portray pinstripe suits, a shirt, tie, and a fedora. This really was standard fare for gangsters back in the day, so there's no need to step any further out of those boundaries. Pick up a plastic / replica Tommy Gun for effect.
The Flappers of the 1920's revolutionized the way women dressed, but today it just comes off as "old timey". They wore short skirts, had lower bust lines, pinned their hair up, and draped feather boas over their shoulders. Make-up came in the form of dark eyes and accentuated lips with a little blush along the cheekbone. Since Flappers were more known for their rebellious attitudes, the final touch on this costume is going to be the way the female guests carry themselves. Overconfident and seemingly excited to do all the things that were considered taboo - (sex, alcohol, and dancing to jazz).
Send Us Your Party Photos
If you've thrown a party with this theme, please email us the photos along with your consent to use your photos on our website. We will publish it here.
