Theme parties are popular, and with America's love for nostalgia, there are plenty of retro options from which to choose, including Big Band-themed parties--which take guests back to the glamorous days of the pre-World War II Golden '30s, and into the war years themselves. You can find plenty of authentic decorations in antique stores and on auction sites, while party stores have all sorts of extras you can incorporate into the them. Does this Spark an idea?
Get to Know the Era, Then Plan
Keep in mind that a Big Band-themed party is not the same as a Roaring '20s party. The Big Bands came around a decade later and stayed in vogue through World War II, up until the advent of rock 'n' roll in the middle 1950s. A good way to sample the look of the times is to visit an antique mall and look through old magazines from the late 1930s and 1940s. In fact, buy a few Life magazines from the 1940s and scatter them around on the tables.
Something Old ...
You should truly mix and match decorations for a Big Band theme party. Find what you can at flea markets, swap meets, antique stores and thrift stores; then tie it all together with balloons, ribbons and banners from a party store.
Buying old magazines and LPs from the 1940s is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to start. You can readily find old Lifes on eBay and in many antique malls, while virtually every thrift store is a motherlode of old LP and even 78 covers and actual records. Spread the magazines around the tables and tack others up on the walls, between record covers and old vinyl 78s. Swap meets also are a good source; you might even be able to find an old Bakelite radio you can put on the host table or prominently display to the side.
You also might want to pick up pictures or posters of famous faces from the 1940s, from Big Band leaders like Glenn Miller to famous Hollywood stars like Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich and Humphrey Bogart. A good source for posters is AllPosters.com.
... And Something New
Once you've stocked up on vintage memorabilia, hit the party store for ancillary decor. Pick up several bouquets of helium-filled gold and silver balloons. Many party stores carry gold balloons in the shape of letters of numbers--spell out Victory or some other slogan identified with the 1940s and put that off in a corner, so everyone in the room can see it.
Buy faux velvet and lace and drape it over tables. You might even want to bring in a TV or two and place them on a side table, with a DVD of Casablanca or another 1940s classic playing with the sound turned all the way down, just for background enjoyment.
And be sure to put together a playlist of Big Band classics--and tell guests to come in costume. The important thing to do with any theme party is to carry the theme through the entire shindig, and Big Band is certainly no exception.
Play it, Sam!
