Cocktail party help

[Miss Vixen]

Hi Everyone,
I did a search before posting this and really didnt find what I was looking for. I am going to throw a 1950s-60s Cocktail party and I am TOTALLY clueless!! anyone have any good decorating ideas? things to serve? links to places to buy decorations? I dont really have anything so I am starting from scratch. The group that is coming is men and woman, around 8 of them. I would love to buy a bar set (ice bucket, glasses ect) besides Ebay does anyone have a favorite place to buy these? I have seen some places online that sell napkins ect but I just thought I would ask you all to see if anyone had any other ideas for me.

Thanks!!

Vix

 

[kamikat]

Do you want high-end things or kitschy disposable items? Tiki/luau was a fad in the 50s and it would be easy to do. http://www.orientaltrading.com/ has a lot of tiki/luau decorations for not much money.

 

[Solid Citizen]

TIKI/DRINK Ideas Etc.

You may want to try http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/index.php for ideas on party decor & drinks Solid Citizen

 

[ladybrettashley]

When we moved, we did a slightly 50s housewarming party. We didn't do much by way of decorations (the house kind of had that taken care of for us, anyhow), but we did try to make some good food options.

No one really ate it, but everyone loved the jello mold anyway. Honestly, i don't normally like jello sorts of things, but it was pretty good. I made little cucumber sandwiches and caprese bites (which i made up based on caprese salads/sandwiches i've had - don't know that they're very authentically 50s, but they fit the bill for cute and tasty finger food). I've got the details written out here already, if you want a bit more info on the how-to part of those things.

Also, i would recommend the Esquire Handbook for Hosts. It's written for men (there are drawings of nude women to prove it ), and is perhaps a bit before the time period you're looking at. It has some good classic cocktail, canapes and dinner recipes, and is fairly funny as well. It's from 1949, but it's been reprinted, so i got a copy off Amazon for $13 or so.

As for a bar set, i love looking on Etsy for barware, though you are unlikely to find a full set; it's more the bits and pieces to compile one yourself. As amazing as handmade Etsies are, it can really add up. If you have the time before your party, i've had great luck with Goodwill or Saver's, flea markets, yard sales and such for glassware. That route means patience, but i've gotten every piece of glassware i have that way, and most of them are styles you simply can't find anywhere new, much less for 99 cents! (Just try getting a single old-fashioned glass at a housewares store!)

 

[dhermann1]

You might check out Shorpy.com for some good pics of the era. The 50's, contrary to some peoples' image of them, were BLAND. Believe me, I was there. Longish skirts were the rage for women, and shirtwaist dresses. Men still wore ties in the evening, but sport jackets instead of suits, or a polo shirt with a sport jacket over it. The iconoc boomerang coffee table is certainly evocative. And women wore those cute little Mamie Eisenhower hats.
Having been born in 1946, I can recall every minute of that decade. The parents concentrated on Martinis above and beyond all other cocktails. Made with GIN, please! Tanqueray, as great as it is, was less common that good old Beefeaters. Second place would be Manhattans. Martini mixing was an important test of manliness. Very dry.
For women's styles, check out Patti Page, Mamie Eisenhower, the Maguire Sisters, Jink Falkenberg, Faye Emerson, Ciel Chapman. The Page Boy Flip was the hippest women's hair style, especially among the younger set.
Yes, Tiki was around, but not really super dominant.
And a porcelain black panther on top of the TV!
BTW, if you can't find a lot of snazzy stemmed Martini glasses, any nice stylish small juice glass is fine. That's the proper size of the drink, and believe me, in people's homes, many more Martinis were consumed in non stemmed glasses than in stemmed ones.

 

[Miss Vixen]

Do you want high-end things or kitschy disposable items? Tiki/luau was a fad in the 50s and it would be easy to do. http://www.orientaltrading.com/ has a lot of tiki/luau decorations for not much money.

More high end thanks for the reply!!

 

[Miss Vixen]

You may want to try http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/index.php for ideas on party decor & drinks Solid Citizen

Thank you Solid for the link

 

[Miss Vixen]

When we moved, we did a slightly 50s housewarming party. We didn't do much by way of decorations (the house kind of had that taken care of for us, anyhow), but we did try to make some good food options.

No one really ate it, but everyone loved the jello mold anyway. Honestly, i don't normally like jello sorts of things, but it was pretty good. I made little cucumber sandwiches and caprese bites (which i made up based on caprese salads/sandwiches i've had - don't know that they're very authentically 50s, but they fit the bill for cute and tasty finger food). I've got the details written out here already, if you want a bit more info on the how-to part of those things.

Also, i would recommend the Esquire Handbook for Hosts. It's written for men (there are drawings of nude women to prove it ), and is perhaps a bit before the time period you're looking at. It has some good classic cocktail, canapes and dinner recipes, and is fairly funny as well. It's from 1949, but it's been reprinted, so i got a copy off Amazon for $13 or so.

As for a bar set, i love looking on Etsy for barware, though you are unlikely to find a full set; it's more the bits and pieces to compile one yourself. As amazing as handmade Etsies are, it can really add up. If you have the time before your party, i've had great luck with Goodwill or Saver's, flea markets, yard sales and such for glassware. That route means patience, but i've gotten every piece of glassware i have that way, and most of them are styles you simply can't find anywhere new, much less for 99 cents! (Just try getting a single old-fashioned glass at a housewares store!)

Thanks for the reply!!!! great info!!!!

 

[dhermann1]

50's restaurant

I just stumbled on this image in a post card archive. It's b&w, but it really gives an accurate idea of a 50's interior., This place is decorated much the way an average American would decorate their home at the time. Takes me back!
http://www.cardcow.com/172897/the-s...walker-valley-new-york-other-new-york-cities/

 

[ClothesHorse]

For your food thoughts, I would look at:

Helen Corbitts Cookbook, or The Best from Helen Corbitts Kitchens.

I have the former- full of great 50s-esque drawing and thoughts. Lots of great food! And advice for entertaining. From the Master herself and written in the timeframe you are looking at.

All the Best,

CH