Bring Alive the Great Gatsby Fever in Your Party in London

1920s are often referred to as the “roaring twenties” and these revolutionary times were immortalised by Scott Fitzgerald in his iconic novel, “The Great Gatsby.” Now, with this classic novel turned into a movie, it is the best time to infuse that “Gatsby Fever” into your party in London.

The Great Gatsby is all about the opulence, the regal nature of 1920s. That is why, putting that out-of-the-world royal Gatsby touch to your shindig at venues in London for parties becomes slightly difficult. Nevertheless, it is not impossible to do that. Here is a complete guide to aid you in planning a “Gatsby” styled party in London.

Décor
1920s were the times of crime and Jazz. Extravagance was the hallmark of this period, so was flamboyance. The lavish interiors of the homes in 1920s aptly reflected this fact. You can use these ideas for imparting the classic décor of 1920s in your affair in London.

Entrance
Hang a beaded curtain at the entrance door. To increase the mystery quotient of your party, ask one of your friends standing at the doorway. Ask your visitors to spell a secret code before entering the party venue.

Furniture
Decorate your venue in London with vintage Thomas Chippendale and George Hepple white furniture would be a good idea. It would be even better if you can stock your party venue with built-in bookcases, breakfast nooks, and window seats.

Walls
Cover your walls with wallpapers with a scenic pattern. 20s were the times when the first talking movies made their entry. Pasting the pictures of those movies like “Rin Tin Tin”, “Steamboat Willie” and “The Jazz Singer” will add up to the spice.

Table Decorations
Lavishness is the epitome of this decade. So, try to incorporate that luxury in your table decorations too. Decorate your tables with expensive tablecloth. Use pearls and beads to separate the dishes on the table. If you want, you can also put fedora hats and flapper headbands on your table.

Lighting
Go for Art-deco style fixtures, such as brass wall sconces with a frosted or clear shade. Square glass tubings and square-glass shades were also quite popular in the era. For the table, use colourful stained-glass lamps with square bases.

Colours
Do not forget this aspect while decorating your walls. Give the interiors of your venue a touch of grey, white, beige, and muted blue. If you want more variations, you can opt for orange, green, and lavender.

A Speakeasy Bar
1920s were the times when the alcohol was prohibited in the public places. To counter this prohibition, bars came up with the concept of a “speakeasy” bar. It was a secret place where you could get alcohol after providing a secret password.

You can also set up a secret “speakeasy” bar at your shindig in London. Place the “speakeasy” sign over the bar and put a revolving door to spice up the things. Inside the bar, you can have a casino where you can gamble and have fun.

Costumes
Luxury, Hollywood, gangsters, and the Great Gatsby novel heavily inspired the costumes of the 1920s. Flapper dresses, extravagant suits for men dominated the scene. Select from the looks given below to perfect the 20s look.

Ideas for Men
Gangsters
Put a pinstripe suit, a band flock cap, sleek trousers and rounded off with a Tommy gun and here you are as a gangster. To amplify the “bad” pitch, you can also go for a black fedora cap and black shoes.
All the 20s costumes are easily available at vintage shops in London. You can also shop online for these costumes.

The Great Gatsby
This classic piece of literature took the world by storm in the decade and so did the charm of this novel. The lifestyle of the mysterious bootlegger (one who sells liquor illegally) Jay Gatsby became the one to imitate.

To get the Gatsby look, put on a white or cream linen suit, preferably of silk or other luxurious fabric.But remember,it is not the Gatsby look but the behaviour of Gatsby that is quite influential. An enigmatic smile on your face will work superbly well.

Movie Stars
This decade ushered in the phenomena of the “movie-stars.” Rudolph Valentino emerged as the star of the decade. For getting the “Valentino” look, go for a black suit and gaucho pants, completed with a silk handkerchief and a classic wristwatch.

Ideas for Women
Flapper dresses dominated the decade as the topmost women’s attire. Short black dresses with frills at the hemline also grabbed the eyeballs.

The Flapper Girl Look
Flapper girls were those girls who wore short dresses, flouted the conventional norms of the society,and immersed themselves into booze. The idea behind flapper dress is that it falls flat down the body with fringes at the hemline going downwards. Coupled with this, is a long pearl necklace and a cigarette holder in your hand.

Though very few shops in London now stock flapper dress, you can buy them online too.

The Distasted Socialite Look
Once again, “The Great Gatsby” advertised this look. Elegant gowns with a headband and wine vessel in the hand, the socialite look promoted luxury in every possible way. Black and cream usually dominated the colour. Long, fake eyelashes and blonde wigs complete this look.

Hairstyle and Make-up Ideas for Women
Chignon Bob is the hairstyle of this decade. So, opt for this one. As far as make up goes, an even red tone to the face will work. A red lipstick will work wonders and do not forget to keep your eyebrows as long and thin as possible.

Food Ideas
Roaring 20s were the times when alcohol was prohibited and speakeasy bars gained popularity. Classic dishes saw a rise in their popularity and gin became the beverage of the decade.

Appetizers
• Speakeasy spinach dip
• Cabbage rolls combined with ground beef and rice
• Deviled eggs

Main Course
• Barbecue sauce
• Nut loaf
• Stuffed egg
• Fried ravioli
• Crab stuffed mushroom with parmesan cheese

Desserts
• Jell-O combined with banana splits
• Rice pudding

Drinks
• Champagne punch
• Martini cocktail
• Mint julep

Music
The genre of "Jazz” came into its own in this decade. The musicians who ruled the music industry in this decade were Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Louie Armstrong, and Earl Hines. Here are some of the songs that you can put on your playlist.

• The Charleston (New Orleans Jazz Band)
• Whiteman Stomp (Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra)
• Kansas City Stomp (Jelly Roll Morton)
• Weary Blues (Louie Armstrong)

Most of the songs of the 20s are available online. If you want, you can buy them from amazon.co.uk.

The great Gatsby party is all about reliving the charm, the unparalleled charisma of the 1920s. Your party in London should equate the rush, the allure that this “roaring” decade brought with it.