Jake PopistRegardless of your taste in literature, you may have heard about The Great Gatsby. As one of the great American novels, it has captured the flair of the 1920s, and remains one of the most popular pieces of writing to come from the U.S.
The 2013 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the titular role has only added to the novel’s popularity. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, the movie’s visuals did a marvelous job in capturing the essence of the Roaring Twenties. As polarizing as Luhrmann’s take was on the novel, it was quick to paving a way for The Great Gatsby party theme.
Today, a Great Gatsby party remains a great way to dress up in 1920s attire, to decorate your home in the colors of the decade, and to simply immerse yourself in the razzle-dazzle of the Roaring Twenties.
And it’s not that difficult to pull off either. In fact, it’s as easy as smoking a Black and Mild, which lets you enjoy the ‘20s fondness for pipe tobacco but in the form of a cigar.
If you are a movie buff looking to throw a party Jay Gatsby would be proud of, then these tips will help you put together the perfect Roaring Twenties bash.
It’s All About the Ambience
The most important rule of a Gatsby party is to transport your guests to the era it was set in. You don’t really need a time machine to do so. A few visual and sensory cues are all you need.
Send Out the Invites with the Era in Mind
A true Gatsby party deserves a 360-degree approach with the 1920s’ lens. This also applies to the invites.
Instead of sending out a text, make sure that you take the time to send physical invites. As recommended by Martha Stewart, a “swoopy Venetian script” pulls off that handwritten invite look quite easily. Here, you can define the dress code and other details for your guests.
And if you play with the senses by putting in a pipe tobacco cigar such as Black and Mild in the envelope, then it just elevates the invite like nothing else.
Put Together the Décor
Whether it is at your home or another menu, make sure that there’s a lot of gold and Art Deco themed decorations in place to bring out the romance of the 20s. If you are serving alcohol, then make a mighty display out of your champagne bottles and flutes.
Once again, since the sense of smell plays a big part in setting the ambience, lighting up some pipe tobacco cigars such as Black and Mild would help you greatly.
Choose the Music
Nothing would speak more for a Great Gatsby party like its music. Make sure you are selecting a lot of jazz, but also pay attention to the movie’s soundtrack itself.
With that, also see if you can pull any tracks from modern albums that aren’t strictly in line with Luhrmann’s magnum opus but still make the cut for the 1920s.
For instance, while you are playing Lana Del Rey’s Young and Beautiful from the movie, also pay attention to the artist’s other tracks such as Art Deco. Another non-traditional choice would be Panic! at the Disco’s Roaring 20s, which makes for a great background music for your theme.
This mix of different music styles that fit the 1920s theme would take your part to another level. From there, it is all a matter of putting your smoking jacket on and enjoying a Black and Mild, or hitting the dance floor with a glass of champagne.
Jake Popist
