Posted by Rae Lynn on 5/31/2023 to
Party Planning
Retro 20s-90s Party Themes
Decade parties are a great way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or commemorations of an event or date. Guests love dressing up for “the look” of the period; just add nostalgic playlists, decorations, food and drink to create a memorable occasion.
And to get your creative juices flowing, we have put together a sampling of our best 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, & 90s theme party ideas. Whether you are celebrating a year, date or age, we've dug up the party-friendly highlights in trends, fads, icons, music, TV, movies, people and fashion from each decade from 1920-2000.
Roaring 20s Themes
Gangsters & Flappers Speakeasy Silent Movie Premiere Gatsby Art Deco Opulence Cotton Club | Jazz
Highlights
Prohibition of alcohol Modernization of autos Speakeasies, flappers & bootleggers Art deco style Charleston (dance) Raccoon coats, bob haircut, cloche hat, feathers, beads
Dirty 30s Themes
Golden Age of Hollywood Miniature Golf & Board Games Movie Monsters | Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy Gangsters & G-Men
Highlights
Great Depression, Dust Bowl, Hindenberg
Superman, Betty Boop, comic books Monopoly, board games Gone With the Wind, Wizard of Oz Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey Comedy teams: Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello Sleek, fitted dresses, fedoras
Fabulous 40s Themes
Military Men & Pin-up Girls Big Band, Boogie-Woogie & Zoot Suits Detective & Private Eye | Film Noir In the Navy | South Pacific
Highlights
World War II, rationing Rosie the Riveter, working women Private eyes & crime dramas Howdy Doody, Ed Sullivan Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Big band Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Fantasia Floral prints, bold make-up, bomber jackets, gloves
Nifty 50s Themes
Rock n Roll Sock Hop Soda Shops & Car Hops Tiki Luau Drive-in Movies
Highlights
Television Jet travel, Sputnik Korean War Playboy Magazine Disneyland Soda shops, jukeboxes Drive-in movies Rock & Roll, Doo Wop, Elvis I Love Lucy, Marilyn Monroe Poodle skirts, bobby socks, leather jackets, sideburns
Swingin' 60s Themes
Surfer Beach Party Breakfast at Tiffany's Flower Power | Hippie Retro 60's Cocktail Party
Highlights
Woodstock/hippie movement Civil rights Space race Vietnam War Beatlemania, Supremes Barbie, lava lamps, smiley faces Twilight Zone, Star Trek Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Andy Warhol Mini-skirts, go-go boots, beehives, bikinis, tie-dye, bell bottoms
Super 70s Themes
Studio 54 Disco Tie-Dye Hippie Rock n Roll Dance Party Rocky Horror Picture Show
Highlights
Energy crisis, imported cars Streaking, macrame 8 tracks, clock radios Bean bag chairs Black lights Shag carpet, waterbeds Saturday Night Fever, Star Wars Carpenters, Pink Floyd, Bee Gees, ABBA Bold prints, platform shoes, leisure suits, fat ties, tube tops, turtlenecks
Big 80s Themes
Video Arcade | Pac Man
Valley Girls Beach Party Glow-in-the-Dark The Official Preppy Cocktail Party
Highlights
HBO, MTV VCRs, answering machines, boomboxes, walkmans Video Arcades Rubik's Cube, Cabbage Patch dolls, Baby On Board Break-dancing, hacky-sack Madonna, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran Back to the Future, Top Gun Dallas, Miami Vice, Cheers Big hair, shoulder pads, jean jackets, legwarmers, Swatch, Wayfarers
Grungy 90s Themes
Grunge or Gangsta Graffiti Dance Party 90's TV Characters Back to the 90's
Highlights
Aerodynamic cars Beanie babies & Furby Napster, 24 hour news Rollerblades, Tickle Me Elmo AOL, pagers, Gameboy Jurassic Park, Titanic, Lion King Boy bands, Nirvana, Spice Girls, Dr. Dre Beavis & Butthead, Baywatch, Beverly Hills 90210 Overalls, flannel shirts, fanny packs, parachute pants, bleached hair & tips, scrunchies
Find more decade details for your party decorating inspiration here... 
