1920s Themed Party Ideas - Summer Party Tips

"I love to read and turn to good books for ideas and inspiration all the time. The joyful decadence of the parties of the 1920s, like those in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Beautiful and Damned are everything. It's poetic, romantic, and tragic all at once, and you can't help but become immersed in the

1

Novel Inspiration

Photograph, Green, Yellow, Snapshot, Photography, Ceremony, Dress, Wedding, Bride, Vehicle, Ben Lozovsky/Simon & Schuster U.K.

"I love to read and turn to good books for ideas and inspiration all the time. The joyful decadence of the parties of the 1920s, like those in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Beautiful and Damned are everything. It's poetic, romantic, and tragic all at once, and you can't help but become immersed in the glamour and lifestyle of the time."

The Beautiful and Damned, $8, amazon.com.

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2

Fitzgerald-Inspired Cocktails

Drink, Alcoholic beverage, Distilled beverage, Liqueur, Bottle, Cocktail, Alcohol, Glass bottle, Liquid, Ben Lozovsky

"I love to serve cocktails that feel old-fashioned with a modern-twist. St-Germain Elderflower liqueur is great for summer, and is incredibly versatile for easy at-home mixing with any base spirit. Personally, I love St-Germain and Champagne, so for my signature Maison St-Germain cocktail, we decided to elevate the combination by adding a touch of bitterness. It’s amber colored and topped with gold dust."

3

Floral Frenzy

Flower, Plant, Garden, Botanical garden, Grass, Tree, Floristry, Delphinium, Floral design, Shrub, Ben Lozovsky

"The floral creations from flower artist Brittany Asch of BRRCH are so creative and outside of the norm. I was excited to see how she would work with the surrealist theme for the party, and she did not disappoint. She fashioned vignettes throughout the space with a gorgeous, strange, and avant-garde touch."

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4

DJ Spin

Electronics, Disc jockey, Purple, Deejay, Nightclub, Party, Disco, Music venue, Performance, Leisure, Ben Lozovsky

"Having a DJ set by one of your closest friends always takes the party to another level. Andrew VanWyngarden is the greatest and had guests dancing all night long."

5

Surrealist Bites

Cage, Branch, Bird feeder, Flower, Plant, Table, Bird supply, Twig, Fashion accessory, Blossom, Ben Lozovsky

"We used a Dali cookbook to inspire surrealist bites for the night. It's truly one of the strangest, most amusing, gorgeous books I’ve seen in a while, and was so fun to bring some of it to life."

Dalí: Les Dîners de Gala, $41, amazon.com.

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6

Party Attire

Clothing, Fashion, Purple, Fashion design, Event, Black hair, Dress, Footwear, Party, Magenta, Ben Lozovsky

"I think floral dresses are pretty much always appropriate in summer. I love the idea of an easy caftan, short or long for a host. You can serve and cook and run around barefoot and be very comfortable. Same goes for a slip dress—you just can't go wrong. For guests, I’m obsessed with this new line La DoubleJ. The prints are really fun and the shapes are flattering and classic."

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7

Get the Look

Clothing, Day dress, Dress, Pattern, Polka dot, Pink, Design, Pattern, Peach, Neck, Courtesy8

Elements of Surprise

Pink, Photograph, Purple, Photography, Fun, Architecture, Tree, Event, Recreation, Plant, Ben Lozovsky

"It was our hope to show guests something unexpected. People were invited to forage their own paths through the grounds of The Battery Gardens as layers of St-Germain’s charming tale were unveiled."

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Photo Op

Botany, Shrub, Garden, Fun, Grass, Tree, Photography, Plant, Leisure, Floral design, Ben Lozovsky

"So much of our experience relates to the images we take on our phones now. I wanted to make vignettes that were unexpected and exciting, and give guests photos unlike anything they've ever taken."

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10

Set the Scene

Yellow, Collage, Plant, Textile, Flower, Photography, Rose, Rose family, Floral design, Style, Getty/Ben Lozovsky

"Mood boards are the perfect way to get all of your ideas in one place so you can really envision the end result. Marla Weinhoff has made a lot of my fantasy come to life."

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Party Favors

Drink, Highball glass, Gin and tonic, Alcoholic beverage, Distilled beverage, Glass, Lemonsoda, French 75, Highball, Non-alcoholic beverage, Courtesy St-Germain

"The St-Germain carafe is a great gift because it’s an excellent vase and super elegant for mixing cocktails for a party."

St-Germain carafe, $12, shop.stgermain.fr.

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Headshot of Lauren Sheffield

Lauren Sheffield is the Content Strategy Manager at HarpersBAZAAR.com. In addition to keeping Bazaar's Facebook and Twitter feeds updated with the latest stories, she also contributes to food, interior and travel coverage on the site. When she's not in a social media hole, you can find her in search of a new food spot, trying to perfect a cocktail recipe, or booking her next trip.  

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