Saturday Night Fright

A seventies fashion fest. Think John Travolta in his white pantsuit. Ask your friends to keep the disco fever burning by dusting off their trusty old platform shoes and muumuus and groove to the beat of the afro ‘Do.

Some costume suggestions include flared trousers, bell bottoms, sideburns, Zapata moustaches, big collars, Old Spice and trouser suits for men, and Motown glamour for women in full length maxi dresses or evening trousers or glamorous halter neck catsuits. Wear Afro wigs, which by the way, the bigger the better. Hold it in place with equally large sunglasses.

Or guests could come as their preferred 70s icon. Alice Cooper without the headless chicken, Farrah Faucet, Lee Majors, Margaret Thatcher and Richard Nixon wouldn’t mind. Make a game about who can guess who people are dressed up as the most, and give out lots of prizes!

Deck out your crib, Studio 54 style. Make sure there is a LOT of gaudy color all around the room. For cheap wall décor that’s also very true to the 70s, hang knit ponchos or knitted colorful quilts. Make sure you have enough pictures of Cher and Bono, or even just vintage magazines from the 70’s. Arrange really cool and unusual platform shoes along the door so guests could try them out during the party.

Hang an enormous mirror disco ball in the middle of the room while guests boogie to the sounds of The Jackson Five, The Osmonds and The Village People. Teach younger guests how to do the California Hustle and make sure you make enough space in the room for the Night Fever Line Hustle. Set up a turntable in one corner of the room and watch as people get re-acquainted with the Bee Gees or even Rick Dees!

Pin up movie posters on the wall. People will never get enough of ABBA the Movie, Airport ’75, The Blazing Saddles, or even T.V. shows like Charlie’s Angels, Chips, and The Six Million Dollar Man. Replay old TV sitcoms and movies on your television and thrill the moviephiles among your guests. Better yet, show them old SOUL Train episodes from the 70s and let your guests get their groove on!

Set up your buffet table to accommodate an army of canapés. You can use a knit afghan with bright colors as your tablecloth. Prepare Deviled Eggs, Cocktail Weenies served w/ tooth pick and a dipping sauce, Fruit Platters, make balls out of various melons, served in a carved watermelon and meat n’ cheese fondue. Salad bars were big in the 70s, it was all about choices. Take a few bowls and fill them with whatever you have, Lettuce, tomatoes, Alfalfa Sprouts and Bean Sprouts, Sunflower seeds and Avocado. If you can find them in grocery stores, try to serve Fanta, Cold Duck Champagne and Blue Nun.

As party favors, give out homemade Flower Power or happy face metal pin badges. Your guests will love you for taking them down memory lane one more time.