Cocktail parties are one of mankind’s greatest inventions. They give people the chance to engage in light, amusing conversation and the opportunity to gracefully move on should it become dull. Combine this with the opportunity to dress stylishly and you have a beautiful thing. Having fun with retro cocktail party themes is an excellent way to bring new and old friends together, spark romances or simply enjoy a good martini. There are lots of options when planning your cocktail themed party. You can plan the party around the drinks by showcasing specific liquors or challenge your guests to create a new drink. Decorations should evoke old school elegance. Choose black, white or metallic as a color scheme. Many party supply stores stock retro cocktail accessories for that added touch or authenticity. You might wish to avoid balloons. They are not intrinsically stylish and if your guests will be smoking, the temptation to pop them might prove to be too much. Make sure to allow for a limited seating area. Nothing slows mingling down more than a couch full of people, clutching their drinks and staring silently forward. Make sitting an option only in small groups by pushing sofas against the wall or moving them out of the room entirely. Food and cocktails should always match. If you want to go completely retro, try researching hors d’oueveres recipes from the fifties and sixties. You might also place bowls of nuts or munchies throughout the room and for a real happy hour feel, you could offer ‘pub food’ appetizers such as chicken wings or dry ribs. The phrase ‘cocktail attire’ exists for a reason. Be sure to specify on your invitation that your guests dress in their swanky best. You can even match the dress code to your theme. For instance, if you are planning at traditional cocktail party, you can ask your guests to come in vintage 50’s. If you are planning a more Vegas themed gathering, you can ask your guests to wear their most extravagant kitsch. Don’t forget the simplicity of black and white. Most people have these colors in their wardrobe so it’s easy for your less than high maintenance friends to join in. Cocktail parties are a celebration of social skills. Plan your guest list to include friends with many different interests and contrasting lifestyles. Watch the cocktails pour and the complex but endlessly interesting conversational dramas unfold.