Great Gatsby party dress inspiration
For my office's annual winter party (held after Christmas), I'm on the party planning committee and this year we've settled on a Great Gatsby/1920's/speakeasy/gambling theme. Fun, right!? We're having the party at one of the historic ballrooms in The Tiffany Center, which was built in 1929 and is perfect for the theme and party.
While I have never read or seen The Great Gatsby, I know historic clothing (background from growing up with my mom's business) and I love party planning glamour! (I probably should see the movie. Oops.)
Luckily there are a TON of great resources out there for planning a Great Gatsby/20's/speakeasy themed party (I love this one with food and drink recipes from the book and some great fonts!). There have been some seeeeeeeriously gorgeous Art Deco, 1920's-ey, Great Gatsby-inspired weddings and wedding inspirations--here are 30!! Apparently the dresses in the movie are actually Prada and Brooks Brothers but from the screenshots I've seen, looks like they captured the era pretty well. So does this inspiration board.
Source: Delphine-Ephemera
But since I'm on the planning committee, I get to think about all these ideas and hopefully bring some good ones to the group! Here are some of our inspirations for decor and graphics, and my dress dilemma... have fun and hope you can help!
INVITES/GRAPHICS
I had so much fun looking for invitation ideas, most of which were wedding invites/invitation suites, or just adorable art deco prints like these and these.
Source: 100LC
We ended up downloading some 20's fonts. and making a simple black and white postcard. We sent them out this week!
DECOR
Oh, decor. It's a beautiful ballroom and has a great entryway, but we want to create a theme/scene throughout. Luckily the caterer has a ton of perfect fancy finger foods that are very appropriate for the era. Which will go well with the fancy decor, if we can swing it! We're brainstorming on how to fill the big, beautiful ballroom with a tight budget and no confetti, glitter, or helium balloons allowed. We'd love to create height on the tables, with some centerpieces or something, and just set the scene with the decor we have some control over.We obviously can't do this...
Source: GWS
Or this...
Source: 100LC
Or this...
Source: Style Unveiled
Or this...
But we will have white/black linens at the venue, and are bringing in black, white, and clear vases and candle holders. We (I) might get some gold sparkly fabric and make some table runners or squares or something, and we might spray paint some things gold (you know I love doing that). We ordered some costume jewelry pearl necklaces of different lengths, mostly long, and are thinking of draping those (and some ostrich feathers) on the tables for people to play around with and use as props for the photo booth, and dress up their costumes.
Any other easy table decor ideas?
DRESSES
Dresses, clothes... here's where I have the most control because I hope to make myself something inspired by the era! I love a reason to dress up, and it would be so cool if I could capture the look with something I made. Maybe I can even get my husband to shave one of those funny mustaches and slick his hair back. ;)
Pretty sure I need to make myself one capelets of these somehow... feathers, fur, beads...!
Daisy's early 20's robe de style dress (similar)...
Beads! Headbands! Bare arms and amazing bracelets!
Source: Warner Brothers
Unfortunately I'm not up for DIYing this much beading...
Source: Wedding Bells
Source: 100LC
Source: GWS
Or sequin-ing! Oh, if our bar would look this glamorous.. ;)
Source: SMP
But I do want to make myself something pretty! I can't decide between a short flapper dress (use a shift dress pattern?) or a longer robe de style--that might be easier, with a standard drop-waist pattern and a long skirt with flounces or made of ruffle fabric like my bachelorette party dress. My mom has reproduction and original 20's dress patterns, but I think I want to go with something that has a modern fit but just gets the vibe of the era. I have about a month! ;)
I obviously don't have too much time or money, so the perfect beading is probably out, but maybe there's some nice beaded trim and beaded fringe I could buy and add to a sparkly fabric? And the matching headband is a must!
Thoughts? Have you ever made anything like this?
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