How to Plan a Fourth of July Party, Mid-Century Style

Monday, July 4th is just around the corner and if you haven't planned your party yet, you should get started. 

What better way to celebrate America's independence than with a lavish, Mad-Men inspired, Mid-century Modern style party? Nothing says mid-summer freedom quite like finger foods, delicious cocktails, flared skirts and paper napkins.

The decor

If you've decorated your home in mid-century modern style, so much the better. If, however, it's still a work in progress, try to lay your hands on any vintage decor items, like platers, glassware, punch bowls and the like.

If you can find a few mid-century modern authentic or inspired throw cushions, you can add a touch of the era to your party area.

The outfits

If you're going to have a mid-century modern party, you really should get everyone to dress to theme.

Have some fun with it and pick a specific theme: choose a decade - the 1950s or 60s; a movie or TV series from the era - like I Love Lucy or Psycho; a favorite book like Catcher in the Rye; or a dance party in the noble tradition of 1950s dance TV shows.

Of course, you could throw a Mad Men-themed party and see just how many Don Drapers you can fit in one living room.

The food

One of the favorites of 1950s and 1960s parties were finger foods, making it super easy to snack while chatting and mingling - and also making clean-up a whole lot easier. Get era-authentic with deviled eggs, bits of hotdog on cocktail sticks, chips with various onion or bean dips and every kind of jello-based snack you can imagine.

The drinks

Anyone who watched even a couple of episodes of Mad Men knows that cocktails and scotch need to flow freely at any good mid-century party. Show off your mad mixology skills with a variety of cocktails, from Tom Collinses to Mai Tais, Old Fashioneds to Singapore Slings, Martinis to Manhattans... and don't forget the punch bowl!

The swingin' tunes

© Ron Galella Source

The finishing touch on any mid-century modern Independence Day shindig is the music and dancing. There's no shortage of 1950s compilation albums available and it's simply a matter of choosing your style.

Our choice? The Rat Pack, of course! Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr, with a little Harry Belafonte thrown in for fun..

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