We carry lots of great decorations, budget priced centerpieces, tableware, favors and more in our retro theme store and here are a few extra tips for pulling your funky look together for the biggest impact. Most will work whether your party location is in a basement, a kitchen, a school gymnasium, or a country club.
We offer a couple of complete decorating kits that make your decorating simple but impressive! For a psychedelic colorful atmosphere, go with a These Are The Times Decorating Kit. For a sweeter flower power look, try the Retro Romance Kit.
To create an authentic psychedelic 60’s or disco 70’s mood, start with a few light fixtures. We carry a wide variety of awesome fixtures including a table top mirror ball, zenon strobe light and a rotating futura light. A mirror ball is a retro party must-have! Good lighting for a retro party takes care of a good portion of your decorating needs. These light fixtures will never go out of style, and are a great investment!
Add giant flowers and retro cutouts to your walls and hang from the ceilings to create a funkadelic atmosphere at an economical price.
Create a focal point near your food table or dance floor with a lighted peace sign.
Divide your party into two areas. Have one designated as your disco area, and the other designated as your food area. Use a living room, family room, basement, or even garage as the dance floor. The disco area should be dimly lit, and your food area can be well lit, for guests wanting a break from the action. Hang metallic curtains in the doorways.
Never underestimate the power of decorating with balloons, as they can transform any size room into a cozy space in minutes at a very low cost. You need not use helium, and will save money using this tip. Inflate neon balloons and tie a 5-8 foot piece of silver curling ribbon to the end of each one. Using scotch tape, masking tape, or straight pins, hang balloons down from the ceiling so they hang at different lengths. Curl the loose end of the ribbon with scissors. Mix in a few Smiley Face Balloons for a totally keen look.
Sprinkle sparkle powder on the dance floor (not recommended on carpets), and on guests hair for a dazzling effect.
If you are decorating a large area, garage, or sparsely decorated basement, drape our orange, yellow or lavender gossamer across ceilings or walls. Twist two or three colors together for a spectacular look. Check out tie-dye gossamer as well.
Table Decorations and Napkins:
Setting a table with the party ware, including the tablecloth, cups, plates, napkins and cutlery is the fastest way to create a focal point in a room. Start by setting your table, including setting a placesetting at the table for each guest. Setting the table with all the tableware creates a much more dazzling effect.
Add one or a few of the following touches to personalize your table:
Place one Giant Groovy Time Flower under each plate as a “placemat.”
Display your cake in the center of the table…the guests will love the close up view!
For an original touch on your party table, use a pink paint pen to draw random dots or squiggles on the handles of clear plastic cutlery. Tie the plastic flatware together with curling ribbon or gossamer streamers…big impact at a little price!
For an original touch on your retro party table, cover it with our retro daisy gossamer. This makes such a huge impact that little else is needed on the table to create a truly groovy setting!
Go back in time even with your centerpiece choice. A Retro Romance Centerpiece is the perfect option for a cheery table!
Offer personalized napkins that complement your theme. There’s a large selection of dinner, luncheon and beverage napkins in an impressive palette of 20 colors. We also offer a wide range of ink colors, as well as a metallic foil, holographic foil, prismatic foil or a traditional ink imprint.
Napkins can be laid out on a buffet table, or can be displayed at each place setting. Place napkins in the center of each place setting at an angle, or unfold them and place them in glasses for a tall dramatic look. The napkins can also be tied (and bundled with plastic cutlery) with a multitude of items to match your theme. Try curling ribbon, gossamer streamers, ric-rac or ribbon. You can imprint your napkins with a special design from our selection or, for an additional charge, you can send us your own special design.
Check out the rest of our retro party tips for more ideas!
Creating a birthday cake for a Smiley Face, 60’s or 70’s themed party is truly easy. 
Pet rocks, mood rings, VW Bugs, tube tops, wedgies (AKA platform shoes) . . . the 60’s and 70’s were funkadelic groovin’ times! Whether you survived them the first time around, or are just trying to experience a little of the magic, look no further! With the return of all things retro, this theme is increasingly popular.
Here are some totally groovy games and activities that will work for many different age groups. Relax, get funky, and enjoy a few of these at your next Retro party!
