80s and 90s party ideas

Decades nights are the most reliable fancy dress theme there is, because nobody has to buy a costume - a headband and the right jacket will do.

We don't sell costumes - we make cards, badges and party bits in house, printed in the UK - so nothing below is a sales pitch for an outfit.

Below: outfits for both decades, the food and drink that make it feel right, and a running order for the evening.

80s outfit ideas

• Aerobics: leotard, leg warmers, sweatband.
• Neon everything, the brighter the better.
• Shoulder pads and a power suit.
• Denim on denim with a perm.
• Rock star: leather jacket, wig, sunglasses indoors.
• Preppy: pastel jumper knotted over the shoulders.
• Punk: tartan, safety pins, backcombed hair.
• Pop icon: one glove, or a lace bow in the hair.

90s outfit ideas

• Britpop: parka, band t-shirt, round sunglasses.
• Grunge: flannel shirt tied round the waist, boots.
• Spice girls, one each across five people.
• Tracksuit and gold chains.
• Rachel from Friends: slip dress and a haircut.
• Raver: bucket hat, baggy jeans, whistle.
• Boyband: white t-shirts and frosted tips.
• School disco: shirt untucked, tie round the head.

Music and playlist

• 80s: start with Wham, Madonna, Bowie and Whitney and don't get clever.
• 90s: Oasis, Blur, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, All Saints.
• Keep the first hour mid-tempo so people can still talk.
• One karaoke block at 9pm, then straight back into the playlist.
• Build a three-hour list so it never repeats.

Retro food and drink

• Cheese and pineapple on sticks in a foil-covered melon.
• Vol-au-vents, sausage rolls and a Party Ring tower.
• Iced gems, Space Raiders, Wotsits in bowls.
• Blue punch with a ladle, plus alcopops in a bucket of ice.
• Angel Delight in glasses for pudding.
• A cake with a topper, in the theme colours.

Decorations and games

• Neon banners and a glitter ball do the whole room.
• Cassette tapes and CDs as table decoration.
• A photo corner with a banner behind it.
• Name that tune, played in ten-second clips.
• Musical statues, taken far too seriously.
• Best dance-off, judged at 9.30pm.
• Prizes for best 80s and best 90s outfit.

A running order for the night

• 7pm: doors, mid-tempo playlist, photos while everyone looks tidy.
• 7.45pm: retro buffet out, everything cold except the sausage rolls.
• 8.30pm: name that tune, then musical statues.
• 9pm: karaoke block.
• 9.30pm: cake, dance-off and costume prizes.
• 10pm: lights down and the big singalong tracks.

Shop party supplies

Decorations for the night

Banners, cake toppers and confetti that go up in ten minutes.

How to write it so it lands

• Pick one decade rather than both, unless you want two prize categories.
• Build the playlist before anything else - it carries the theme.
• Retro food is cheap; spend the money on the cake and the banner.
• Do the group photo at 7.30pm, before the karaoke.

Where to shop next

• Fancy dress ideas
• Fancy dress party themes
• How to throw a fancy dress party
• Last-minute fancy dress ideas
• Hen party fancy dress themes
• DIY fancy dress on a budget
• Fancy dress prize ideas
• Birthday party ideas
• Party supplies
• Halloween costume ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What do you wear to an 80s party?

Neon, shoulder pads, denim on denim, or aerobics gear with leg warmers and a sweatband. Almost all of it can be assembled from a wardrobe and a charity shop.

What food do you serve at a 90s party?

Cheese and pineapple sticks, vol-au-vents, sausage rolls, Party Rings, Space Raiders and a blue punch. Cold buffet food that can sit out all night.

What games work at a decades party?

Name that tune in ten-second clips, musical statues, a dance-off judged at 9.30pm, and prizes for the best outfit from each decade.