Retro Party Supplies: Decorations for a Decade Party

Retro party supplies

A decade party is made by the playlist, the food and two or three details people recognise. It is not made by buying a box of themed plastic that goes in the bin at midnight. This page has the decorations we actually stock, and the plan for making a 70s, 80s or 90s party feel right without spending much.

Everything shown is in stock and posted from the UK. We don't sell themed costume kits or retro props, so the advice below tells you where those are worth getting and where they aren't.

How to theme a decade party properly

• Colour first. Seventies: orange, brown and mustard. Eighties: hot pink, turquoise and black. Nineties: primary colours and clashing brights.
• Playlist second, and make it the year they turned eighteen rather than the year they were born.
• Food third. Party rings, cheese and pineapple on sticks, sausage rolls, a trifle. It costs nothing and gets more comment than any decoration.
• Two props are plenty. A record player in the corner or a stack of old annuals on the table does more than a themed banner.
• Print a look back page for the year and stick it on the wall. People read it all night.

Games that suit a retro party

• A guess-the-year round using three facts at a time, with the date hidden.
• A decade quiz - we have separate 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s question sets, all free to copy.
• A theme tune round; sixty questions are already written up in the TV theme tunes quiz.
• Playground games in the garden if the party is in daylight and the guests are game.
• Pass the parcel with a forfeit in each layer. It works better with adults than with children.

What not to waste money on

• Full themed tableware sets. Plain colours in the right shades look better and cost less.
• Inflatable props. They photograph badly and last one evening.
• Novelty costume accessories bought in bulk - guests bring better ones themselves.
• Anything dated with a specific year printed on it, unless it is the birthday number itself.

Happy birthday banners

The one decoration everyone photographs. Pick the colour to suit the decade.

Cake toppers and table bits

Toppers and confetti do more for a table than a full themed set ever does.

Party bag fillers and badges

Pin badges and stickers work as favours for adults as well as children.

The card to go with it

Funny and milestone birthday cards, blank inside, printed in the UK.

Where to shop next

• Nostalgia gifts
• 1950s retro gift guide
• 1960s retro gift guide
• 1970s retro gift guide
• 1980s retro gift guide
• 1990s retro gift guide
• 2000s retro gift guide
• Nostalgia birthday party by decade
• Nostalgia hamper and gift ideas
• Reminiscence gifts for grandparents
• Retro party playlist by decade
• School reunion ideas and games
• Care home reminiscence quiz
• Guess the year quiz
• Look back to the 1970s
• Look back to the 1980s
• Look back to the 1990s
• Toys of the 80s and 90s
• Sweets that disappeared
• Milestone birthday cards
• Milestone birthday gifts
• Milestone keepsake prints
• Enamel pin badges
• Posters and prints
• Funny wall art
• Bunting and banners
• Birthday balloons
• Party supplies
• Party bag fillers
• Shop birthday cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Gifts to make someone smile
• Thinking of you gifts

Frequently asked questions

How do you decorate for an 80s party?

Hot pink, turquoise and black, a banner, balloons in those colours, and a playlist from the year the birthday person turned eighteen. Two recognisable props beat a full themed set.

Do you sell retro costumes or props?

No. We stock banners, balloons, cake toppers, confetti, cards, prints and badges. Costumes are better hired or raided from a wardrobe, and our fancy dress guides cover both.

What food suits a decade party?

Buffet food from the era: party rings, cheese and pineapple on sticks, sausage rolls, vol-au-vents for the seventies, and a trifle. It is cheap and it gets the most comment of anything on the night.

What games work at a retro party?

A decade quiz, a guess-the-year round and a theme tunes round. All three are written up on the site and free to copy.

How fast is delivery?

Decorations, cards, prints and badges all post from the UK, usually the same working day if you order before the afternoon.