We had a fifties themed Xmas party on Friday and whilst researching for my costume I learnt a lot about the era that I had taken for granted. Turns out there are lotsa things about the fifties that I do love... In the fifties, strong vocalists such as Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra ruled the airwaves, not to mention a little phenomenon introduced as Rock'n'Roll, music that complemented the rise of the teenage consumerism we are used to today. It was post-war and the nation was spending again, rife with merriment at the joy of having the men back home. Images of Back to the Future's prom scene and Grease's Diner scene became my inspiration for costume.
Whilst researching the hair and makeup, I found that I would have loved the grace of the fifties. It was a time for young girls to get married because, of course, the boys were home. Hair was coiffed and quiffed...the Beehive was popular. It was common notion that women should be glamorous even while doing chores at home. I know it isn't popular today to let the men believe that it is a woman's place to be a homemaker and that it comes effortless to them. Yet, something about having the man around the house again instead of being off in foreign battle must have triggered the sense of real need to pamper and indulge the boys when they got home.
It wasn't just the hair, it was the makeup too. Flawless, bright-eyed looks with bright red lips, women were alluringly elegant with their styles and high maintenance wasn't frowned upon! Men wanted to have these lovelies on their arms to take to the Saturday night matinee, or down to the nightclub to dance with. Marilyn Monroe had convinced them that Diamonds were a girl's best friend and I'd quite agree that it would be worthwhile slaving away in the house and home and looking fabulous as long as the men appreciated your efforts and gave you little gifts and took you out. They just don't make them as they used to.
So anyways, the party was fabulous. The planning committee had the Rock'n' Roll theme in full swing beginning right with the Records and Guitar entrance to the world transformed beyond. We had a vinyl dance floor and a 8 person swing band and food was served in the pop-up Diner down the hallway where you could get mini-burgers with relish, mustard and shoe-string fries. If you stayed in the cocktail area, they brought around good old fashioned shrimp cocktails and warm apple pies. Everyone dressed up. We had girls wearing big flouncy skirts, halter/off-shoulder tops, back combed quiffs, long thick eyelashes and bright red lips everywhere. Men wore leather jackets, white t-shirts with their sleeves rolled up and blue jeans or they became the fifties husbands with hair slicked back and doned cardigans with elbow patches. Except for the guy in the picture below that came as the King of Rock'n'Roll.
It was an awesome night. I now think dress-ups are fun. I hate getting the costumes cause I am never the best-dressed there, but I have learnt over my corporate years that if you do not get into the scheme with the theme, you are more likely to be side-lined in the silliness of the night. A little bit of effort and creativity will pay off and ensure you have a fantastic evening!
