Secretly dreaming of unleashing your inner French Cancan dancer, WWII hero or gangster surrounded by Roaring Twenties showgirls? If so, London seems to have become the perfect place for that, with fabulous vintage parties in creasingly popular amongst revellers who have become tired of classic clubbing. With themes such as Belle Epoque, Blitz and Prohibition, they combine extreme attention to historical details to impressive inventiveness, to befound in the choice of entertainment, decor and costumes. Each party is infused with its very own atmosphere, with music and cocktails themed around each era. In brief, dressing up has rarely been so much fun.
Swinging at the BlitzBelle Epoque: Depraved Hedonism The sexiest of the lot, the Belle Epoque party celebrates Parisian decadence in the 1900s. The decor resembles a lavish music hall, with golden balustrades and crimson velvet curtains, while acrobats and French Cancan dancers provide the entertainment. Ladies are encouraged to release their inner courtesans by wearing corsets, suspenders, petticoats and chokers, while the gents can go for pleasure seeking aristocrats in top hats and tails or depraved artists. Detail we love: the absinthe cocktails flowing from liquor fountains.www.belleepoqueparty.com
Prohibition: Speakeasy and All that Jazz This one is undoubtedly the more glamorous, thanks in part to its very flattering fashion (sequins, hair bands, satin gowns, long pearls, feather boas…) and slightly dangerous atmosphere, with the dark rooms peopled with wannabe Al Capones in pin striped suits and sexy flapper dancers. Hosted in a fabulous Art Deco building, its decor evokes a Chicago speakeasy, complete with a live pianist, silent movie projected on the wall, raucous banjo players and burlesque showgirls. Details we love: cocktails served in china tea cups and the “clandestine” casino. www.prohibition1920s.com
Blitz: Community Spirit Under the Bombs With its underground venue transformed for the night into an air-raid shelter, with sandbags, searchlights, blackout curtains, oil lamps and military bunk beds, the Blitz party is a paradise for those girls who like a man in uniform- and those men who don’t mind a bit of red lipstick and 1940s glamour. Union Jack waving, and neighbourly spirit are the order of the evening, with swing bands playing tunes from the 1940s and some wartime films being projected to add to the atmosphere. Detail we love: the cocktails lists presented in ration books. www.theblitzparty.com
