Dress appropriately for the party.
Whether or not you lived in the 1950s, it's fun to look back at how things used to be. Throw a party with a '50s theme; if you don't know what that looked like exactly, watch the hit movie musical "Grease," a stylized dance version of how the time period was. Dress up in poodle skirts and rolled-up blue jeans and have the time of your life.
Clothing
Invite guests to show up in period clothing. Females should wear long poodle skirts with shirts tucked into them, bobby socks and saddle shoes or Mary Janes. They can pull their hair back into a ponytail and tie a scarf around it. Males can get by with a white T-shirt tucked into skinny blue jeans; white socks with penny loafers finish the look. They should slick back their hair and wear a pair of dark sunglasses. Guests can also dress up as a famous person from that time period; Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Johnny Cash were all big names in the 1950s. If you are a guest, get a few friends together and go as the Pink Ladies or T-Birds from "Grease."
Types of Parties
Have a party that fits into the overall theme of the 1950s. Teens liked to hang out at soda shops, so rent out an old-fashioned soda shop for the night or decorate your home to look like one. Recreate a drive-in movie theater by showing movies on a projector in your driveway or a large field. If you don't have room for everyone to actually drive up, simply lay out blankets and lawn chairs for guests to sit on; you have the same effect, simply without the vehicles. Sock hops were another type of party that schools and youth organizations held in the '50s. Instruct guests to come dressed to dance; make sure there is plenty of room in the party venue for the Jitterbug.
Decorations
Rent a jukebox for the party; a functioning one is even more fun. Hang old records from the ceiling with fishing wire, or stick them to the wall. Hang posters from movies that came out in the 1950s, such as "Singin' in the Rain" and "Rebel Without a Cause." Put up posters of "Grease," as well, even though it came out in the late 1970s. Popular colors in the '50s were black and white, turquoise and hot pink, so hang streamers and set tables with these colors.
Music
You can't have a '50s theme party without music; the 1950s was the advent of rock 'n' roll, so reflect that in your music choices. For your "Grease" party, play the soundtrack from the movie, including the opening number "Summer Nights" and the closing song, "You're the One That I Want." Other songs to consider are "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard and Buddy Holly's hit, "That'll Be the Day." You can also play all of Elvis' early songs, as well as Johnny Cash songs.
Food
Serve classic diner food such as hamburgers with a tall root beer float and french fries on the side. Mix up some strawberry, chocolate or vanilla milkshakes to wash it down or make some Tang, a popular drink in the '50s. Make the party authentic by serving soda in glass bottles. Hand out popcorn from an old-fashioned popcorn machine at your drive-in movie.
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