Dress up for the party as a ...

[katydidKD]

Decade parties, 'why are you wearing that', 'when i grow up' (dress up as a doctor, firefighter, etc), if it isn't neon it shouldn't be on, etc. tend to have the fun and creativity of themed parties without being offensive

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by katydidKD

if it isn't neon it shouldn't be on

LOVE this theme.

I had a ton of fun with theme parties, but that's because me and my friends always got creative... and any time there was a theme that included "Ho" somewhere in it, I always dressed the male part.

For a Pimps and Hos party, my friend and I went as pimps… we wore black pants and shirts, heels, hats, colored glasses, she had a cane, and we both made our own “bling”.. we bought big wooden letters (each of our first initials) at A.C. Moore, painted them a shiny silver/gold, and tied them around our necks with equally flashy ribbon. Everyone loved our outfits.

GI Joes and Barbie Hos… we went dressed like Rambo (except we had shirts on)

For a Christmas party, everyone had to dress up like something… Christmasy. My friend and I went as presents. We had just plain white t-shirts and we ran ribbon around the middle, then down the front from the shoulder to near the hip.. and we put a bow where the two pieces of ribbon met. We had Christmas earrings and necklaces. The best part of the whole thing… we bought big cardboard gift tags at Wal-Mart (about 3”x5”), tied them around our necks and wrote on them:

To: Men
From: God

When people asked us what it meant, we said, “We’re God’s gift to men!”

[BraveMaroon]

Back in the 90s, Hurricane Parties were, maybe not a big thing, but they went on to from time to time - "boarded up" windows, come looking wind-blown, and of course drink Hurricanes. I would assume (and hope) that in a post-Katrina world, those aren't happening.

I never liked the "I'm glad I'm not..." parties. They could get mean-spirited.

[katydidKD]

I also knew of a greek themed mixer that was "golf pros and tiger woods' hoes" and the girls dressed up specifically as one of the 50 mistresses. It was funny/creative, but offensive I know.

[sweetmagnolia]

Anything Goes But Clothes is another theme that sounds fun, but in reality is a complete and total hot mess. Not offensive, per se, but not a good look for anyone.

[SWTXBelle]

As an undergraduate I protested a mock wedding theme party - parodying a sacrament is just wrong.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

As an undergraduate I protested a mock wedding theme party - parodying a sacrament is just wrong.

Um... how did THAT one work? And what's the point? That doesn't sound fun at all...

[katydidKD]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Um... how did THAT one work? And what's the point? That doesn't sound fun at all...

Idk about this person's school, but typically there is a bride, groom (sorority member and fraternity member.) It is a weekend long thing, with a rehearsal dinner, bachelorette/bachelor parties, and then the big reception where people dress up as they would for a wedding.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by katydidKD

Idk about this person's school, but typically there is a bride, groom (sorority member and fraternity member.) It is a weekend long thing, with a rehearsal dinner, bachelorette/bachelor parties, and then the big reception where people dress up as they would for a wedding.

Wow. They need something better to do with their time.

[victoriana]

A theme that was really fun is "Red Carpet." Everyone comes dressed as a celebrity. It was pretty hilarious.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Apparently I'm in the minority (ha ha ha), but I like theme parties. There's totally a way to do it and not be offensive about it. Some of the more successful ones I've attended include:

1. Wild West/Cowboy
2. Toga Party
3. 1920s: flapper/gangster
4. Moulin Rouge
5. Superheroes

Frankly, I don't understand the brouhaha over an Egyptian/Pharoah party, being as neither black people nor Alpha Phi Alpha own the rights to Egyptian iconography.

I like a theme party when it is a smaller group of people who are clever and I know won't create a problem. Problem defined as inappropriate or offensive, or unfunny. I've always been a fan of authors, characters (literature, film, television), television or music decade or genre, but my all time favorite was San Francisco neighborhood. One could easily do that in New York and be quite creative.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

As an undergraduate I protested a mock wedding theme party - parodying a sacrament is just wrong.

If anyone has a Viking party I'd boycott if the default was horned helmets, not one exists in the archaeological record. What was found is all mainland Europe (not even Danish at that) and British Isles and pre or post dates the age of the Vikings. Chain mail was the norm, so no metal breastplates ladies, though in the Sagas a lot of ladies went topless or flashed in battle.

Barbarian would probably be a much better theme and can include Romans of the Western Empire. Even better, Romans and Goths then let people self interpret as flying buttresses, Germanic tribes, people who should not take make up tips from Robert Smith of The Cure, Poe or any of his characters, a couple as a Grant Wood painting, or perhaps the National Cathedral.