I'm having a party. 70's style.

[EmAnJ]

I have the beaded curtains, disco ball, strobe light, bean bag chairs, and the retro rumpus room in the basement (pre-renovation) for the affair location.

What am I missing?

[StGermain]

Your polyester leisure suit.

[Annie-Xmas]

ABBA. Lots of ABBA

[Lamar Mundane]

Coke spoons on a chain with a wide open shirt. Hairy chest if possible.

[Contrary]

Lava lamps. Eight-tracks. Pooka beads (or however you spell them).

[jjimm]

Salad bowls full of cigarettes.

[WhyNot]

What about the food?

You must have Rumaki (http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/rumakirecipe.html), meatballs in grape jelly and an orange hedgehog: use one orange as a base (cover it with aluminium foil for maximum '70's effect) and poke in bamboo sticks holding chunks of pineapple, maraschino cherries, sliced oranges and ham and cheese.

Other '70's food has come back again, so the effect is lesser, but still, who doesn't love fondue and hummus and tabouleh and quiche? Mix sour cream with Lipton onion soup mix and serve as a dip.

Hawaiian punch to drink, of course. With bad champagne in it if it's a grown-up party.

[Max Torque]

Black light.

And shouldn't someone be wearing a smoking jacket and a fez?

[lieu]

Silk shirt with tropical sunset pattern and a perm or tie dye with bell bottoms and motorcycle boots (large silver ring held in place w/ leather straps.

[AHoosierMama]

Bong

[EmAnJ]

Excellent advice, keep it coming.

BTW, this is a grownup party and I am a female still trying to decide on what to wear.

[chappachula]

you have to get a color organ.

Or else I'm not coming to your party.


Ohh.....and make sure you have a disc preener to clean your records with before you lower the arm of the turntable.
And be sure to brag that your new cartridge tracks at under 2 grams.

[Yllaria]

What about the food?

You must have Rumaki (http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/rumakirecipe.html), meatballs in grape jelly and an orange hedgehog . . .
I thought that was meatballs in a mix of grape jelly and BBQ sause. Gross as it sounds, it ends up tasting like sweet and sour sauce.

If your basement walls can handle it - and you can find laundry detergent with phosphates in it - you can paint on the walls with the detergent mixed with water and the results will only show under the black light. I've never seen it done, but I've heard it described as a way to graffitti/decorate a dorm room without loosing your deposit.

[Hypno-Toad]

A terrarium is a must. Be sure to bring a Mr. Microphone for tons of fun! And make sure to seat your guests by their zodiacal signs.

[Shagnasty]

Cheap wine served in crappy glasses with ice cubes. People just weren't into exotic things like foreign wine served stright up back then. Make sure the bottle lists the wine as blush, white, red, or ros'e only and not from French crap like Cabernet or Pinot Noir. Your 70's guest would have no idea what those are and they would probably require more ice cubes to make them palatable.

Schiltz beer is a better choice.

[Annie-Xmas]

Excellent advice, keep it coming.

BTW, this is a grownup party and I am a female still trying to decide on what to wear.

Spandex. Lots of Spandex.

[Kythereia]

Do you have the really high go-go boots with the platform heels? You gotta have those.

And don't forget the gigantic perm!

[EmAnJ]

What is this color organ you speak of? I shall Google.

Yllaria, we're having this party just before tearing the entire basement apart and renovating, so I can pretty much do anything to the walls. Ima see if I can find a recipe for that!

[EmAnJ]

Do you have the really high go-go boots with the platform heels? You gotta have those.

And don't forget the gigantic perm!

I'm planning a trip to the Costume Shoppe within the next day or two. I know they have 8" Go Go Boots. I'll probably break an ankle, but it'll be worth it.

Perhaps they a fish bowl Go Go Boots.

[Kalhoun]

I wasn't aware that that party had ended. However, to capture the moment, you'll need music by Supertramp, Peter Frampton, David Bowie, Robert Palmer, Aerosmith, Grand Funk Railroad, and Donna Summers. And I think Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill should be your wine choice.

Don't forget your Chukka Boots!

[saoirse]

Cheap wine served in crappy glasses with ice cubes. People just weren't into exotic things like foreign wine served stright up back then. Make sure the bottle lists the wine as blush, white, red, or ros'e only and not from French crap like Cabernet or Pinot Noir. Your 70's guest would have no idea what those are and they would probably require more ice cubes to make them palatable.

No no no. A 70s guest will know what Cella Lambrusco is. Not to mention "Renu-it."

A fondue pot is optional, but if you're using a patio, there must be tiki torches. Go-go boots are really from the 60s. Platform heels go with a wrap dress, if that's what you're going for. Men's shoes should be high-tongues loafers with a small heel.

[EmAnJ]

What about an inflatable pineapple tree?

[Foxy40]

Fashion Of the Seventies (http://fashion-era.com/1970s.htm)

Probably not enough time to bang up some paneling.

[Tupug Anachi]

Early 70s or Late 70s?? Anyway, incense....lots of incense.

[lieu]

Seems like crochet/knits were pretty big, loose with great big holes. Could be anything from a shawl to a hat.

[Lisa Ann]

From Foxy40's link:

"Caftan or Kaftan
The Hippies of the sixties had brought with them clothes from other ethnic groupings which had often never even been seen before. Nehru jackets and loose flowing robes from hot countries made their way to world cities and permeated down to mainstream fashion, helped of course by designers like Yves St Laurent.

From the mid to late 70s, caftans, kaftans, kimonos, muumuus, djellaba (a Moroccan robe with a pointed hood) or jalabiya (a loose eastern robe) and other styles from every part of the Indian sub continent and Africa were translated into at home style robes and comfort wear. They were worked in every fabric imaginable, but were especially suited as glamour dressing when worked in exotic fabrics and edged in silver or metallic trims."

Which reminded me of my mom's fabulous homesewn brown housedress with an orange and yellow god's eye and pointed sleeves.

[Zebra]

You must get that poster of Farrah.


I recently found in my mother's house some old iron-on transfers of "Flick My Bic" and "Keep On Trucking".

How about John Denver, Jackson 5, Osmonds and Shaun Cassidy.

[EmAnJ]

Fashion Of the Seventies (http://fashion-era.com/1970s.htm)

Probably not enough time to bang up some paneling.

Great link, thanks.

Guess what! It IS paneling downstairs. Hence the 'pre-renovation party' remark up there. We also have this very awesome fireplace. It is orange and red, and inside are some very fake looking logs. Behind the fake logs is some sort of light that rotates, creating this very peaceful fire light effect. :p

[Harmonious Discord]

You must get that poster of Farrah.

The Farrah Fawcett poster (http://www.leninimports.com/farrah_fawcett.html) would be required of any house with a male. She would be required to have a Shawn Cassidy poster. Black lights in the basement and flouresent posters on the walls. Mirror tiles were in, wood paneling, and orange accents.

Every crafty house had a latch hook wall hanging, the plants were in macrame hangers, and string art pictures on the wall. There were a lot of these wide eyed owls all over too.

[EmAnJ]

I did buy a black light or two. Will find Farrah Fawcett!

The basement decor is orange and brown carpet and dark wood paneling. The bedroom has that awful green carpet.

[Hockey Monkey]

Avacodo green or Harvest gold refrigerator for the beer.

[Harmonious Discord]

Owls

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/vintage-string-art-owl--handmade

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/owl-cookie-jar

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Retro-70s-Handcrafted-Macrame-Owl-Wall-Hanging_W0QQitemZ270166914298QQihZ017QQcategoryZ12587QQcmdZViewItem

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/hsh/424105376.html


Beer hats for the retired snowbirds, made in Florida mostly and brought home.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-70S-CROCHETED-SCHLITZ-BEER-CAN-HAT_W0QQitemZ150162256075QQihZ005QQcategoryZ50733QQcmdZViewItem

[WhyNot]

Every crafty house had a latch hook wall hanging, the plants were in macrame hangers, and string art pictures on the wall. There were a lot of these wide eyed owls all over too.
Amateurs. WE had a macramed owl wall-hanging! With great big wooden beads for eyeballs. His rope feet wrapped around a real stick with the bark still on it.

We also had a kitchen wallpapered in orange and yellow plaid, with three bright orange 18" plastic molded butterflies hanging (in a vertical orientation) on a 24" bit of wall. My mother was always into the subtle motifs of the era.

If there's a bedroom down there as well, you really ought to throw some bean bags in there, put a beaded curtain in the doorway and play Barry White albums from that room. Underwear on the doorknob is optional, but it has to be tighty-whities. I don't think they had invented boxers yet. ;)

[Zebra]

I was going to mention beer can hats.

Coors and Bud were the beers I remember from the '70's.

[bump]

Don't forget the big fishbowl for everyone's keys...

[Harmonious Discord]

The bean bag chair was what I forgot to type in.

Drip candles were popular. For fire safety don't light them at a crowded party.

http://www.dripcandle.com/

http://www.craftedcandles.com/tapers/drip_taper.html

http://store.candlestock.com/dripbox5pack.html

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/candles/drip-candles.shtml


You might find a few bent pop bottles won from the fair.
Sometimes the bottles were melted on their side and used as an ash tray.
You may have found drinking glasses mad by cutting off the bottle neck and sanding the rim.

This link shows all that, and has how to make them for ambitious people.

http://homepages.waymark.net/mikefirth/bottle.htm#BOTCUT

[Lute Skywatcher]

What am I missing?A 6' tab of LSD. ;)

[mnemosyne]

http://www.candyboots.com/wwcards.html

Any one of these would do (and would probably be more than enough!)

Do you have a turntable? Find as much music on vinyl as you can - I guess garage sale season is basically over, but you might find some at a used cd/music shop.

Too bad you're in Calgary... I'd want to invite myself over and join you guys, it sounds like a fun party! My friend's parents have a great 70s basement that we used to hang out and party in, but we never went all-out with a theme like that. I kind of wish we had!

[Khadaji]

Lava lamps. Eight-tracks. Pooka beads (or however you spell them).Especially if you can find that portable eight track player shaped like a dynamite plunger (http://www.8trackheaven.com/Images/plunger.jpg)

[Flutterby]

Amateurs. WE had a macramed owl wall-hanging! With great big wooden beads for eyeballs. His rope feet wrapped around a real stick with the bark still on it.

We had one of those too!

Creeped me out it did.. I think Mom kept it in a box when I was a kid. I don't know why she kept it at all..

So can I come over EmAnJ? ;)

[The Scrivener]

Don't forget to offer a snack platter with Ritz crackers and cubes of uninspired American cheeses and a cooler with cans of Tab soda, for your calorie-counting female guests.

It might prove a fool's errand, but if you can find a vintage sports poster from the era (say, Pittsburgh Steelers with Terry Bradshaw or Franco Harris, etc.) or a similarly period movie poster (Jaws, Star Wars), that'd work, too.

Speaking of Star Wars, it'd be neat to have the Meco album of Williams' Star Wars themes... on vinyl, of course! For a general disco soundscape, the Casablanca box set is a good start. Mix in a little K.C. & the Sunshine Band and you're good to go!

As for couture, if you could find one of those tiny, skinny metallic belts cinched around a top (not the pants!) or sweater, that'd be divine.


You know us Dopers will just have to assemble a sample playlist. For starters:

A [Mostly] Disco-Free 70's Playlist (mixing up the classics with the kitsch):

"(Bang a Gong) Get it On" -- T. Rex
"Ain't No Sunshine" -- Bill Withers
"Suffragette City," "Changes," or "Fame" -- David Bowie
"Smoke on the Water" -- Deep Purple
"I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" -- England Dan & John Ford Coley
"It's So Hard" or "Instant Karma" -- John Lennon
"Your Momma Don't Dance" or "I'm Alright" -- Loggins & Messina
"Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)" -- The Hollies
"Radar Love" -- Golden Earring
"Do the Strand," "Love is the Drug," or "The Thrill of it All" -- Roxy Music
"Sad Eyes" -- Robert John
"Photograph" or "You're Sixteen" -- Ringo Starr
"Sister Golden Hair" -- America
"Baker Street" -- Gerry Rafferty
"Jet Airliner," "Fly Like an Eagle," or "Jungle Love" -- Steve Miller Band
"Let's Stay Together" -- Al Green
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" -- Elton John & Kiki Dee
"Year of the Cat" or "Time Passages" -- Al Stewart
"Show Me the Way" -- Peter Frampton
"Surfin' USA" or "Runaround Sue" -- Leif Garrett
"Car Wash" -- Rose Royce
"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" -- The Jacksons
"Don't Stop ('Til You Get Enough)" or "Rock With You" -- Michael Jackson
"Lady Marmalade" -- LaBelle
"The Things We Do For Love" -- 10CC
"Still the One" -- Orleans
"Torn Between Two Lovers" -- Mary MacGregor
"Live and Let Die" -- Paul McCartney and Wings
"The Spy Who Loved Me" -- Carly Simon
"Lonely Boy" -- Andrew Gold
"Listen to the Music," "What a Fool Believes," or "China Grove" -- Doobie Brothers
"Crazy Love" -- Poco
"Feels So Good" [instrumental] -- Chuck Mangione
"Roadrunner" -- Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
"Rock and Roll All Nite" or "Beth" -- KISS
"The Logical Song," "Breakfast in America," "Take the Long Way Home" or "Goodbye Stranger" -- Supertramp
"Get Down Tonight" -- K.C. & the Sunshine Band
"Love Rollercoaster" -- The Ohio Players
"Dream Weaver" -- Gary Wright
"Dream On" -- Aerosmith
"Don't Give Up On Us (Baby)" -- David Soul
"Reminiscing" -- Little River Band
"New York State of Mind," "My Life," "Big Shot," or "Only the Good Die Young" -- Billy Joel
"I Go Crazy" -- Paul Davis
"All of My Love" -- Led Zeppelin
"Miss You" and "Start Me Up" (the latter dates to 1981, not that anyone would care) -- The Rolling Stones
"Sara Smile" or "Rich Girl" -- Hall & Oates
"The Statue of Liberty" -- XTC
"The Wait" and "Tattooed Love Boys" -- The Pretenders
"Rock Lobster," "Planet Claire," or "Dance This Mess Around" -- The B-52's
"My Best Friend's Girl," "Let the Good Times Roll," or "Let's Go!" -- The Cars

[kunilou]

Pet Rcoks (yes, they have to be in the carrier) (http://www.virtualpet.com/vp/farm/petrock/petrock.htm)

Billy Beer (http://www.the-forum.com/advert/billy.htm)

A copy of Frampton Comes Alive (http://www.frampton.com/alive1.html)

The women's clothes should all be made of Qiana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qiana) (fun fact, when used as electrical insulation, Qiana did not fail when heated to >600 degrees, the limits of the test.)

And get rid of that 8-track. If you want to be really hip, find yourself a Laser Disc player (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.starlaser.com/disco4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.starlaser.com/disco.htm&h=929&w=636&sz=25&hl=en&start=10&um=1&tbnid=H1C3vpnKpJGVNM:&tbnh=147&tbnw=101&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlaserdisc%2Bplayer%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN)

[plnnr]

Cheap wine served in crappy glasses with ice cubes. People just weren't into exotic things like foreign wine served stright up back then. Make sure the bottle lists the wine as blush, white, red, or ros'e only and not from French crap like Cabernet or Pinot Noir. Your 70's guest would have no idea what those are and they would probably require more ice cubes to make them palatable.

Schiltz beer is a better choice.

Riunite on ice - that's nice.

You really need to have a key party.

All the men toss their car keys in a bowl when they come in the door. At the end of the night, the women reach in the bowl and pull out a set of car keys - that's who they go home with for the night.

I still have my Take-n-Tape (the 8-track player with the plunger handle).

[The Scrivener]

If you happen to know anyone with a working "Pong" console, by all means borrow that sucker and set it up with an old-school CRT (cathode-ray tube) TV in a corner. Electronic tennis, anyone?

[Harmonious Discord]

The party room often had a beer can collection, so you may try to barrow one from a 40 to 50 year old.

A Joe Namath poster.

An Evel Knievel poster.

Orange Tang drink for the morning after the party.

[EmAnJ]

So can I come over EmAnJ? ;)

Sure, if you dress up. ;)

I'm attempting to find the pong console on short notice. I bet Value Village has that!

[Lute Skywatcher]

I'm attempting to find the pong console on short notice. I bet Value Village has that!If you can't fine one of those, an Atari 2600 would do. They came out in '77.

[plnnr]

See if you can find a Vega, Pacer, Gremlin, Pinto, or Volare to park in the driveway. Nothing says 1970s like a terrible car.

[Intelligently Designed]

Smokydiva (http://www.smokydiva.com/) will provide you with great clothing ideas.

Also make sure that nobody brings a cell phone, blackberry or the like. If your guests need to call their babysitters, they should use your dial phone (http://www.rotarydialphones.com/images/nbp4ba.jpg), or better yet, a good ol' Gondola phone (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Retro-70s-80s-Telecom-Gondola-phone-telephone-works_W0QQitemZ120161375756QQihZ002QQcategoryZ985QQcmdZViewItem).

Oh, and way too large eyeglasses.

[Harmonious Discord]

Smokydiva (http://www.smokydiva.com/) will provide you with great clothing ideas.

Also make sure that nobody brings a cell phone, blackberry or the like. If your guests need to call their babysitters, they should use your dial phone (http://www.rotarydialphones.com/images/nbp4ba.jpg), or better yet, a good ol' Gondola phone (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Retro-70s-80s-Telecom-Gondola-phone-telephone-works_W0QQitemZ120161375756QQihZ002QQcategoryZ985QQcmdZViewItem).

Oh, and way too large eyeglasses.

The dial phone you pictured isn't something most 70's houses had. Ma was so happy when they phone company had colors she went and exchanged the phone at the phone office. You rented it from them, and people would stand in line to turn in the old one and get a color that matched the room. My aunt had a coiled cord long enough to walk about 20 feet from the phone. She'd stay on the phone for two hours at a time.

Try these colors.
http://www.oldphoneworks.com/antique_phones_list.asp?currency=USD&PhoneType=9

[Ike Witt]

It wouldn't be a 70's party without The Hustle.

[koeeoaddi]

Don't forget your mantra.

[Cyn]

Sand candles
Troll dolls
I went to a 70's party a couple of years ago wearing a wrap dress, platform shoes and feathered hair.
I was bitchin'.

[Annie-Xmas]

Don't forget some DVD's of "That 70's Show."

[Harmonious Discord]

Don't forget some DVD's of "That 70's Show."

Here the thing about watching television at a party. You can have a party or you can have people watching television. You can't have both. The television shouldn't come on during a party, unless the party was for viewing tv.

[NinetyWt]

You could make Wookie Juice in a (clean) garbage can. That was a favorite for dorm-room parties.

[plnnr]

Here the thing about watching television at a party. You can have a party or you can have people watching television. You can't have both. The television shouldn't come on during a party, unless the party was for viewing tv.

Of course you can. When SNL first came on, the TV was always on during a party and the party was always taking place around the TV.

"Why do you think they call it dope?"

Of course, I can't imagine anyone watching SNL now for any reason, much less at a party.

[saoirse]

Of course you can. When SNL first came on, the TV was always on during a party and the party was always taking place around the TV.

"Why do you think they call it dope?"

Of course, I can't imagine anyone watching SNL now for any reason, much less at a party.

Chalk it up to different experiences, but I could not imagine putting on SNL during a party on a Saturday Night no matter how good it was. I'm not even sure how that would work. Would you turn the music off, or play the TV with no sound?

[The Scrivener]

So, EmEnJ, how did it go? Was everything groovy and cool, or what? Lay it on us straight, chief!

[Lust4Life]

Firstly if you wish to do the English version you totally must dress like an inmate in a mental institution,the big block heels previously mentioned,flared trousers (optional turnups)huge pointed collars ,tank tops ,satin jackets .........the world is the mollusc of your choice.

I had pics of me wearing this sort of gear but destroyed them for fear of blackmail.

Plenty of rock posters on the walls ,optic fibre lamps that change colour,oversized cans of bitter beer holding 8 pints and music that will never ever be equalled by the insipid pap served up today.

[Cat Whisperer]

Damn, I'm too late! We have all kinds of 70's lps here that I could have loaned out.

[plnnr]

Chalk it up to different experiences, but I could not imagine putting on SNL during a party on a Saturday Night no matter how good it was. I'm not even sure how that would work. Would you turn the music off, or play the TV with no sound?

You have to remember that when SNL first came on (1975) there wasn't anything else like it at all. Plus, it was actually funny then. At 11:30, the music would stop, the TV would be turned on, everyone would grab a fresh beer (and their recreational drug of choice), and watch.