If Summer is good for anything, it's a massive party. Summer is probably the second most nostalgic time of the year (after Christmas, of course), so what better way to celebrate the height of the sun than to regress back to your 90s childhood (or young adulthood) with a retro themed gathering? Here's how you can get it right.
Sparkling Lambrini (Retro)
1. Drinks
You probably haven't even thought about MD 20/20, Hooch, WKD, Smirnoff Ice, After Shock or Lambrini for years, but they don't have to remain remnants of your youth - you can still get them if you look hard enough! In fact, Lambrini recently unveiled a range of sparkling perry, so save the Cava for another day. They have just launched a set of limited edition retro bottles to celebrate its 25th anniversary and we cannot get enough of them. Stock up while you still can because they will make the perfect additions to your kitchen table of boozy nostalgia. For the non-drinkers, Capri Sun, 7Up and Tango are our top picks, as well as plenty of Coca-Cola.
2. Food
When did party buffets get so complicated? Go back to basics with the simplest food selection possible; cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, cheese and pineapple on sticks, mini pizzas and myriad sandwiches (ham and cheese, egg and cress, tuna and cucumber - absolutely nothing fancy). Obviously a decent crisp selection is needed - you can't go wrong with Nik Naks, Monster Munch, Space Raiders, Wotsits and Skips. And when it comes to sweets, caterpillar cake is always a must, not to mention popcorn, jelly, Haribo, Fox's Party Rings and literally anything you can find that used to be on the Woolies Pick 'n' Mix counter.
3. Outfits
A proper dress-code must be in place for the perfect 90s party. Shellsuits, army surplus, tarten, high-rise jeans, crop-tops, oversized sweatshirts, dungarees, double denim and Nirvana T-shirts are all acceptable, accessorised of course with tattoo chokers, butterfly clips, ugly sunglasses, mood rings and bandanas. Brightly coloured trainers, platform shoes and jelly sandals are must-have footwear, and when it comes to make-up, it's dark lips, bad shimmer eyeshadow and glitter - contouring is banned for the evening.
4. Trimmings
Decoration should be just as tacky as the guests' outfits; party hats and brightly coloured balloons are easily procured, paper chains are the easiest to make, and you can actually buy 90s-inspired bunting online. Throw in some cheesy pop posters and some tinsel fringing (a la all teen sitcom prom nights) and you're good to go!
5. Party bags
Party bags are making a comeback because who doesn't love to walk away with fine mementos? We know it adds up when it comes to party costs, but you can easily put together a low-cost 90s-style gift bag of bubblegum, glowsticks, slap bracelets, Love Hearts, bubble wands and party blowers, to name but a few nostalgia-sparking details.
6. Put phones away
We got along fine in social situations without social media or even texting back in the 90s, so for one night only withhold the Wi-Fi password and encourage your guests to put away their phones. Send invites the old fashioned way (by post!), and pick up some disposable cameras to capture those memories rather than taking snaps on your phone. It won't be easy, but you'll soon realise you can have fun without looking at a screen.
7. Music
Spotify is still the best way to put together a playlist so you can break your retro rule with this one. The 90s had the most uplifting, memorable, cheesiest tunes of all the decades, so pool together your favourite one-hit wonders and bubblegum pop hits. Or you can use the one we've come up with!