Colour Themed Parties - Ideas for Costumes and Decor

Go colourful!

A colour theme is a great idea for an End of Year party if you have reluctant friends who don't all want to dress up. Some people prefer to dress in something they already own, or buy something they will wear again on an ordinary day.

(Image by Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo)

Getting guests to dress up

You could set a single colour as your theme - "Everyone dress in red", or allow your guests to pick their colour.

You could either specify that the bulk of their outfit must be one colour (different shades and tones allowed), or allow just a highlight or two of the chosen colour - a tie, scarf, or t-shirt.

You'll be surprised at the imagination and variation your guests come up with. And your more shy, non-costumed guests won't stick out as they would at a more specific-themed party.

Decorating to a colour theme

Decor for a colour themed party doesn't have to cost you the earth.

Drape sheer fabric in your colour choice around your main entertaining room, and switch your curtains for a cheap (even second-hand) set of curtains in your colour theme.

If you're having a dinner party, use a coloured tablecloth, napkins, candles, and even coloured glassware.

If your party is in the lounge, choose a coloured sofa cover, cushions, and lampshades to set the mood.

You may even be able to find foliage or flowers in your colour scheme (even near-black shades) - team with a matching vase.

Red Party Ideas

Clothing

Red is the colour of blood, of fire, of candy, and of the poisoned half of Snow White's apple.

Red food

Serve stuffed tomatoes and red capsicums/bell peppers
Make a salad with red lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radishes, red/Spanish onion
Barbecue rare steaks or rare tuna steaks
Mix strawberries, raspberries, and red globe grapes into red jelly. Pour into martini glasses and chill for a sophisticated dessert. Drizzle with a dark sherry or liqueur before serving.

Red decor

Red accessories

Dansko Professional in Red Spinnabuk Size 6

Red drinks

More red cocktails and recipes

Bloody Mary or tomato cocktails
Strawberry Daiquiri
Cosmopolitan
Cranberry juice based cocktails
Pink champagne/sparkling wine
Raspberry liqueur

Red hats and wigs

Red music

Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Simply Red
Red
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Lady in Red by Chris De Burgh

Red costumes

Kid's Girls Vampire Dress Costume (Size: Medium 8-10)

Black Party ideas

Clothing

Black is the colour of death, of darkness, of crypts and morgues.

Black food

Cajun style cooking, chargrilled barbecue, meats marinated in dark, syrupy sauce that blackens on the grill.
Stuffed aubergines/egg plant, or strips of roasted aubergine, still with skin on, tossed with wild rice.
Black grapes, blackberries, mulberries.
Dark chocolate mudcake.

Black decor

Highball Glasses Set of 6 - Midnight Black

Black accessories

Adult Black Fishnet Fingerless Glovelettes

Black drinks

More black cocktails and recipes

Black coffee
Irish coffee
Espresso martini
Calypso
Night Black

Black wigs

Adult Gothic Style Black Dead Pigtails Costume Wig

Black music

Black
Black Sabbath
Black Lips
Black Eyed Peas
Black Crowes
Black Fingernails, Red Wine by Eskimo Joe
Black Betty by Spiderbait

Black costumes

Goth Fairy Princess Costume - Teen (0-9)

Purple Party ideas

Clothing

Purple is the colour of ghouls and poison, of garrotting, and of blood darkened by time.

Child Purple Glitter Tights - Child Small

Purple food

Cook a stir fry with red cabbage - the juices from the cabbage will stain everything in the stir fry purple!
Either drain some of the juice from the red cabbage stir fry, or cook some red cabbage on its own and retain the juice. Pour the purple juice over anything you choose to serve - chicken, meat, fish, vegetables...
Using the red jelly dessert in martini glasses idea, switch the red berries for blueberries and black grapes. Instead of using water alone, mix the jelly powder with the juice from some of the blueberries.

Purple decor

Elegance Sheer Voile Purple 84 Inch Panel

Purple accessories

Royal Purple by Elite Solid purple silk ties

Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 07/04/2008)

Black and Purple Handheld Asian Fan

Amazon Price: $7.65 (as of 07/04/2008)

Purple drinks

More purple cocktails and recipes

Crystal cocktail
Prosperity
Monza
Mix cranberry juice and Blue Curaçao

Purple wigs

Purple music

Deep Purple
Purple Rain by Prince
Soundtrack for The Color Purple
The New Riders of the Purple Sage

Purple costumes

Adult Size Hooded Black Cloth Fabric Cape with Iridescent Metallic Spider Web Print Witch Vampire Halloween Spiderweb Print with Hood Costume

Amazon Price: $31.99 (as of 07/04/2008)

Blue Party ideas

Clothing

Blue is the colour of mists and ghosts, of bruises, of strangulation, and of tears.

Wrangler Men's Rugged Wear Relaxed Fit Jean

Blue food

Blueberries make a delicious glaze marinade for meats like steak, lamb, and pork. Thicken it with glycerine or corn flour.
Make blue dips by adding blue food colouring. Serve with chips, or neutral dipping vegetable sticks like celery or peeled zucchini/marrow.
Serve mini cupcakes with blue frosting, or cheesecake smothered in blueberry sauce.

Blue decor

Libbey 16-Piece Colbalt Flare Glassware Set

Blue accessories

Azuri Cashmere Pashmina Shawl - 110 Colors

Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2008)

American Apparel Infant Baby Rib Hat

Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2008)

Blue drinks

More blue cocktails and recipes

Go heavy on the Blue Curaçao.
Alaska Ice Tea
Bazooka
Blue Hawaiian
Blue Lagoon
Blue lime ghost

Blue wigs

New Glamour Costume Wig - Long & Sexy w/ Bangs - Blue

Blue music

Blue
The Blues Brothers
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
Blue by Joni Mitchell
Moody Blues
Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin

Blue costumes

Rag Doll Includes Bonnet Apron Dress Petticoat And Stocking

Green Party ideas

Clothing

Green is the colour of envy and potions, of frogs and newts, of entrails and mould, of aliens and Linda Blair.

Authentic Military Style Camouflage Shirts

Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2008)

100% SILK Solid Hunter Green Color Neck Tie. Men's NeckTie.

Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 07/04/2008)

Kelly Irish green plaid check flannel cotton pants for lounging, sleep, sports. Unisex relaxed fit, available in 3 Youth sizes, exposed elastic waist, Youth Large

Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 07/04/2008)

Green food

Smother meat in chopped pistacio nuts, or serve with an avocado dollap. Serve with creamed spinach or broccoli.
Serve guacamole dip with celery, zucchini/courgette sticks with skin still on, and broccolini sticks.
Chill green jelly in martini glasses with chopped green grapes, pistacio nuts, and kiwi fruit. Or beat finely chopped pistacio nuts and kiwi fruit pulp into vanilla icecream and re-freeze.