Tag: vintage party tips

 Top Tips for a Brilliant VE Day 80 Event 

With 1940s Vintage Singer Jayne Darling

Here are some ideas to help your event run smoothly and bring that authentic wartime spirit to life – whether it’s a community gathering, care home celebration, or something more formal.

🎶 1. Set the Scene with Decor

You don’t have to go overboard – just a few touches go a long way:

• Union Jack bunting, flags or red/white/blue tablecloths   
• Posters from the era (“Keep Calm”, “Dig for Victory”, etc.)
• Table centrepieces with ration cards, tea tins, or wartime props
• Baskets of fake veg, vintage crockery, or a string of warm lights for a street party atmosphere
• Waving flags for the tables – small flags are fairly inexpensive and can be purchased off Ebay for around 10 – 15 pence each depending on quantity
• Cargo netting and sand bags – cargo netting can be purchased from Army and Navy stores as can empty sand bags.  Sandbags can be filled with scrunched up newspaper or old duvets and pillows

 

☕ 2. Keep Refreshments Traditional

• Serve up afternoon tea – sandwiches, sausage rolls, Victoria sponge, scones
• Have a cake baking or cake decoration competition!
• Or keep it simple with tea in teapots, enamel mugs, and a biscuit tin
• Some venues do a wartime-style ration bag with a cheese sandwich, an apple and a bit of cake – fun and easy!
• Maybe try some wartime specialities – think spam or bread and dripping!

🎩 3. Encourage Guests to Dress the Part

It really helps bring people together and sets the mood. Suggest:

• Victory rolls, curls, red lipstick, headscarves for the ladies 
• Flat caps, braces, or military-style jackets for the gents
• Doesn’t have to be full fancy dress – just a nod to the era works well
• Tea dresses for the ladies – ladies in the 40s also wore hats and gloves.  Seamed stockings were a luxury and scarce!
• Make your own gas mask box, a small box covered in brown paper and some string should do the trick!

 

Simple Tips for a Lovely Vintage Look

You don’t need a full costume to join in the fun – just a few touches can help you get that classic 1940s style!

💄 Hair & Make-up

• Victory rolls – iconic 1940s hairstyle! There are loads of tutorials online if you fancy giving it a go 
• Headscarf or turban – tied around your hair Rosie-the-Riveter style – ideal if you don’t want to faff with curls
• Red lipstick & winged eyeliner – the quickest way to vintage-up any outfit
• Keep make-up simple, polished, and classic
• Want those 1940s style curls?  Damp hair, setting lotion or mousse and sleep in some foam rollers or pin curls. 

👚 Clothing

You don’t need to buy anything new – have a look at what’s already in your wardrobe!

Look out for:

• Tea dresses or shirt dresses – floral, polka dot, or block colours all work well
• High-waisted skirts with a tucked-in blouse
• Knitted cardigans or short jackets
• Trousers, dungarees or a boiler suit for a land girl or factory worker look

👠 Shoes & Accessories

• Low block heels, brogues or even pumps will do
• Seamed tights or bare legs with ankle socks
• Add a brooch, pearls or a simple handbag to finish the look
• Gloves and a little hat or fascinator if you’re feeling fancy
• Not got any seamed tights or stockings?  An eyeliner pencil and someone with a steady hand will be just the job!  Women used to stain their legs with gravy browning, tea or even sand!

💡 Quick Outfit Ideas

• Land Girl: Green jumper, dungarees, headscarf, wellies or boots
• Housewife style: Shirt dress, apron, rollers/headscarf, red lippy
• For a more dressed-up look: Tea dress, heels, clutch bag, pearls, hat

it’s more about the spirit of the event than getting it perfect. And if all else fails: red lipstick + a headscarf = instant vintage!

Maybe offer a small prize for best dressed?

🎤 4. Make the Most of the Music

I’ll bring the 1940s vocals and nostalgia – you can help create atmosphere by:

• Having people seated comfortably for a singalong
• Leaving space for dancing – a bit of a jive or a waltz goes down a treat
• Printing out song sheets for the patriotic songs 

📸 5. Capture the Moment

Set up a photo corner or just encourage guests to take snaps –

• You could print a few for guests afterwards as a keepsake
• Or collect them for a community noticeboard or newsletter

🎤 6. Optional Extras

Depending on your event, you could also consider:

• A short wartime quiz or bingo game
• A toast or moment of reflection for those who served,  I have the last post on my Ipad which I can play
• Invite a local Army veteran or history speaker to say a few words

 

VE Day in Britain in 1945 was a massive moment – after six years of war, people were finally able to let off steam and celebrate. It was a spontaneous, joyful day, and while people didn’t have much (rationing was still in full swing), that didn’t stop them throwing a proper knees-up!

Here’s what a typical VE Day celebration might have looked like:

🇬🇧 Street Parties

Communities came together to decorate streets with homemade bunting, flags, and streamers – often made from scraps or whatever they could find. Long tables were set up in the street and everyone brought something to share. These were proper community efforts – even if it was just a bit of jam or a few sandwiches.

🥪 Food (despite rationing!)

Food was still strictly rationed, so people got creative. Some typical treats you might have found:

• Jam sandwiches
• Mock cream cakes (made with marg and icing sugar!)
• Eggless sponge cakes
• Spam or corned beef sandwiches
• Jelly if anyone had powdered gelatine or a tin
• Dripping on bread
• Potato salad (as spuds were still easy to get)
• Homemade ginger beer or National Lemonade

There was a lot of sharing and pooling of rations – people would use up whatever they had tucked away. And of course, anyone who had access to a bit of booze would have brought that out too!

🎶 Music & Dancing

Music was key – lots of dancing and singalongs!

• Big band music and swing from Glenn Miller, Vera Lynn, Benny Goodman, etc.
• Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again” and “The White Cliffs of Dover” would have been sung everywhere.
• Families gathered round the wireless for Winston Churchill’s speech and the King’s broadcast.
• People would dance the Lambeth Walk, Jitterbug, or just have a bit of a knees-up!
• If someone had a piano, it would be wheeled out and someone would get stuck in.

🎉 Party Games

Simple, old-fashioned games were popular – nothing fancy:

• Pass the parcel
• Musical chairs
• Pin the tail on the donkey
• Egg and spoon races
• Three-legged races
• Wheelbarrow races
• Tug of war

Children were a big part of it all – lots of excitement, sugar rushes, and running about the street.

Even though times were tough, VE Day was full of joy and relief. People were exhausted, grieving, and uncertain about the future – but for that one day, the whole country stopped to celebrate and take a breath!

If you’d like help planning the flow of the event around the performance, I’m always happy to advise – just let me know.

Looking forward to bringing the spirit of the 1940s to you!