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Thursday, September 9, 2010

Anticipate Your Needs: Frugal Theme Parties

I'm so proud of my dear daughter: she is a frugal chip off the parental block. Last week, Frugal Son and a friend went to visit Miss Em. She sent a long list of necessities, including, of course, more burritos. One item: "the pink dress with fringe."

What the heck was that? As instructed, I looked in the closet and there it was. Turns out Miss Em was invited to a 1920s theme party. Last summer, she saw the dress at H&M on a non-Mom-accompanied shopping trip: it was in the $5.00 bin! Said Miss Em, "I KNEW I would have a 1920s party this year."

She also requested a few strands of white Mardi Gras beads. These are free, but we were lucky to have plain white beads. Generally, we donate the plain beads to thrift stores (which sell them for big bucks) and keep only a few choice specimens--like our garlic beads.

For a view of the $5.00 costume, click HERE.

Sorry to say, Mr. FS and I are dreary stay-at-homes and the thought of a costume or theme party makes us break out in hives. But we are good at anticipating our needs and buying ahead. Perhaps party-goers need to construct a costume pantry.

Miss Em is becoming an expert on festive frugality. You go, girl!

Do you like theme parties?

4 comments:

Duchesse said...

Love them! Last New Year's Eve I hosted a dinner party,"New Year's Eve in Palm Springs" since I was a bit tired of the usual. The main scene-setters were my Rat Pack playlist, my mother's Pucci napkins and retro china. Instruction was "dress as retro as you wanna"; guests came in Jackie O bouffants and long gowns, Hawaiian shirts, palazzo pants. A lot of fun!

One guest was confused and came in Palm Beach attire instead, a blazer and white pants- as that's what his in-laws wore in the '50s there.

Duchesse said...

Oops, wanted to say Miss Em looks fabulous and the makeup is so glamorous!

mette said...

No. Not at this age. For younger people definitely a yes. Your daughter looks perfect. I would not change a thing!

Frugal Scholar said...

@Duchesse--You should come to New Orleans. People dress in costume ALL the time! I could handle your theme.

@metscan--thanks--I will pass along your compliment. I think we're both too shy for costumes--right?