How to get ready for a party

Parties can be some of the highlights of your social life. However, getting ready for a party can sometimes be stressful. You want to be dressed appropriately and in the right mood to really enjoy the party. Whether you’re going by yourself or with friends, there are plenty of ways to make sure you’re ready to go.

Getting in the Mood

1

Prepare anything you need to bring. If you’re not sure what to bring, ask your host. They may tell you not to bring anything out of politeness. In this case, respect their request; although, you could still give them a card or a thoughtful note. If you can’t bring a gift, a bottle of wine or vase of flowers are good options.

• Potluck: a dish to share.
• Birthday party or baby shower: a gift suitable for the recipient.
• Dinner party: a bottle of wine or a hostess gift.
• Casual high school or college parties: no gift, unless specified.

2

Get energized. Try to get plenty of rest the night before the party. That way, you’ll be able to stay up late if it’s a late night party. Even if it’s a daytime party, you still want to have the energy to be sociable and feel your best.

• Some people will drink coffee or another caffeinated beverage before going out for a late night party.
• Eat a protein-packed meal before going out. Even if there will be food at the party, you don’t want to arrive starving.

3

Listen to music. Listening to some of your favorite music is the perfect way to get excited about a party. It can get you energized and ready to dance, or just put you in a good mood.

• You can listen to music while you’re getting dressed, or while you’re driving to the party!
• Sing along. You’ll feel confident and expressive, which is a great way to feel when you arrive at a party.

4

Plan for socializing. Think about who will be at the party and how you want to interact with them. This can be especially useful if you’re shy or don’t go out very much. You can make small goals, such as, “I will talk to two new people,” or “I will introduce myself to my new coworker that I have a crush on.”

• You can even practice in the mirror if you’re really shy. Practice introducing yourself to someone by saying, “Hi, I’m ___. How do you know the host?”
• Think of topics you can talk about with other guests. Do you follow current events? Have you been working on an interesting project? Can you share a humorous story about the host?

5

Decide when you’ll arrive. Usually, it’s assumed that people will arrive at a party a little bit after it’s supposed to start. This is called being “fashionably late.” If you’re shy, you may want to arrive well after the party has started so that you can avoid having to make conversation if there are only a couple of people there early on.

• Don't be late to dinner parties, children’s parties, or parties where a space has been rented for the occasion. Doing so is considered to be rude. Aim to arrive on time.

Choosing What to Wear

1

Decide what to wear. You’ll want to plan your outfit at least partly based on what type of party it is. For example, you wouldn’t wear the same outfit to a cocktail party that you would to a Memorial Day barbecue. Choose something that’s appropriate to the occasion but that you feel comfortable and good in.

• Look at the invitation for clues about what to wear. Some invitations may say something like, “black tie optional” or “space-age theme!”
• If the invitation doesn’t say what to wear, ask the host to find out what’s appropriate. If you’re worried about the weather, ask: “Will the party be indoors or outdoors?”

2

Dress appropriately for a formal party or event. Even for formal parties and gatherings, there is a spectrum of what is expected. The event might be semi-formal, business formal, white tie, black tie, black tie optional, or creative black tie. Find out which style is appropriate for the event before you choose your outfit.

• Black tie: women will wear long evening gowns and men will wear black tuxedos.
• White tie: women should wear long evening gowns and men should wear black dress coats (tailcoats) with matching pants that have a single satin stripe (US) or double satin stripe (EU and UK).
• Business formal: both men and women should wear suits.
• Creative black tie: women can wear shorter dresses, such as cocktail dresses. Men may wear more whimsical or trendy items, such as colorful cummerbunds.

3

Plan a fun outfit for a casual get-together. A casual get together may be truly casual, such as a neighborhood potluck or barbecue. It can also be "business casual" which is very different. Dress appropriately for however casual the event will be.

• For men, business casual can mean going without a suit jacket, or wearing dark jeans instead of suit pants.
• For women, dressy casual means wearing nice shoes such as heels or classy flats with a tailored shirt and dressy pants or a nice skirt.
• For a truly casual party, wear something you feel comfortable in and that you're excited to show off to a larger social group.

4

Think about what you should wear if you are a kid. Kids are sometimes invited to adult parties, such as wedding receptions or holiday parties. However, they're most often invited to parties with and for other children. Even as a kid, you want to dress appropriately for the occasion.

• For another kid's birthday, wear the same thing you'd wear to the park or school. Something that's comfortable and can get dirty is ideal.
• For a formal gathering or a holiday party, wear clothing that reflects the style of the party: suits for boys and fancy dresses for girls.
• If there will be swimming or other kinds of water fun at the party, bring a bathing suit!

5

Consider how to dress for different seasons or weather. Parties are sometimes held outside.This can be true of barbecues, weddings, garden parties and more. Make sure to dress appropriately for the occasion while keeping the weather in mind.

• If it's a summer event, dress in light clothes. You don't want to sweat through your outfit or feel overheated.
• If the event is in winter, wear a coat or sweater. Make sure that matches your outfit in case you to put it on during the party.
• For holiday parties, be sure to dress festively, emphasizing holiday colors.

6

Ask your friends for ideas on what to wear. Whether or not your friends will be attending the party, they probably have good ideas of what would be appropriate. Ask one or two friends whose opinions you trust

• You can even post a photo of your outfit on social media to get your friends' opinions!