October 22nd, 2021 | Updated on June 25th, 2022
The year is 2002, it’s Friday night, and your bestie has rallied you and your friends for an epic slumber party.
The anticipation was running high all day at school, and as the final bell rings, you run home to start packing up your sleeping bag and toothbrush.
When we were kids, slumber parties were the spice of life. Getting together with your girls and staying up all night listening to music, gossiping, and painting each other’s nails were much-loved traditions of childhood’s past.
Maybe you’ll even teepee the neighbor boy’s house if you were feeling scandalous.
All the time spent reminiscing about this fun adolescent tradition is not necessary because we are bringing it back.
In case you haven’t heard, adult slumber parties are a thing and a pretty awesome one at that. Get started with this guide to hosting an old-school slumber party with little adult twists.
Decorations Are Key
First things first, you’re going to need to set the scene. I’m talking fairy lights, big fluffy pillows and sparkly balloons.
You’re an adult now and mom can’t say no to all the glitter shedding streamers and confetti. Stress about the clean up later, the slumber party is your chance to be a worry-free kid again.
Don’t forget music- it’s essential to getting the vibe right. Throw it back to the classics of our time with Spice Girls vinyl records. The authenticity is key here.
Make sure everyone has a comfy place to pass out. Adulthood comes with back pain, and a sleeping bag on the floor is not exactly the part of sleepovers that we miss.
Depending on your budget, there are plenty of back friendly options for your friends to slumber on. Foam camping pads are a great choice that you can easily store away for your next sleepover.
If you do have a larger budget, there are rental options like temporary beds (a la Blair Waldorf’s sleepover in Gossip Girl) or even individual teepees that will give your party a chic and trendy edge.
Don’t be afraid to overdo it with big fuzzy pillows and plush blankets either, you can’t have too many.
Don Your Best PJs
It’s important to tell your girls to dress for the occasion in all the latest pajama fashion. Unlike 2002 we have Instagram now, and you’ll want to set up a photo wall so you can document your fabulous event to the masses.
Bonus points if you can secure a Polaroid camera for the full nostalgia effect. Once you get your Insta worthy iPhone shots, snap a Polaroid for everyone as a souvenir.
The Food
Let’s talk about food and drinks. When planning out your menu you need to consider how many meals your guests will be with you for. Not only will you need to plan for the evening but also for the morning after.
However, a formal sit-down meal isn’t what your sleepover needs. Instead, try setting up an elevated snack bar with a variety of snacks you loved as a kid like mini pizzas, pigs in a blanket or sandwich pinwheels.
Then embellish it with some more adult geared treats like deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, bruschetta or mini quiches. Add in a stunning charcuterie board and you’ve got a great foundation to build your snack bar around.
If your guests are arriving earlier in the evening and you’d like to have something more substantial for them, a taco bar is never a bad choice.
They are easy to set up and are fully self service so everyone can help themselves to as many tacos as they like throughout the night.
More important than the snack bar is the actual bar. No adult sleepover is complete without a cocktail or two.
Making a larger batch of a fruity rum punch or a strawberry margarita and putting it in a container that guests can serve themselves out of is the ideal way to (slumber) party.
Also try preparing some fun pink jello shots garnished with edible glitter to have ready for you guests as they arrive to get the party started. Add in a couple bottles of wine and some alcohol-free options and your bar is good to go.
You’re also going to have to think about having something simple and easy to feed your party goers the next morning.
Having some pastries, bagels, spreads and fruit to lay out in the morning is a no hassle way to send everyone off happy.
Set up a coffee bar alongside your breakfast to really seal the deal. Brew some coffee fresh or pick up some ready made cold brew from the refrigerator section and add in some fun creamer options and toppers.
Truth Or Dare?
Now that you’ve got the setup out of the way, it’s time for the fun stuff. You are going to want to have some fun activities planned. You’ll want to go for some of the classics and try out some new makeup looks on each other.
If you don’t fancy yourself a makeup expert, try out makeup for beginners. If you’re feeling bold, add some fun color to your hair with a temporary hair dye.
You also have the option of setting up a mini spa with a variety of face masks and nail products. You can pick up an at home foot spa or an electronic back massager for added relaxation. If your budget permits, you can even hire someone to come treat your friends to mani/pedis or massages.
Some other fun options that we love are your standard truth or dare or never have I ever. These can also be turned into drinking games along with a variety of our other childhood favorites. You can also just go straight for the college drinking games and set up a round of rosé pong or flip cup.
In the theme of childhood games, piñatas were great as kids, but they are twice as fun when you have a bit of adult aggression to take out on them.
Stuff your piñata with some of your childhood and adulthood favorites like mini liquor bottles and candy necklaces. Throw in some self-care items like mini lotions and perfumes or makeup like lip glosses and eyeshadows as a treat.
Sweet Send Offs
As much as we all liked sleepovers as kids, one of the things we looked forward to the most were the little party favor bags we received on the way out. They were usually filled with candy, cheap plastic whistles and little trinkets that we would lose or break within the day.
Send your girls off in style with things that they will actually enjoy like sleep masks, fun hair ties, or fuzzy slippers. Add in some cute beauty products like these adorable Holiday Stars scrubs or some nail polish for a finishing touch.
Now you have all the tools and tricks to throw an iconic old-school slumber party. Don’t be surprised if your friends are begging to hear when your next sleepover soiree will commence.
You may even find yourself getting invited to similar inspired events now that you’ve reminded the girls of old times. I mean, who needs to go out to a club when you’ve got adult slumber parties to attend.
