Over the years, Oscar Sunday has become the fashionista Ying to the sports fan’s Super Bowl Sunday Yang. This year’s 85th Academy Awards airs on Sunday, February 24 at 7pm EST on ABC. Of course, for those who truly revel in relishing every moment of the ultimate red carpet celebrity fashion extravaganza, the coverage begins on E! at 5:30pm EST.
The Oscars are all about glitz, glamour, and fantasy—so embrace the spirit of over-the-top dazzle and make it a luxuriously indulgent evening with a ‘sitting in your living room in front of the TV’ twist. Here are some tips for throwing an Award-Winning Academy Awards soirée.
INVITE
Evite Postmark presents The Oscar® Collection by Marc Friedland—a brilliant limited-edition collection of gorgeous evites created by the designer of the official Oscar® envelope. So easy and so fancy!
DECOR
Obviously the television is the centerpiece of any Oscar party. Size matters! And consider upgrading to DVR if you don’t have that function already, so you can scrutinize the baubles, maquillage, and glorious gowns in instant replay. Keep the lighting flatteringly low and make sure you’ve got plenty of comfy seating with a clear view of the main attraction.
SNACKS
Go for snacks that are easy to prep ahead of time so you don’t miss a second of the action. Think finger foods, tapas, and healthy decadence. The stunning array of genetically blessed, personally trained, and professionally styled size 0 beauties on screen can easily drive any normal woman to drown herself in a pint of ice cream or vow to give up food entirely. Provide your guests with plenty of guilt-free indulgences like Chili-Lime Tequila Popcorn or Avocado Quinoa Bites. For more menu ideas, Epicurious has an Oscar® Party Planner complete with menus inspired by the Best Picture nominees.
Read Related: Oscar-Worthy Hair & Makeup—Without a Celebrity Stylist!
COCKTAILS
This occasion calls for fabulous, frothy, celebratory libations like Champagne, Bellinis, and Daiquiris. HotelChatter has some fantastic recipes for Oscar-inspired cocktails: consider serving a round of Life of Papayas or Honest Abes.
GAMES
The Oscars® are fully interactive this year complete with an app. ABC’s online ballot lets you pick your award-winners and challenge your friends on Facebook. Or you can kick it old-school and print out an official ballot for each guest to fill in as they arrive and award prize to whoever picks the most winners. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has their own party kit with printable Oscar® Bingo cards and even more cocktail and snack recipes. And for all of the fashion scoop, E! will be tweeting live from the Red Carpet.
FAVORS
Make your guests feel like celebs by handing out Swag Bags filled with inexpensive baubles and makeup. Forever 21 has tons of great cocktail rings for under $5. Throw in a tube of lip gloss, a mini bottle of nail polish and you’ve got easy, star-worthy party favors.
DRESS CODE
The dress code possibilities are endless: full black-tie glam, flirty cocktail, laid back loungewear, or costume drama (everyone dresses in the theme of their favorite nominee). Anything goes!
Print your Official Oscar® Ballot.
