celebrate your birthday

If you’re anything like me, by the time you hit age 21, you’ve already managed to finagle your way into more than your share of bars. Thus, while you can celebrate the Big Birthday by legally gaining entrance to your favorite watering holes and nightclubs, the notion is rather anticlimactic—despite the fact that it’s probably the only time that you can demand a free drink from every bartender and they’re likely to comply. So how is a soon-to-be legitimate party girl to celebrate her big birthday night? With a party, of course! But not just any party. Make your birthday bash extra special with a theme party that honors the year you were born. Luckily for you, the happenings of 1985 provide plenty of theme fodder. Integrate the following pop culture tidbits into your shindig and, in the words of Madonna’s song that topped the charts in May of that year, guests will be “Crazy For You.”

Theme
1985 flashback.

Invitations
Announce that your birthday evening is going “Back to the Future,” which also happened to be the biggest movie of the year. Tell guests to dress for the occasion—boys like any notable figure of the time. Think white blazers and pastels à la Miami Vice and girls mid-'80s Madonna-chic with gloves sans fingers, see-through mesh or lace tops with black bras showing beneath, leggings with short skirts, mega bangles and big, teased hair.

Décor
Play up the look of the ‘80s. Hang era-appropriate teen idol posters—think Brat Packers like Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez and Molly Ringwald. Add early Madonna for extra effect. Silently play the year’s classic films, such as The Breakfast Club, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, The Sure Thing and St. Elmo’s Fire, on televisions around the house.