5 Steps To Throwing The Perfect Summer Party
Food is usually not essential for a party that's populated by twentysomethings. After all, who do we look like? Our parents? Someone with any extra money? But for an outdoor summer party, it's crucial to provide your guests with some sustenance. Go the Portlandia route and tell people it's a potluck.
By Thought Catalog and 
Ryan O'Connell
In collaboration with and inspired by Lacoste Essential Eau de Toilette fragrance, Thought Catalog brings you Lacoste Fragrance’s Guide to the Perfect Summer Party.
A few weeks ago, the good folks at Lacoste Fragrance reached out to us and said, “Hey Thought Catalog, this summer, we are planning the perfect summer party. Wanna come?” Heck yeah we wanted to come! Of course, we didn’t realize it was going to be a potluck.
Before we knew it, an exceptionally good-looking person rode up on a bicycle and gave us a bottle of Lacoste Essential Fragrance. But this is Lacoste, the brand of Rene Lacoste, a frenchman who won seven grand slam tennis titles and founded an iconic brand of shirts that invented the “sportswear” category, and undoubtedly spoke with an accent so elegant and seductive he could barely keep those shirts on his body. The perfect inspiration for a summer party we’d want to go to.
So, while none of us need an excuse to party in the summertime, a few Thought Catalog tips for the Perfect Summer Party might help us get on Rene Lacoste’s level.
Step one: Host the party outside.
Take advantage of the wonderful weather and hold the fiesta outside! Think backyards, rooftops, a beach or, if it’s not too creepy, the woods! Being in the outdoors enhances the summer vibe and if you feel like doing anything other than sitting, eating, and enjoying cocktails, you can even play a game. (I prefer the least strenuous activity: Spin The Bottle.) If you’re outside, you get all the smells so reminiscent of summer and fun — fresh cut grass, citronella, suntan lotion. It’s important to always have music playing when you’re outside so make sure to make a playlist beforehand. Start out by playing “Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G. and I guarantee everyone will lose their minds.
Step two: Make a summer cocktail.
I’ll be honest, I only know how to drink cocktails — not make them — but I assume it’s very easy. Like, I’m sure all you have to do is Google “Sangria Summer Meltdown” and you’ll have a spectacular recipe waiting for you. Making a summer cocktail just makes your party seem like more of a seasonal event. Play “All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem as you’re handing out the first round to really get people going.
Step three: Have food.
Food is usually not essential for a party that’s populated by 20-somethings. After all, who do we look like? Our parents? Someone with extra money? But for an outdoor summer party, it’s crucial to provide your guests with some sustenance. Go the Portlandia route and tell people it’s a potluck. Think lentil salad, deviled eggs, spiked watermelon. It’s important to have food because it creates anticipation and becomes a centerpiece of the party. When food is finally served, play something mellow and chic like Edith Piaf to give the illusion that we’re adults, damn it!
Step four: Invite a diverse array of people.
If you really want to guarantee a good or at the very least, an INTERESTING time, don’t worry about inviting the “right” people. Summer is an awesome time to blend all of those friend groups that you’ve been keeping separate all this time. Don’t be paranoid about people not getting along. It’s super easy to like someone when it’s nice out and there’s a steady stream of good food, music and fun. Everyone will be relaxed. That’s what this season is all about — being open-minded and letting your hair down. To emphasize the beauty of bonding, play “Call Me Maybe.” It’s the ultimate unifier.
Step five: Let the party go from day to night.
I love a party that goes from 2-10. It’s perfect! People arrive in the mid-afternoon and just stick around all day. Before they know it, the sun has gone down and it’s nighttime! The best parties are the ones that aren’t tethered to a clock. Imagine it: People forgetting about their cell phones and just focusing on socializing and adventuring. They have nowhere else to be. They’re present. Dancing. Drinking up the summer, drinking up the conversations, drinking up the beautiful weather. If you have all of these ingredients, people won’t want to leave. (Another tip: Lacoste Essential Fragrance’s time-release technology keeps you smelling good for as long as you want to party!) And by the time they finally do, they’ll feel that delightful hazy, languid feeling that happens after such a fun day. The last song you should play at the party is “Pink Moon” by Nick Drake. It will lull everyone into a contented sleep and end the night on a high note. 
