Don’t Be Clueless – How to Host a 90s Theme Party

Now this is a story all about an NBA player’s birthday (and an icon of the 90s). The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, aka Will Smith, inspired Rudy Gay’s 33rd birthday from pool to poolside.

The party took Rudy and friends back to their childhood. Fashion, photo ops, theme desserts, and funky fonts — these photos will inspire the ultimate throwback birthday bash. We love a “party in the city where the heat is on” — as does Will Smith himself. 

Who didn’t love Nick in the 90s? This All That-inspired party featured an epic dessert bar that honored the era. Walkman cookies, Rugrats diaper cakes, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cupcake tower, and Baby Bottle Pops (we remember them, too) made this 90s theme party as sweet as can be. 

One look at this LA party and you know you’ve taken 30 years off time. It’s as if the soirée grabbed NSYNC’s stage fashion and turned it into a table. Mesh lamp shades were suspended by gold chains, while loud patterned linen perfectly clashed with color-blocked place cards and menus.

If you’re looking for guidance with your party menu, these are the photos for you. We couldn’t include the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air-themed birthday without giving a major shout out to the food. From poolside bites to a 90s-inspired candy wall and completely on-theme dessert designs, this party’s catering was all that and a bag of chips (literally). 

The 90s kicked off with Princess Jasmine as the first racially diverse Disney Princess (soon-to-be followed by Pochahantis and Mulan). So what better way to celebrate the 90s than with an Aladdin-inspired twist? 

This themed engagement party’s eclectic florals and neon lights certainly fit the color-filled era — and the story itself is as romantic as they get. Cue A Whole New World. 

Millennials will love this blast from their teenage past. Bring on the acid wash jeans, tracksuits, and larger-than-our-head cellphones (if you were lucky enough to have one). This celebration’s 90s-inspired photo op saw it all. The guests’ Seinfeld-meets-Backstreet Boys fashion will inspire your future party with the best of the past. 

The NBA’s Draymond Green was thrown an epic surprise party — but the legendary theme is no surprise at all. Guests went through a time warp tunnel of Missy Eliott-inspired décor, and found themselves on the other side at a 90s nightclub. 

The event was filled with cabanas, each representing a different aspect of the all star’s childhood from his bedroom to his favorite 90s video games, activities, gadgets, and more. A 6-tiered birthday cake summed the party (and the 90s) up perfectly.

Draymond Green’s 30th birthday brought 90s television sets back to life (literally). If you’re looking for photo op ideas that will take you back to ‘99, this party is chock full of them. The photo booth set up has us ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy a sitcom rerun (or pop in a VCR).

There’s only one dream team, and any 90s kid knows exactly who was on it. Dream team member Michael Jordan was the true star of the 1990s, so it should come as no surprise that anything Jordan is perfect for your throwback party. 

Jordan’s iconic Jumpman logo was sprawled across napkins, signage, photo ops and more at this Bar Mitzvah party. We can’t help but love the corresponding gummy sneakers at the rim of each party drink (a slam dunk detail indeed). 

We never want to be on a break from our Friends, who also happen to be a fan-favorite 90s party theme. This Bat Mitzvah celebration took the group’s iconic Central Perk couch, famous theme song props, and coffee bar décor to recreate one of the most famous TV sets of all time. Let the photos inspire your own reboot. 

We’ll tell you what we want, what we really really want — and it starts with our favorite CDs (hello, Spice Girls’ Spice). 

This 90s rewind holiday party had no shortage, with a cascading CD installation flowing off the party’s center bar. The throwbacks didn’t stop there, with cars, TV sets, and activities straight out of our favorite decade scattered across the venue. 

If you’re a 90s baby, there’s nothing more reminiscent of the era than Lisa Frank’s magical arts and crafts. Their catch phrase was on point: we had to have it — and now, we simply have to recreate this party theme. Whether you give it a holiday twist or keep it year-round whimsical, we’re loving all the ideas from this 90s party. 

Give us neon lights, matching drinks, and a Tupac-filled playlist and we’ll be on 90s cloud nine. While we can’t say for certain that this Bar Mitzvah satisfied our favorite music requests, we do know it’s the perfect inspiration for your 90s Hip Hop-inspired party design.

Trend alert: Couples are swapping traditional rehearsal dinners for blow-out welcome parties (and hint, hint — they’re themed).

This couple greeted guests at their wedding weekend by welcoming them back to the 90s. From a graffiti dance floor to plenty of nods to 90s hip-hop, this party was a slice of nostalgic heaven. Plus, the bride and groom-to-be sported the iconic 90s MJ jersey.

This 90s backyard bash has us craving the bright colors of our favorite decade. We love how the pool décor gives a nod to 90s era hip hop and rap with gold chain floaties. Other unique details include a graffiti t-shirt-making station and a birthday cake decorated with 90s confetti patterns.

Okay, we want more than just MTV. We want to recreate this whole 90s-themed birthday party. A 90s-theme balloon backrop features some of the decade’s favorite props, including cordless phones and colorful boomboxes. Make sure to also check out the Pop Rocks mocktails and colorful charcuterie station — with a few candy necklaces thrown in. 

This throwback 90s bash delights with plenty of delicious treats. From a create-your-own Lunchables station to bites served on skateboard trays, guests felt satiated from start to finish. Make sure to check out other on-theme details. You’ll find a Mario Kart game station, landline telephone props, and retro lava lamp décor.