Host a Roaring Good Time at Your Murder Mystery 1920s Party

Are you considering throwing a roaring 20s murder mystery party? This theme is perfect for those who love the glamour and intrigue of the roaring twenties, and who also enjoy a little bit of mystery. We had a roaring good time at our recent murder mystery 1920s party that we hosted for our annual murder mystery night. In this post and it the follow up post linked below, you can find a mega-guide for hosting both a murder mystery party and a roaring 20s party – even if you aren’t combining both! Even if you are looking for a speakeasy party ideas or Gatsby party ideas without the murder mystery element, this post is for you! I even have a few free Roaring 20s party printables for you!

After you finish reading this post which focuses mostly on 1920s costumes and 1920s decorations, you will want to check out my second post on the 1920s food and 1920s cocktails we served at our party. I worked hard on these posts, dolls and gents! I have added A LOT of links to helpful resources and to all the things that were purchased for our party for your convenience.

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The Point of a Murder Mystery Party

At a murder mystery 1920s party, guests are assigned characters and given clues to solve a fictional murder. As the night progresses, guests will interact with each other in character and gather information to piece together the mystery. This type of party is perfect for those who love to dress up and play a role, as it allows guests to fully immerse themselves in the theme.

I cannot tell you how much fun we have at our murder mystery parties! We have now hosted around 15 murder mystery parties, and we have a long list of regular guests who look forward to the next party all year long. Seriously, I will get random texts or questions in person with someone asking me what the next theme is going to be and such. People love these parties!

I chose Murder at the Four Deuces for our Roaring 20s murder mystery. I chose the digital version – which means I had to print everything myself. The company also offers a box version which the contents already packaged. I first purchased this game 12 years ago or so, and we played it as our New Year’s Eve murder mystery theme at the time. We had a great time!

Fast forward 12 years, and the game has undergone some changes. The company was nice enough to send me the updated game since they found the record of where I had purchased before. I only had to buy an expansion package to accommodate our large group. The customer service at Dinner and a Murder is great!

If I must be honest, the game this go round was a little over the heads of multiple guests – especially newer players. It has a flexible format which allows for multiple murders and culprits. That aspect is super cool. But at a certain point, the game got rather complicated and some people felt a little lost. I think this is also due to have 29 people playing the game – including newbies. Smaller groups would likely have a smoother time. Everyone still had a fantastic time!

Other 1920s murder mystery games to consider are:

Murder at the Grand Gatsby by My Mystery Party

Murder at the Juice Joint by Night of Mystery

Murder at Gatsby’s Gala by Night of Mystery

I have not played any of these particular games, but other friends of mine have played Murder at the Juice Joint, and they had a great time. I have hosted other games by My Mystery Party and Night of Mystery which have all been great!

Understanding the 1920s Era

The 1920s were a time of great change in the United States. The country had just come out of World War I, and the economy was booming. From all accounts, it seems people were eager to have fun and enjoy life, and this led to the rise of the “Roaring Twenties.” It was a time of the Prohibition, speakeasies, flappers, jazz music, and gangsters.

No doubt, the 1920s was the perfect setting for a modern day murder mystery party!

Prohibition Influence

The Prohibition era was a time when alcohol was illegal in the United States. This led to the rise of speakeasies, which were secret bars that sold illegal alcohol. The Prohibition era had a significant influence on the 1920s party setting.

Ahead of the party, I recommended my guests read up on some basic information about the Prohibition as knowing some background info helps with the role playing. (By the way, I handle most of my murder mystery communication via a Facebook “event” that I set about 6 weeks before each party. I drop links, potluck sign up lists, reminders about character assignment emails, etc. I even dropped a link to a guide to 1920s slang so my guests could show up armed with some zingers!)

At our murder mystery party, we made sure to include a speakeasy as our main setting. We also had some other “secret” gambling halls set up upstairs…as seen below. One of the characters was supposed to be a big gambler so this space was really perfect for his antics.

And we made sure to have plenty of “bootlegged hooch” available for our guests!

Planning a Roaring Twenties Murder Mystery Party

As a veteran murder mystery party hostess, I can tell you there is a lot of work involved in hosting! I have already covered these planning details thoroughly in my post on hosting a murder mystery party so I am not going to get into all of that here today. Rather, I’m going to show you how we set up and styled our Roaring Twenties murder mystery party! It was the cat’s meow!

The 1920s were known for their distinct aesthetics. The fashion of the time was characterized by flapper dresses, cloche hats, and feather boas. At our murder mystery party, we encouraged our guests to dress up in 1920s fashion – based on the character assignment each one had. We also decorated our house with touches of art deco-inspired decor, which was popular in the 1920s. Find more detailed information below as to how we achieved all of this!

1920s Outfits

When it comes to a murder mystery 1920s party, dressing up is half the fun!

Our friends brought it big time when it came to their Roaring 20s costumes! I mean, just look at them! Everyone looked fantastic. They really brought out the glad rags!

Women’s 1920s Outfits

1920s outfits for women were all about breaking away from the traditional styles of the past. The flapper dress became popular, featuring a short hemline, drop waist, and loose fit. Here are some key elements of a 1920s flapper costume:

• Flapper dress: Look for a dress with a straight or slightly flared silhouette, made of lightweight fabrics like silk or chiffon. Sequins, beading, and fringe are common embellishments.
• Headband: A headband with a feather or beaded detail is a must-have accessory for a flapper costume.
• Shoes: Choose a pair of T-strap or Mary Jane style shoes with a low heel.
• Jewelry: Long strands of pearls, dangling earrings, and a bracelet or two can complete the look.

If a flapper dress isn’t your style, you can still achieve a 1920s outfit with a skirt and blouse or a pantsuit. Look for fabrics like silk, satin, or velvet and add some bold accessories like a cloche hat or a fur stole.

But, honestly, the particular descriptions listed for each character should determine what type of costume the person selects. Some of my guests were instructed to dress in flapper dresses while others were told to have more of a prim and proper dress or skirt/blouse for a professional 1920s outfit idea.

You can find amazing 1920s style outfits or costumes at thrift shops, if you are willing to do some digging. Or online. I happened to find my red fringe dress on an online boutique that I was browsing. It was on sale, and I knew I could wear it for our upcoming party. Granted, red isn’t the typical color (black seems to be a more common choice), and my dress was a bit more plain compared to some of my friends’ dresses. But for a $20 (super comfortable) dress, I made it work just fine! I went with this black feather headpiece to complete my 1920s look.

Some of my friends’ beaded Gatsby dresses from Amazon were incredible! You can find bundles that include the 1920s dress and accessories all together.

1920s Men’s Outfits

Men’s fashion in the 1920s was all about looking sharp and sophisticated. The classic gangster look is a popular choice for a 1920s party, but there are other options as well. Here are some key elements of a 1920s gangster costume:

• Suit: Look for a pinstripe suit with a double-breasted jacket and wide lapels. The pants should have a high waist and wide leg.
• Hat: A fedora or a newsboy cap is the perfect accessory for a gangster costume.
• Shoes: Choose a pair of wingtip or Oxford style shoes.
• Accessories: A pocket square, suspenders, pocket watch, and a tie clip can add some extra flair to your outfit.

If you don’t want to go for the gangster look, you can still achieve a 1920s style with a three-piece suit or trousers with a vest or suspenders. Look for fabrics like wool or tweed and add some accessories like a bow tie or a pocket watch.

Overall, the key to a successful 1920s outfit costume is attention to detail. Paying attention to the small things like accessories and fabrics can make a big difference in creating an authentic look.

That’s my husband on the right with the burgundy 1920s men’s costume.

This roaring 20s murder mystery party was the biggest group we have hosted…29 guests! By the way, 29 guests is a HUGE murder mystery party at home. I feel things are better at a lower number – maxing out around 20-22.

Murder Mystery 1920s Party Decor

Color Scheme

For a murder mystery 1920s party, the color scheme should be dark and moody to set the tone for the party. We recommend using colors such as black, gold, burgundy, and deep purple. We also popped a little pink into our 1920s murder mystery decor, as well. These colors will help create a mysterious and sophisticated atmosphere.

Touches of Glamour

To add a touch of glamour to the party, we suggest using gold accents throughout the decor. This can include gold tablecloths and gold cutlery. These small touches will make a big impact on the overall look of the party. I had the Hubs bring down my New Year’s Eve decor from the attic, and I pulled out some things to use – such as a tabletop Cheers sign, some gold LED candles, and some Fizz, Pop, Clink picks.

Around the entire house, I dropped little bundles of pearl necklaces and black and white ostrich feathers anywhere I could for some added glam.

I also did a little research and saw that animal prints had first started its journey into on-again fashion during the 1920s (thanks to high-end celebrities being seen with leopard print in the 1920s) so this gave me the perfect opportunity to use the cream and gold leopard print tablecloth I had been saving for a special occasion!

I pulled out my gold chargers that usually go unused most of the year. This was an excellent time to bring them out! On top of the gold chargers, I added disposable white and gold dinnerware from Amazon that looked like fancy china dishes. They were pricey for disposable dinnerware, but were totally worth it for the look I wanted to achieve. The set came with white and gold napkins and small plastic cups with gold trim. I was shocked and how nice all the pieces looked!

1920s Murder Mystery Party Decorations and Props from Amazon

Props are easily available on Amazon, Party City, Oriental Trading, and other party shops.

For our 1920s murder mystery decorations and supplies, I ordered:

• “A Little Party Never Killed Nobody” wall hanging – I personally think this one piece right here makes a huge impact! For the money, this piece makes one of the biggest impacts.
• Roaring 20s signs – These were also a huge part of my Gatsby decor. There are a lot of signs so you can spread them out around your house.
• Roaring 20s photo props – I never attached the sticks to mine and just used them as additional signage, but they are great for photo backdrops!
• Money bags – These can be stuffed with towels or anything to make them look full. Then, just set them around.
• Fake money – Most murder mystery games come with printable money if you need money in the game. My game had the money, but I prefer the look of this money. It looks so real! And I can reuse it again for our next murder mystery party.
• Long Pearl Necklaces – A big 36 pack of long fake pearls will allow some for costumes with extras for decorations.
• Gold fringe curtains for backdrop – These gold fringe curtains add fun to any wall – making for an instant backdrop.

Although I don’t recall seeing this Roaring 20s mugshot photo backdrop with wanted signs, I think it would make a truly great addition to certain 1920s murder mystery themes!

DIY Roaring 20s Decorations

Some of the 1920s party decorations were so easy to make on my own. I simply wrapped up a couple of Amazon boxes and slapped a “gin” or “rum” sign on them (written with Sharpie – as it likely would have been in the 1920s) to look like cargo boxes of liquor. I tucked them in various spaces around the house and also used a few as risers on the food station.

I also made the giggle water station set up below in which I simply placed liquor bottles in brown paper bags and labeled them with a Sharpie. I poured water in Mason jars and labeled those as Moonshine. A few mixers, like Bee’s Knees, I found at Home Goods were also on the bar along with anything necessary for making the drinks.

Again, don’t forget to check out our Roaring 1920s food and cocktails post (linked at the end of this post) for more printables and ideas!

Roaring 20s Murder Mystery Party Prizes

Every good murder mystery party ends with fun prizes! I found these Al Capone Red wines at The Winery of Hot Springs before our party. I just had to have them for my four murder mystery prizes (one for best costume, one for solving the murder, one for . The Al Capone Red is a popular seller at The Winery of Hot Springs, according to one of the employees there. The notorious gangster, Al Capone, used to hang out in Hot Springs and got into many shenanigans there. In our particular murder mystery, Al Capone was also one of the characters so this made for the perfect prize!

I also found this similar Prohibition Red wine that is cheaper and would also fit a Roaring 20s murder mystery party perfectly – though I can’t vouch for the taste/quality.

Here Are Some Free 1920s Party Printables!

I made these particularly for my Roaring Twenties murder mystery party, but they are mostly generic and should work for most any 1920s party or Gatsby party decor.

Free Photo Booth Printable

Free Dolls and Gents Bathroom Sign

It’s Time to Dress Up and Sleuth

Now, put on your flapper dress or pinstripe suit, and get ready to solve a murder in style!

I can 100% say the roaring 1920s theme for a murder mystery party provided the perfect setting! Pretending to be sneaky during the Prohibition Era and all the beautiful Roaring Twenties aesthetics provided a night of fun for all! It was the bee’s knees!

More Great Murder Mystery Ideas

Check out our other mystery party ideas!