A couple weeks back, FabSugar and I waltzed into a party at the Emporio Armani Cafe. From the get-go, things were a little weird. We assumed it was a fashion event, but the clothes were off limits. Guests were asked to wear name tags and encouraged to mingle. Suddenly we realized it was a private party, a real estate networking event for those in the industry! Instead of leaving, we quickly turned into stylish party crashers.
Party crashing — the art of showing up at an event unexpectedly and uninvited but going unnoticed — was made popular by the flick Wedding Crashers. While I don't recommend you make a career out of it, it's fun to crash a party every now and then. For my tips on how to successfully party crash, read more.
- Walk into the event confidently, like you belong. Smile at the bouncer or doorman.
- Be cool and don't call unnecessary attention to yourself. The last thing you want is for the hostess to single you out and wonder how you ended up at the party. Fab and I skipped the long name tag line and thus averted having to tell people we weren't in real estate.
- Do not over drink or overeat. Enjoy the open bar and food as you would at any normal event. Fab and I ordered a cocktail but realized we preferred wine, so we ditched the cocktails and ordered wine at another bar.
- Mingle with guests, but avoid making up extravagant lies. Lies have a tendency to snowball and can easily be blown out of proportion. We mentioned being writers but said nothing about the topics we cover.
- If you are put on the spot, allude to being a friend of so and so — choose a name that is common in most groups of friends — and quickly change the subject of conversation to something other than yourself.
- Have fun and be yourself; it is a party after all!
Have you ever crashed a party before? Or has someone crashed your party? Tell me your experiences below!
My friend and I used to have annual parties that were crashed every year. We never minded, it was pretty flattering for someone to walk into the bar we rented out and stay because they thought it was cool.