Party Planning Tips, Inspired by Perle Mesta
Perle Mesta was a force to be reckoned with. Dubbed the ‘hostess with the mostes,’ she was renowned for her world-class parties featuring politicians and celebrities during the 40s, 50s, and 60s. With the holiday season upon us, we’re sharing three top tips for the perfect party, inspired by Perle and Meryl Gordon’s new biography, The Woman Who Knew Everyone.
Look beyond the “it” list for your guest list
Perle’s parties included a veritable Who’s Who of Washington insiders, but she also rubbed elbows with celebrities, fresh-faced newcomers, and even gossip columnists to join. Sending invitations to the unassuming Harry Truman and his family while he was left off other guest lists in Washington altered the trajectory of Perle’s life.
If your guest list is just your group chat, try switching it up to keep things interesting. Don’t be afraid to branch out!
Keep them entertained
“Perle wanted her guests to unwind and enjoy themselves, to look forward to seeing new entertainers and surprise performers.” She enlisted singers, ventriloquists, and even her own guests to provide entertainment at her parties. Perle even became great friends with Ethel Merman after she played the famous host in the Irving Berlin musical “Call Me Madam”.
Even if you’re not BFFs with Broadway Divas, make sure to at least have some music on during your party. As Perle told McCalls, it can “harmonize Republicans and Democrats.”
Throw a party with a purpose
Perle could throw a fun party, but she didn’t host just for fun. A pioneering supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, she was a prodigious Democratic fundraiser and rescued Harry Truman’s financially flailing 1948 campaign.
The next time you bring a group together, try incorporating some of your shared passions and values. Ask guests for donations in lieu of a host gift, or plan an evening of good food and good music around writing letters to politicians to advocate for a cause you believe in.
AN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH – BIOGRAPHIES & MEMOIR
A deeply researched biography of the socialite, political hostess, activist and United States envoy to Luxembourg, Perle Mesta, from New York Times bestselling author Meryl Gordon.
Perle Mesta was a force to be reckoned with. In her heyday, this wealthy globe-trotting Washington widow was one of the most famous women in America, garnering as much media attention as Eleanor Roosevelt. Renowned for her world-class parties featuring politicians and celebrities, she was very close to three presidents–Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson. Truman named her as the first female envoy to Luxembourg, which inspired the hit musical based on Perle’s life – “Call Me Madam” – which starred Ethel Merman, ran on Broadway for two years and later became a movie. A pioneering supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, she was a prodigious Democratic fundraiser and rescued Harry Truman’s financially flailing 1948 campaign.
In this intensely researched biography, author Meryl Gordon chronicles Perle’s lavish life and society adventures in Newport, Manhattan and Washington, while highlighting her important, but nearly forgotten contribution to American politics and the feminist movement.