Inviting friends over is one of the most fun and most ludicrous things I do on the reg. We all want to live out a main character moment enjoying a delicious meal over a lovely tablescape with our besties. However, to achieve these cherishable moments, one must disperse a sometimes major amount of elbow grease to pull it off.
Because suddenly it’s Sunday, and everyone will be over in only a matter of time, and there is nay a fork set. How is one to speedily pull this together? Queue the bandana. The almighty accessory is here to save our buns yet again.
Creating an effortless and eclectic aesthetic sure to cause a mini photoshoot in your dining room can be finessed with a few repurposed items. One’s collection of bandanas makes superb napkins, a fast table runner, or a few stitched together compose a tablecloth.
To take things to the next level - layer. Layer bandana placemats and napkins all over the makeshift tablecloth. The patterns, taking on a life of their own, will mix into a melody of conversation and delight.
Plus, do I even need to say it? These are much more sustainable (& fun!) options than running out to Big Box R Us.
I suggest serving everything in vintage drinkware and serveware, which one may have acquired carefully through hours-long, late-night Etsy searches. This gathering is the time to flaunt everything I imagine our grams are hoarding in their cupboards.
The goal is to be able to answer a compliment with a carelessly tossed “Oh, this old thing?” The ultimate casual cool response - a rare occurrence and mega delight.
Accent with wildflower bouquets collected from around the neighborhood (or the grocery store) to *chef’s kiss* the table setting.
If coffee, chocolate, or wine are to stain the cloth, so be it! It’s an emboldened mark of a time when friendship was celebrated, laughs were had, and memories were made. (Don’t worry, stains will be camouflaged by prints and patterns anyway.) Regardless, the cloth becomes even more yours cementing the connections not just for the days but decades to come.