15 Amazing Ideas for Throwing the Perfect Bastille Day Soiree

Okay, it’s that time of year! The special day in July where we celebrate a great nation’s independence. That’s right — we’re talkin’ about Bastille Day (wait, what?!). As we slowly recover from the passing of our country’s big day, let’s not forget that we’ve still got another set of red, white and blues to celebrate this month, but this time with a French twist. Whether you’re looking to repurpose your Fourth of July decor or you’re simply crazy about planning killer events, we’ve got the inspo you need to throw the *perf* Parisian bash. From too-cute eclairs to a decadent Champagne fountain, scroll on and find the must-have decor for your Bastille Day festivities.

1. Sparkler Cake: What’s a party without cake? Bring an American touch to your French-themed affair with a sweet vanilla cake coated in red, white and blue pretzels. Just don’t forget the set of faux sparklers to give your sweet confection that extra wow factor. (via Sprinkle Some Fun)

2. Croquembouche Cake With Lemon & Berries: Calling all culinary royalty! Place the perfect Bastille Day centerpiece on your party table with this swoon-worthy croquembouche. With fresh fruit and icing repping the country’s colors, this fancy AF dessert has got Parisian love written all over it. (via Raspberri Cupcakes)

3. Champagne Party Favors: Just when you thought Champagne couldn’t get fancier. Nothing says “merci” like getting your own mini bottle of bubbly. (via Mademoiselle Fiona)

4. Macaron Cake: Ombre macarons and sparklers?! This gorgeous dessert takes the cake (pun totally intended) for the most romantic sweet treat in our roundup! (via One King’s Lane)

5. Especially Paper Garland Kit, Hot Air Balloons ($12): Add extra whimsical charm to your Bastille Day event with these adorable little hot air balloons hanging across your walls. This playful piece of decor is ideal for giving your party a travel-themed atmosphere.

6. French Flag Macarons: When we think of French food, macarons almost always come to mind. Who can resist this sugary sweet (not to mention gluten-free) treat? This July 14, celebrate Bastille Day right with one of the country’s signature desserts decked out in red, white and blue. (via Eat. Live. Travel. Write.)

7. PaperBuiltShop Paris-Themed Photo Booth Props ($5): A themed photo booth takes your party from good to ah-mazing! Download these fun and flirtatious props to give your guest some sweet memories they can take home.

8. DIY Mini Eclairs: These pretty and pink eclairs are glamorous enough to serve in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Give your French desserts a cinematic flair by making these almost-too-gorgeous-to-eat pastries. (via Camille Styles)

9. DIY Jelly Bean Favors: Any great party host knows that sending guests off with goodies is the capper on an already excellent night. Give your party goers a charming parting gift: little baggies filled with jelly beans arranged into a Tricolor. (via Oh Happy Day!)

10. Red, White and Blue Streamers: Give your Bastille Day barbecue an extra soft touch with faded streamers mixed with hanging lights. This romantic setup kicks American cookouts to the curb. (via Virgil Bunao Fine Art Weddings / Style Me Pretty)

11. The Papier Studio Vintage Circus Inspired Paper Rosettes ($88): Drawing your party inspiration from Midnight in Paris? Give your Bastille Day bash an old world aesthetic with paper rosettes influenced by the roaring ’20s. Now all you need is a chic flapper dress!

12. Flag Berry Tarts: What’s better than one scrumptious tart? How about three, subtly arranged into a flawless French flag. (via Martha Stewart)

13. Whack Piñatas French Toast Piñata ($45): In a whimsical way, French toast falls under the realm of French cuisine too. Take a childlike approach to your Parisian party by displaying a cute character piñata for party goers to enjoy.

14. Red, White and Blue Pretzel Bites: Classic French colors meet American munchies in this crunchy treat. Don’t forget the sprinkles after frosting these salty-sweet snacks! (via The Gunny Sack)

15. Champagne Tower: Gatsby’s got nothing on you! Give your Bastille Day event over-the-top sophistication with a Champagne tower fit for the creme de la creme. (via David Manning Photographer / Wedding Chicks)

Are you celebrating Bastille Day? Follow us on Pinterest for more party inspo!

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Christmas has come early for two reasons: Carpool Karaoke is back — and so is Lady Gaga! Wondering what they have in common? Everything!

The 2010's sensation gave us amazing celebrity appearances with James Corden as driver extraordinaire, and stars like Harry Styles, Katy Perry, and Selena Gomez. Lady Gaga joined the carpool in 2016 — with over 88 million views on Youtube — singing songs like "Million Reasons" and "Bad Romance" to her heart's content.

Finally, the pop star — and the show itself, TBH — made a return this week! And more than that? Lady Gaga even debuted her new Christmas song. I've already played it multiple times, so I know it's about to top my most-played Christmas songs. Excited? Here's everything you need to know about the surprise song drop, the return of Carpool Karaoke, and more!

See how Carpool Karaoke gave us the biggest surprise of 2024 — a new Lady Gaga Christmas song!

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

In an unexpected trailer for A Carpool Karaoke Christmas, Zane Lowe can be seen accepting a phone call from the one and only James Corden who has a huge favor to ask. The first passenger Lowe picks up is the "Bad Romance" songstress herself — followed by Chappelle Roan and Dua Lipa's own individual appearances.

The car's decked out in green wreaths and festive red bows which adds to the Christmas spirit as everyone sings along to famous holiday songs. Lady Gaga can also be heard singing "Christmas Tree" which has fans in the trailer's comment section besides themselves with glee!

According to Deadline, the special premiered on Apple TV+ December 15, so it's not too late to watch it if you're just as excited as we are. But that's not all!

The outlet also reported Lady Gaga and Lowe released a new version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" on all streaming music platforms! This means you get to hear the pop star give the nostalgic song a punk rock vibe that's now stuck in our heads.

If Lady Gaga tells us not to pout or cry, we're going to listen! (And sing along while we're at it 😉)

Follow us on Facebook for more fun celeb news!

I knew beauty trends were officially headed in a different direction when latte makeup dominated social media last year. Everything about it gave the appearance of soft features, making this millennial appreciate the ‘no makeup’ look more and more. And while I'm working on staying up-to-date on all the latest makeup trends, it also reminded me there are outdated trends that unintentionally age people...and definitelyneedto go.

Wanna look younger and more on-trend, too? From super metallic eyeshadow to contour that dominates your face, here are the 8 outdate makeup trends to leave in the early ‘90s to mid-2000s.

The 8 outdated makeup trends you need to stop ASAP!

1. Full Coverage Foundation

KoolShooters

There was a time where wearing full-coverage foundation was all the rage. From drugstore to high-end brands, it seems like they were consistently shoved in consumers’ faces to help us achieve a ‘full beat’ without sitting in a makeup artist’s chair. Also, those of us with dark spots or hyperpigmentation may have relied on them when we were in the thick of our skincare woes.

But these days, wearing too much foundation isn’t as popular as natural and skincare makeup are prioritized. If anything, more people are interested in wearing light-to-medium coverage foundation, skin tints, or tinted moisturizers.

2. Too Much Concealer

George Milton

It wasn’t until I watched this video by makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes that I realized some of us have been too heavy-handed with our concealers. There’s no reason we should be slapping products under the thinnest parts of our face, but we didn’t know any better!

Now that you know you can still get the desired effect with a minimal amount of concealer, don’t revert back to painting your under eyes!

3. 'Baking' Your Setting Powder

Chidi Young

Before you throw away your setting powders, step away from your makeup drawer and have a sit-down chat with me. There isn’t anything wrong with applying them to your face to help ‘set’ your foundation and concealer. However, spending over 10 minutes ‘baking’ your powder (AKA letting it sit untouched) doesn’t work for everyone.

It can lead to creased makeup which can derail your look, plus it’s a pain to correct when you’re halfway through your routine!

4. Overlining Lips

Kaboompics.com

I love a good lip liner, especially if it mirrors my favorite ‘90s makeup look. But, there’s such a thing as overdoing it. The key to lining your lips is following the natural flow of them. Going out of your way to draw above and under your lips’ lines comes off as comical and exaggerated. If anything, use a lip plumping gloss to help your lips look fuller.

5. Overtweezing Your Eyebrows

Getty Images

I don’t even have the words for this outdated makeup look besides wanting to say “no” 20 times in a row. But, I’ll bite and say why this shouldn’t be on your 2025 beauty moodboard.

Some people naturally have thinner eyebrows which is A-okay! However, purposely tweezing your eyebrows to smithereens is cringey. If you truly want to wear this look, here’s what you can do instead of tweezing:

  • Create a faux bleached look by applying a skin tone colored setting powder all over your brows.
  • Once they’ve ‘disappeared,’ take an eyebrow pencil or eyeliner to draw a thin line over them.

I’m…wondering what the ramifications of telling you how to do this will be, but only use go for this look if it’s a part of a themed party…like Halloween.

6. Exaggerated Highlighter On Cheeks

Milad Farhani

The shimmery look is in since it’s winter, but please don’t make it look like you dipped your cheeks into a vat of glitter. You can lightly dust highlighter onto your cheeks for a more natural glow that flows with the rest of your look. Otherwise you’ll look like a walking disco ball which could be the opposite of what you were going for.

7. Heavy Contour Or Bronzer

Laura Garcia

I know the ‘sculpted’ look is popular, but too much contour or bronzer can overpower the rest of your makeup and face. While it’s not impossible to fix if you do it by mistake, using the wrong shade of contour or bronzer may still peep through no matter how much you try to buff it out.

When in doubt, be gentle with your contour or bronzer application!

8. Incredibly Matte Makeup

Nataliia Yatsiuk

Matte makeup that didn’t budge was the ‘It Girl’ look for oily and combination skin girls! We thought it was the answer to our skin’s incessant need to hydrate our faces instead of actually using skincare products that focused on combatting that issue (psst…Vitamin C serums help!).

But now’s the time to break up with this look for good for one reason: dewy skin looks healthier.

While we have you here, learn about the outdated shoe trends you shouldn't be wearing in 2025 either.

As much as I love the wholesome parts of the holidays (like decorating Christmas cookies and opening gifts in the morning), one of my absolute favorite parts about the end of the year is ringing in a new one. 2025 is on its way, baby, and if you’re anything like me, you’re already scheming up a New Year's party plan. The key to a good time is definitely having a great outfit – and these 12 Abercrombie & Fitch party dresses are actually perfect for the occasion. I’m talkin’ sequins, mesh, and even leopard print.

Get ready to stand out this season in these drop-dead gorgeous Abercrombie & Fitch party dresses!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Strapless Drop-Waist Maxi Dress

Drop waists will always get me. Plus, they're so flattering! This flowy maxi can be conveniently worn with or without straps to suit your personal style.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Long-Sleeve Sheer Hem Mini Dress

The scooped neckline on this stunning mini dress is mirrored along the back, which dips a bit lower for a sultry vibe. Pair with some basic heels, and your 'fit is complete.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Collared Zip-Up Midi Dress

The ruching along the front of this zip-up dress is super flattering, drawing eyes to your waistline. The high leg slit feels flirtatious as ever, which could be just the vibe you're needing for your New Year's plans.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Satin Slip Maxi Dress

Slip dresses are simply timeless and so easy to style. Lean more '90s with this foxy leopard print. I'd def wear it with some black boots and a black faux fur jacket for the drama (and more importantly, the warmth).

Abercrombie & Fitch

Long-Sleeve Mesh Maxi Dress

This meshy maxi comes with a mini-length slip along the inside so you won't have to constantly worry about coverage. The material still shows your skin in all the right places!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Strapless Pleated Skort Dress

This preppy piece can easily be played up for a party – if anything, I think the tailored look gives the impression that you're super polished. Slip into this strapless skort dress (yep, there's built-ini shorts!), step into some cute kitten heels, throw on a shaggy coat, and you're set!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Long-Sleeve Off-The-Shoulder Satin Mini Dress

I could see this one working just as well for a Christmas dinner as it would for a rather lit New Year's get-together. The off-the-shoulder look is simply so sweet!

Abercrombie & Fitch

Straight Neck Sequin Midi Dress

Sequins. Need I say more?! You'll immediately stand out among the crazy New Year's crowds in this fancy, disco ball-esque frock.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Off-The-Shoulder Rhinestone Maxi Dress

If full-on sequins aren't quite your thing, you can still put on a bit of shimmer with this dress that's dotted in tiny rhinestones. It comes in this amazing nude color or black to best suit your style!

Abercrombie & Fitch

High-Neck Satin Sculpt Midi Dress

While the front of this sleek midi is more modest, the back features an open design that lets you show some more skin. It's definitely on the elegant side, so I'd advise wearing it to a fancy cocktail hour or more low-key NYE party this year.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Emerson Off-The-Shoulder Skort Dress

Polka dots always feel super energetic to me, so if you want to be the one to get the party started, this is the dress for you! Plus, it'll make for some super cute Instagram pics. The design includes some built-in shorts, so coverage won't be an issue throughout the night.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Satin Embellished Strapless Mini Dress

Oh, this one is perfect. The tiny rhinestone embellishments will certainly have heads tuning your way.

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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.