How To Be A Party Girl

by Pat Montandon

In this delicious, practical and efficient guidebook Pat Montandon - queen of California's jet set - tells every party giver how to become a great hostess and give unforgettable parties. ESQUIRE magazine chose Pat as one of the nineteen best hostesses in the United States. It is Pat Montandon's conviction that... "...Anyone, regardless of circumstances (i.e. income), can be an outstanding hostess and party giver. Self-confidence gained by being a good hostess can create a completely new world, especially for the unmarried girl who may want to enlarge her circle of friends and therefore her opportunities to meet the right man - also important for the married woman who wants to be something other than just a housewife." No kidding. This book is not a good-grief-let-someone-else-try-it come-on that no lady would follow. It is an immensely useful book that explains the makings of a party people remember, even if you start out not knowing anyone and your bank account registers almost taste, imagination (Pat has plenty of both and is willing to share), hard work, plus a genuine love of people. According to Pat (who arrived in San Francisco a few years ago, a shy little girl from the Southwest), liking people and being considerate of their feelings is the cornerstone of social success. People enjoy good company. They like to have fun. So you don't have to break the bank to entertain well. From your office buddies (the first people you'll meet in a new town) to Social Bigwigs, to very special men - the people you know will be flattered by your attention. To make sure you shine in your hostess role there are chapters on grooming and wardrobe. Pat suggests imaginative themes for all different kinds of parties, and lays down rules for guest as well as hostess. Step number one is to invite them. They'll come..... The next steps are just as simple. Pat discusses food, clothing, decor, whom to ask and whom to avoid. In friendly, big-sister tones she tells you how to cope with the crises that occasionally come up in event the best-organized gal's life - and if you follow Pat's advice being a party girl is a lot simpler, and a lot more fun, than you think! Although Pat keeps in mind that most girls entertain to meet and keep men, she also makes it crisply clear that men don't trust the girl whose only social aim is sex. They prefer the girl who entertains because she loves to, who can say no and stay friends. And in her last, wonderful chapter, Pat discusses how to be a great hostess to one grand guy every evening (and morning and afternoon) of your life.

181 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Lauren Gurbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

important.

[Megan Winget · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first "how to be a woman" book that I ever bought. I found it in the "home-ec" section of the shelves in college and essentially never forgot it. In this book, Pat Montandon essentially gives advice on how to throw a fantastic party. A theme that runs throughout my collection. Best piece of advice: when you're going out for the night, when getting ready, be sure to take a long bath, drink some bubbly, and wander around your house naked for at least an hour beforehand, to get in the right space. I also remember something about laying down on the divan.

[Dawn-Elin Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book rawks! SF socialite Pat Montandon (mother of that Wilsey kid who wrote the tell-all) is the princess of propriety. SO FOXY!

[Nia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 starts because I understand the book is old. LOL if someone wrote this today we'd be fighting.

The party tips and tricks are first rate and you cant help but adore pat!

but, wow what a book. half glamour and old sf charm and the other half old ideals of love and gender roles that my very progress Los Angeles self just could not get behind! a whole chapter on how to please your man when you get married. yuck. also the times when she would fear "male homosexuals" was just soooo.... awful. I got some good quotes but yeah I couldnt recommend. (the martini recipe is fire tho)

[Mohammed musa · Rating 4 out of 5]

lal???????t

[Mary Holtam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very outdated and not at all politically correct but a girls got to educate herself somehow

[Gravity · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at the SFLibrary sale, since I am interested in all things San Francisco and thought she'd let me in on a little of the Caenesque gossip of her time, the late 60's and early 70's.

Her son, Sean Wilsey, wrote "The Glory of it All," which was serialized by the Chronicle a few years back, and although I didn't care for that book very much, it did introduce me to a cast of San Francisco characters I hadn't ever paid attention, including his mother, Pat.

This book is exactly what it claims to be. Pat offers hundreds of great suggestions for hosting glamorous parties, advice on how to look fabulous, and plenty of witty anecdotes about various party-goers and their amusing gaffes. With the exception of the chapter on hostess pantsuits and culottes, most of it could have been written today.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My end of the school year book. Montandon conjures a long-dead San Francisco world in this guide to the womanly arts of entertaining. I read it every summer to mark the passage into reading that could never possibly taught to my students.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

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