A disco ball, flashing neon lights, and leopard print décor. While a trip to Maggie’s may not include any real time travel, members’ nights promise to whisk you off the streets of 21st century Chelsea and into the flashy nightclub scene of the 1980s. At Maggie’s January soirée, Maddie Salters was thrilled to find that the age of PEZ and Pac Man was alive and kicking it on the dance floor. Here are some of her thoughts about her experience at Maggie’s aptly-named Big Hair Party.
The vibe at Maggie’s was contagious. Stepping off the black-lit stairs into a den of album covers and cassette tapes, there was a ready box of wigs available for guests at coat check. Bleach-blonde mullets and glittering Jheri curls were up for grabs. While it was a shame to have to pass on the opportunity, I’d been especially looking forward to the club’s team-up with Michael John salon for the evening, which promised to provide partygoers with the biggest, baddest hair around. But first, libations.
Wandering up to the bar – where a glittering portrait of the club’s namesake and 80’s icon Margaret Thatcher looked out onto a dance floor filled with patrons in sweatbands swaying to beats provided by a flash drummer – I took advantage of the club’s bespoke drinks. A Golden Mullet (£13), Maggie’s infusion of peach, orange, cranberry over Cîroc vodka, made for a smooth starter. My friend’s Bangs of Beauty (£13) was a stouter sip, a fizzy blend of angostura bitters and ginger beer, soothed over with more Cîroc. Bartenders clad in solid sequin dresses presided over a plate of fondant treats by LaDiDa London, and while “Jessie’s Girl” thrummed in the background, I bit into my couture culinary experience- Cosmopolitan and Bailey’s Chocolate cakes.
Any night that begins with someone asking, “Do you think the cupcakes are alcoholic?” is bound to be memorable. Sufficiently sated, I headed for the Michael John pop-up salon at the back of the club, where in a haze of hairspray and Polaroids, the talented technicians of one of London’s top boutiques teased a few inches, crimps, and extensions into my hair. Now I looked the part, and could enjoy a night of cosmic disco and cocktails.
Maggie’s isn’t your typical romp, and not the place to go for a quick pint. If you’re looking for something fresh and out of the ordinary, or have been wondering how to incorporate your jean jacket into a night out, then ditch the pub and apply for membership. Kitsch is nearly ecclesiastic in this space, with Rubik’s Cube table service and Rodger Rabbit restrooms, but Maggie’s also furnishes all the modern essentials, with free-for-use premium colognes and toiletries for freshening up, and a DJ sound system that would have made Tron glow green with envy.
If you’re in the mood to meet great people while getting your boogie down and your hair up in unapologetically 80’s ambiance, then this is your jam. The nostalgia bomb of the Big Hair Party hit hard enough to leave me lip-synching to WHAM! days later.
Maggies is located at 329 Fulham Road SW10 9QL. Learn more at maggies-club.com.
Written by Maddie Salters, a native New Yorker who has lived abroad for half of her life – from cities spanning Montreal to Osaka. While there’s still a lot on her “to trek” list, she has currently landed with both feet firmly in London. As a seasoned travel writer and cultural essayist, you can find her work on TripAdvisor, and in print in Wanderlust Magazine and other international publications.
