Surviving Naughty
A Three-Part Guide to Thriving Before, During, and After the World’s Largest Lifestyle Party
Part 1 - Pre-Convention
Naughty N’awlins is truly a choose-your-own-adventure for lifestyle, kinky, and ethically non-monogamous couples and groups. For a schedule packed with so many options, pre-convention planning is essential! Before you feel ready for Naughty N’awlins, there are many things to do, from purchasing tickets, ordering your costumes, communicating with your partner(s), and packing for the event, sometimes months in advance. The final four weeks before the event are absolutely critical for creating and manifesting the best Naughty for you.
Planning and Packing
Planning, in general, for Naught N'awlins is a feat - what to wear, where to be, and how to meet people - it can be daunting, especially for people who prefer spontaneity. We promise that with just a little bit of planning, you can make a huge difference in how you experience Naughty for the first, second, tenth, and 26th time. The theme nights at Naughty are something to behold. We love how vested in the theme many people get. Your enthusiasm drives more people to dress up, but going all out for a theme like “Out of this World” takes some planning.
Some of our favorite tricks for planning outfits are:
Using separate packing cubes for each day
Mapping all of your outfits out on a spreadsheet
Brainstorming matching outfits with your partner or a group.
Another unique way of planning your outfits is to simply not plan - let the city of New Orleans plan for you! Local Businesses like QTPie, No Rules, Fifi Mahoney's, Maskarade, chains like Party City, and some of the vendors attending, like UpsideDownCreations, can provide your costume and accessories. Whatever planning style you choose, wearing the outfits is only half the fun!
Hacking the Schedule
After you know what you'll wear, you have to decide where to wear it! The Official Naughty N'awlins Schedule can help you plan your long weekend on Bourbon Street and beyond. Making an account is easy, and once you're logged in, you can create a personalized agenda of events you want to attend. Because so many things are happening simultaneously, it's normal to experience FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)- even Pre-event FOMO!
Create a phone shortcut with the web-based schedule to find it during the event, or use Sched easily (you will have to download the app). You can move the Sched icon to your phone's home page.
Set reminders for yourself to make the “Big Event” YOU don't want to miss - a class, panel, a specific party, or a DJ’s set. Make sure to check back often for changes and tweaks!
Try Naughty Members
Being at the event isn't enough; you're there to meet people! Knowing at least one other couple, even as platonic friends, can help First-timers to Naughty feel less pressure and more comfortable. Naughty Members is a censorship-free place to connect with other members, not bots, most of who are DEFINITELY going to be at Naughty N'awlins. Join a community, spend some time in the chatrooms, or message others who have RSVP'd, and maybe make a connection before the event even starts to build more anticipation.
Know before you Go
It's essential for anyone who might play to get tested before any event to know your status. Paying attention to your sexual health is an expression of sexual freedom - not just parading in the Sexual Freedom Parade on Friday, June 28. Shameless Care is a fantastic resource for the ease and convenience of comprehensive testing. Around four weeks before the convention, we suggest starting a supportive supplement routine (with the help of your healthcare team).
Boost your Body
Getting your body ready for a long, full day of partying with 3500 other swingers, kinky folks, and ethically non-monogamous attendees isn't always done overnight - unless you're still in your early twenties!
Naughty can be a nonstop party from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m., which can wear you down. Lack of sleep can affect your immune system. Studies show that people who don't get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as a common cold virus.
Taking an immune-boosting supplement with Vitamin C, like Airborne, Emergen-C, etc, can help prepare your body for being around so many new people, especially if you plan to play. Many energy-boosting supplements exist, especially those with Vitamins B12, B6, and Vitamin D2. Especially for those with climate differences, supplements with vitamin E can help keep hair, skin, and nails healthy and shiny in the humidity. Plan to have some of these at the convention and before.
Consider your personal boundaries BEFORE attending
For some, Naughty N'awlins can be a time of exploration and re-framing their lifestyle journey. Setting personal boundaries and expectations is an important part of planning your trip. Taking some time to think about and explore your desires and fantasies can make the difference between being at and really participating in Naughty.
Deciding what you want to get out of Naughty, as a couple and an individual, is a factor in the tone of your “Naughty” experience. Whether you write a list of want-to-do/have-to-do, create an elaborate points-based game on how to make the most of the week, or think about it only for you, setting goals and expectations is a great starting point for mapping your week. It's also important to use this time to check in with yourself on your personal boundaries and your plan to enforce them. What do you definitely NOT want to do in New Orleans? Knowing what you don't want to do is almost more important than knowing what you want to do. What's next - figuring out your fantasies and boundaries for the week gets so much hotter! After you've taken the time to explore what your hopes are for the week, you get to share them with your partner! Relationships, but especially non-monogamy in any form, hinge on communication. Knowing what you want ahead of time, and communicating that, will mean those things are more likely to happen at the event.
Make sure you have a plan for what you both want to happen at the event and how you’ll check in with each other during it! Consent is ongoing and cannot be given without communication.
We want everyone to live their Best Naughty Life in the ways that feel most authentic to them. If some of these tips don’t resonate with you, take what does and leave the rest. Naughty N'awlins is exactly what you make of it, in every way.