When picking out invitations for an adult birthday party, the general rule is to find a design that's stylish, fun, and anything but juvenile (just like Doc Milo's fantastic Celebrations Cocktail Party pictured at left). While you may have to sift through a lot of kid-friendly designs to find them, there are actually a lot of great adult birthday invitations out there if you know where to look (see Resources below). Here are a few things to keep in mind while weighing your options:

1. Keep the taste of your guest of honor in mind. Is she chic and sophisticated, super casual, or a serious party girl?

2. Choose a design that coordinates with your party concept. Whether it's as specific as a particular theme or as general as the colors of your party decor, remember that the invitation is your first chance to capture guests' attention and give them an idea of what kind of soirée to expect.

3. Pay special attention to fonts and illustrative styles. Overly swirly, decorative, or whimsical fonts and illustrations can start to feel juvenile.

Pictured above are a few (quite versatile) contemporary invitation designs with styles and patterns appropriate for almost any milestone birthday. Clockwise from top left: Candles, Turquoise & Black Cosmo, Chocolate Cake, Lime/Orange/Brown, the big four-o, and Brown Star Circles.

Great Shopping Resources for adult birthday party invitations:
Polka Dot Design
Broadway Paper
FineStationery.com
Traylor Papers
Paper Style