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debutante, a young woman who is making a formal entrance into society. So-called debutante balls, dating back to at least the 18th century, were originally intended as an avenue through which to present young women eligible for marriage to prospective high-society partners.
- Alison Eldridge
A debutante ball, sometimes called a coming-out party, is a formal ball that includes presenting debutantes during the social season, usually during the spring or summer. Debutante balls may require prior instruction in social etiquette and appropriate morals.
- The Daughter Problem
- A Country Rite of Passage
- A Mark of Wealth and Class
- Chinese-Australian Communities Embrace Deb Balls
- One Young Woman Campaigns For Change
- What Will The Future Look Like For Debutante Balls?
- Credits
Kristen Richardson became a bit of a history detective when she first tried to trace debutante balls right back to their starting point. After a lot of legal and social research the writer “figured out it was actually because of the Reformation —not solely, but it was precipitated by Henry VIII,” she says. When the infamous monarch broke away from ...
Maria O’Sullivan still remembers all of the details of her debutante ball. The academic now works at Monash University in Melbourne, where she researches human rights and refugee law. But before her legal career began, she took part in a debutante ball through her school in Canberra in 1989. “There was quite a strict dress code so we couldn’t wear ...
In the wealthy communities in the US and even Russia, where Kristen researched debutante balls, she says these balls are often also used to signify wealth and class. In places like New York, she says, some balls have celebrities attend and the events are covered by fashion magazines. Television show Gossip Girl, which followed the fictional lives o...
Michael Louey was just a teenager when he attended one of the last debutante ball held by the Young Chinese League in Melbourne during the 1980s. “It was exciting leading up to the event, the boys went out to hire suits and we knew the girls were arranging their dresses,” he remembers. Ball organisers would pair young people up to do the ball toget...
Kiana Prewett always knew she wanted to do a debutante ball. “I guess it just was growing up as a young girl seeing it on TV and the magic of it all and I just wanted to experience that,” she says. “And coming from a lower socio-economic class it just seemed so fancy.” In 2014 she had a chance to take part through her school Mount Clear College in ...
After writing a book about the history of debutante balls, Kristen has come to believe that they are an “unkillable” tradition. She spent a lot of time talking to young women about why they wanted to take part in a debutante ball. Kristen says there are a range of factors which influence the popularity of balls including politics and culture, class...
Reporting: Elise KinsellaPhotography: Danielle BonicaDigital production: Sian JohnsonEditor: Kate HigginsMay 16, 2024 · Featuring ball gowns, eligible bachelors and a chance to meet royalty – the world of the debutante certainly seems like a glamourous one. But what was life really like for these young women chosen to be presented to society?
Jul 8, 2024 · What Is A Debutante Ball? A debutante ball features the "debut" of young ladies from ages 16 to 21 as official members of society.
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Jul 9, 2024 · This is the debutante ball, a tradition steeped in history and social significance, particularly in the Southern United States. But the story goes far beyond glittering ballgowns and waltzing...
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Are debutante balls a 'unkillable' tradition?
Dec 22, 2020 · Today, debutante ball programs affiliated with Black sororities can require an application to prove good grades and a sense of community responsibility, and are rewarded with networking and scholarship opportunities.
