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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, also spelled débutante (/ ˈdɛbjʊtɑːnt / DEB-yuu-tahnt; from French: débutante [debytɑ̃t], 'female beginner'), or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and is presented to society at a formal "debut" (UK: / ˈdeɪbjuː, ˈdɛbjuː / DAY-bew, DEB-yoo, US: / deɪˈbjuː / day-BEW; French:...
Dec 22, 2020 · Among the wealthy, today’s version of debutante culture seeks to uphold the tenants of its tradition in the sense that gowns are worn, dances are learned, and young women of certain status are introduced to society.
- Vivian Manning-Schaffel
- What Did Debutantes Wear?
- When Was The First Debutante Ball?
- Who Could Become A Debutante?
- Debutantes Around The World
- Do We Still Have Debutante Balls Today?
MacCarthy recalled that: “Preparations for the Season had gone on for several months before the presentations.” Debutantes spent a few months in a finishing school prior to their presentation, learning a foreign language and perfecting their dancing, deportment and the all-important royal curtsey. A new wardrobe was essential. MacCarthy recalled th...
The presentation of aristocratic young women to the monarch at the English court is a tradition that dates from at least the reign of Elizabeth I(1558–1603), who chose her ladies-in-waiting from prominent families. The structure of the social season that endured until 1958, however, emerged in the reign of King George III in response to the changin...
The social background of the debutantes presented at the British court slowly began to expand during the reign of Queen Victoria. An 1859 etiquette manual by James Hogg, The Habits of Good Society, stated that in addition to members of the aristocracy: “The wives and daughters of the clergy, of military and naval officers, of physicians and barrist...
The practice of elite young women entering society through a formal debutante presentation soon spread around the world. In the wider British empire, debutantes were presented to the Viceroy, Governor, or, after the Dominions achieved self-government, the Governor General. In Canada, Governor Lord Elgin held a levee in Bytown (now Ottawa) in 1853 w...
In recent decades, there has been a revival of interest in the presentation of debutantes. Historical dramas including Downton Abbey and Bridgerton have depicted wealthy young women making their debut in society in the presence of members of the royal family. The Queen Charlotte’s Ball was revived in the 21st century by former debutante Jenny Halla...
Jan 29, 2015 · These young women from around the world, ranging in age from 16 to 25, are selected to be debutantes at the International Debutante Ball, held every two years at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City.
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Traditionally, a debutante is a young woman born into wealthy or aristocratic means. When she reaches maturity, she's “introduced” to society at her debut (hence why she’s called a debutante). The debut was a formal event where the debutante's parents officially brought their daughter into the world of high society drama.
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Dec 4, 2023 · Peculiar seemed the word for it by then, on the cusp of the Swinging Sixties, in a year which saw Britain’s first rock and roll single hit the charts, the launch of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the appointment of the first female bank manager.