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A debutante (French word for "female beginner") is a young lady from an aristocratic or (in Washington DC) representative family who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult, is introduced to society at a formal presentation known as her "debut" or "coming out." Originally, it meant the young woman was eligible for marriage, and part of the purpose was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families with a view to marriage within a select upper class circle.
England
In England, debutantes were presented at court at the start of the social season. Only ladies who had themselves been presented were entitled to present another lady, which ensured the social exclusivity of the privilege. Most women were presented by their own mothers, but this would not be possible if their own mother had not been presented, or was dead or absent from Court for any other reason. Hence, it was possible to be presented, instead, by another eligible woman, provided she personally knew and could vouch for the lady being presented. As well as debutantes properly so called, older women and married women who had not previously been presented could be presented at Court. A mother-in-law might, for example, present her new daughter-in-law.
The presentation, to the reigning monarch, followed an elaborate ritual, and the debutante was required to wear distinctive formal Court dress. In particular, they were required either to carry feathers (usually in the form of an ostrich feather fan), or to wear feathers as part of their headdress1.
Queen Elizabeth II abolished the ceremony of presentation at Court of any woman, including debutantes, in 1958. Attempts were made to keep the tradition going by organising a series of parties for young girls who might otherwise have been presented at Court in their first season (to which suitable young men were also invited). However, the withdrawal of royal sanction made these occasions increasingly insignificant, and scarcely distinguishable from any other part of the social season.
However, the expression "debutante" or "deb" for short continues to be used, especially in the press, to refer to young girls of marriageable age who participate in a semi-public upper class social scene. The expression "deb's delight" is applied to good looking unmarried young men from similar backgrounds.
Australia
In Australia, debutante balls (or colloquially "deb balls") are generally held - when they are held - in Year 11. Generally it is customary for the female to ask a male to the debutante ball, with males not being able to "do the deb" unless they are asked. Debutante ball students who are partaking in the official precedings must learn how to ballroom dance. Debutante balls are almost always held in a reception centre or ballroom. Usually they are held late in the year and consist of dinner, dancing and speeches by the school captains. Schools often restrict invitations to the debutante ball to students within the grade level at one school, but single-sex schools tend to allow a partner with no association to the school to attend. The debutante ball traditionally is a rite of passage for Australian school students, both male and female, and represents their coming of age.
Ireland
In Ireland a similar situation exists; however, these balls have more in common with the high school proms of the U.S.. Each secondary school will host their own ball, and everyone in the final year of that school (usually 6th year) will be entitled to bring a date. Whether the female asks the male, or vice versa, is irrelevant. This type of dance is referred to as a "debs" or a "debs ball".
United States
Debutante balls exist in nearly every major city in the United States. They are often charity occasions, in which the parents of the young ladies, as well as all attending, must contribute a certain sum of money to the cause at hand. For a list of debutante balls in the United States, see Cotillion.
Philippines
Cotillions and Debutante Balls (popularly called a 'debut') are very popular in the Philippines and in Filipino communities overseas. The debut begins with a priest giving a blessing before the ball. Eighteen candles are then presented to the debutante by eighteen of her closest girlfriends, and then eighteen roses are presented by eighteen male escorts. Traditionally, the debutante leaves the ball at midnight. Another tradition is that all young males present must drink to each letter of the debutante's name. The debutante tradition in Philippine culture is documented in the film The Debut.
Latin America
In some Hispanic communities along the U.S. and Latin America, a similar event occurs on a girl's fifteenth birthday. It is called a Quinceañera ceremony.
In Brazil, such events are called Baile de Debutante (debutante ball).
Trivia
In the Monty Python sketch " The Upper Class Twit of the Year Contest", one of the challenges consists of "Taking the bras off the debutantes," here represented by a row of shop dummies.
See also
External links
"Debutante"