Debutante - Definition and Overview

A debutante is young lady from a representative family who has reached the age of 18, 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 the tradition arose when noble families started seeking infusions of cash by marriage to wealthy bourgeoisie.

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.

Some notable debutante balls:

• Atlanta, Georgia: The Harvest Ball, The Christmas Ball
• Baltimore, Maryland: The Bachelor's Cotillion
• Boston, Massachusetts: The Cotillion
• Charleston, South Carolina: The St. Cecilia Ball
• Chicago, Illinois: The Passavant Cotillion, The Christmas Ball
• Cincinnati, Ohio: The Bachelor's Cotillion
• Cleveland, Ohio: The Assembly Ball, The Cotillion Society Ball
• Kansas City, Missouri: The Jewel Ball
• Memphis, Tennessee: The Holiday Ball, The Summer Presentation Ball
• New Orleans, Louisiana: The Debutante Club Ball, Le Debut des Jeunes Filles de la Nouvelle Orleans
• New York, New York: The Junior Assemblies
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Assembly
• Raleigh, North Carolina: The North Carolina Debutante Ball
• Richmond, Virginia: The Bal Du Bois
• St. Louis, Missouri: The Veiled Prophet Ball
• San Francisco, California: The Cotillion
• Savannah, Georgia: The Christmas Cotillion

See also:

• Aristocracy
• Boston Brahmin
• Preppy
• Social Register
• WASP