What do debutants do

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 in New York City, to formally present themselves to society. While in the past these balls were used to find potential suitors for the young women, they are now mainly used for networking.

Margaret Hedberg is the director and general chairman of the International Debutante Ball, which is held at the luxurious Waldorf Astoria hotel. Her aunt founded the ball 60 years ago, and it remains a high society tradition. Hedberg is in charge of selecting the girls who will be chosen as debutantes. The process takes about a year, and Hedberg and her team receive recommendations from ball committee members, past debutantes and their families, as well as from committees of smaller debutante balls.

Once invited, the young women and their families spend tens of thousands of dollars to attend the ball. Each girl is also required to wear a white princess-style gown and long white satin gloves for the big night -- a deep-rooted tradition. I think that the purity quality back in the old day was part of it.

As an accomplished ballet dancer, a competitive ballroom dancer and a cheerleader, Brittney has some serious moves. In the series, many of the female characters also make their debuts — on the marriage market. They do so at lavish parties known as debutante balls, which now take place all over the world.

As we approach the 25th, we decided to take a historical dive into the history of these balls, and what they mean for women in the 21st century. When one thinks of a debutante ball, certain pop culture references spring to mind.

Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. She was referring to her five daughters and the balls held by the noble, wealthy, and upwardly mobile in late 18th century England to conjoin well-bred daughters and sons in name and wealth. You couldn't become a scullery maid or a dressmaker or any of these other professions, because they were socially unsuitable. In terms of the mainstream debutante rituals, I think the appeal can be both liberating and oppressive.

Back then, it was the only way for young women to seek out a better life, so they often made the best of it. As Great Britain influenced the West, it eventually permeated the culture of its colonized countries. Women waited for newspapers to copy the clothes, dances, and affectations of the manor born.

Though the ubiquity and allure of deb balls petered off throughout the 20th century, there was a bit of a resurgence in the s, which saw a reshaping of the antiquated tradition. Carlotta Miles began the Tuxedo Ball in Washington in the s as a formal dance for young people and their parents.

It was highlighted as a networking event and in later years it began to offer workshops on college study habits and job preparation. The debutante ball tradition lives on, adopted, and adapted by many cultures. As an aside, entrance into these clubs was by invitation only and the Black elite that gained entrance tended to have lighter-skinned complexions, which points to the colorism constructions that still exist in our communities today.

So, it makes sense that women struggling to make a life, to survive and thrive in that world, work to respond to the sexist, racist and lookist demands of that world. First thing you need to do is find the perfect dress to wear to the dance. At modern-day debutante balls there are no color restrictions on dresses, so all you need to do is find a classy dress in which you will feel comfortable.

Besides the dress, make reservations at a hair salon. Do this at least a few weeks before the dance to avoid the risk of everything being fully booked. When debutantes are presented to society, somebody makes a speech about each individual girl. Sometimes the girls have to give the speeches themselves and sometimes another person is given this task. These speeches are short and to the point, and debutantes are often expected to prepare them.

Write something about what you like to do, where you go or plan to go to school, and what you want to do with your life. If you are giving the speech, thank your parents and whomever else you deem deserving. An evening attire requires shoes with high heels. Don't go overboard with the heels if you are not used to walking around in stilettos. You will be wearing these shoes all night and will be expected to dance in them as well, so find a pair that won't hurt you too much. Before the ball, walk in the shoes at least three times.