On June 15, 2018, the Jacksonville Debutante Coterie was announced and 16 young women made the cut. These women will have their final presentation on December 22, during their Christmas Ball. According to the dictionary, a debutante is an upper-class young woman making her first appearance in fashionable society.
The traditions of debutantes are traced back to the Victorian Era, where young women were presented to society with the intention of them meeting a husband of similar social status. These women would dress in a gown similar to a wedding dress and carry a bouquet.
These days, debutante balls are less about a woman finding a husband and more about living a certain kind of lifestyle. Debutante women are focused on living a life of elegance, grace, and proper etiquette because these ladies are upheld to a high standard in society. To even become a debutante in the first place, a woman must be nominated by someone in the community.
Being a debutante means different things to different people. For example, to Emma Whitner, a sophomore at the University of Florida and member of the Jacksonville Debutante Coterie, being a debutante is something very personal to her. Three of Emma's aunts were debutantes and some of her friends from elementary school.
"The debutante season has been really enjoyable so far and it has been so nice for me to be able to spend time with this group of girls most of which I have not seen since elementary school. I am honored to be part of this group because of the tradition," says Emma.
Emma is also very excited for the Christmas Ball coming up in a couple of months and is hoping that her three aunts will be in attendance to relive their days as debutantes.
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Short StoryYou will love to read more about Emma Whitner's Debutante. This is very interesting to know the insights how she debuted and how she completed her journey from a beginner to an NCAA zone qualifier. This article was originally written by Carolyn Cart...
