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.
