Do you have Debs in your neck of the woods?

[hrh_disney_queen]

It's that time of year. The society pages in the paper are covered with photos of groups of beautiful young women in white gowns, looking like a large groomless group wedding. Debutante balls and coming out parties are still alive and well in the South. Born and raised in Michigan, I have never experienced this tradition.

Is it only in the South? I don't ever remember seeing signs of it until I moved to SC in 1985, and now in Savannah. What do you think of them? Are they silly ancient class dividers? Or charming traditions steeped in history? Did you come out? (no, not the kind of coming out my DBIL did!)

I don't really care either way, but I always wondered if those were actual bridal gowns or special ones that look just like them.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We don't have them in NJ. Thank goodness!!! One less thing to have to spend my money on!!!

 

[Darsa]

We have Deb up here; my DD14 loves to go in and try on the dresses, though she won't need one for a few years yet, thank goodness!

 

[asta]

I don't know that they are still called debutantes but we still have them. My daughter was presented at a ball at the beginning of her sophomore year of college. This ball is put on by the alumni of a college sorority and is used to raise money for the local children's hospital. I think it is a good thing. It raises money and awareness for a good cause. It also gives us a chance to recognize a group of young adults (this ball recognizes both females and males) as they are moving forward into the next stage of their lives.

It was pretty expensive but as I said the money goes to support a fantastic cause. As for the dresses, they weren't really wedding dresses but they could be used for one if the wedding dress was on the simpler side. Something more in line with a white/pastel version of a long bridesmaid gown.

 

[XYSRUS]

Haven't been to a cotillion since '78 ...for my sisters! I was 11! What memories...so much fun...

 

[missypie]

According to the reality show "Mothers and Daughters of Dallas" we have them. However, I know quite a few wealthy Dallas folks and none have a daughter who is a deb.

 

[clovergirl5]

Michigander here...never heard of those around here either op. They look like fun to attend though.

 

[Pakey]

No debs here. The closest we have are quinceaneras, lots of those.

 

[pearlieq]

They have a couple of deb balls downtown, but it's not really a popular thing around here. To my understanding it's more of a niche thing done by certain groups/social clubs or a very exclusive thing for upper crust only.

I doubt most teenagers in my area would know what a deb ball is.

 

[NHMom4]

We don't have them here in NH.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm pretty sure they still have them in the NYC/LI area - can't recall any upstate..

I guess I always viewed them as a way of people flaunting their wealth - and attempting to find an equally wealthy young man for their DD's..

Of course that may not be the case at all - and I would love to actually see one - but I don't think that's going to happen in "my" lifetime.. (Well - maybe if they have "Senior Debs or Cotillions" for folks on a fixed income)..

 

[cocodog]

Alive and well here in SC.

 

[DMRick]

Alive and well in Upstate NY..mostly in the Saratoga area, and often in August during the racing season. I love to see the pics in the Saratoga paper. There are usually a couple of balls at that time, with the young girls.

 

[NMAmy]

Nope. Then again, we don't have society pages either.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Nope. Then again, we don't have society pages either.

I only called it the society page because I didn't know what else to call it..the section where the anniversaries and weddings are. Our newspaper is so small I guess it would have to be a society half/page!

 

[Disney Doll]

I am about 1.5 hours north of NYC. In the southern CT area (Greenwich) there are a lot of debs. In my area, not so much.

 

[Judy from Boise]

No , zero tradition of anything like this........now we do have rodeo queens.........

 

[englishteacha]

Not here in Maine! We aren't even big on pageants and such here.

We have an active group of Rainbow Girls, though, and they wear white gowns for some of their ceremonies. The Rainbow Girls are affiliated with the Masons, lots of pomp and ceremony. 2 of my youth group girls came to a church supper after a ceremony all dressed up in their white dresses. For one of them, it had been a wedding dress, on clearance, altered to be more appropriate for a teen. I was petrified the spaghetti would jump out and attack them, but we found some aprons in the church kitchen for them!

I had only read about debutante balls in books, and then when I was watching Gilmore Girls (I miss that show!) Rory was "presented" at a ball.

 

[TaraPA]

None here in PA. The only thing I ever saw about this was on Beverly Hills 90210 - when Donna had her coming out party or whatever - the same time she was trying to become a Tournament of Roses Princess. And then Dylan crashed it drunk because he came back into town after losing all his money in a scam, and he wanted to get back with Kelly & here she was with Brandon....ahhh the good old days!

 

[ms.yt]

I'm in northeast Arkansas and have lived here all my life. To my knowledge, we don't have debs around here.