About that Debutante Ball…

Hello-Hello! This has already become a wild and wacky week, who knows what may be around the corner?! We only know we have a hefty volunteer schedule this afternoon, so we are flying out the door very shortly, prompting this post to be of the One Topic Tuesday variety!

And the topic is a fun one, the promised update on Saturday’s Bal Crillon des Debutantes in Paris. (For our earlier post including one deb’s woeful depiction of her purple hair, click here.) Below, the formal portrait of all 24 young ladies:

Jean-Christophe Ballot/ABACAPRESS

Friday night’s pre-party looked like loads of fun for the girls and their parents. Below, Forrest Whitaker, Autumn Whitaker and Keisha Whitaker.

Lady Kitty Spencer and her escort Richard Dennen at the Friday night function.

No comment on the young woman’s dress. Could it be just angle of the photograph?

Preps for the big night were intense, as one might expect.

Below,Francesca Eastwood.

And then it was the big night. Below, Lady Kitty Spencer in Bruce Oldfield, Autumn Whitaker wears Jason Wu, and Francesca Eastwood in D&G Haute Couture.

Those reading last week’s post on the Bal may remember Jane Aldridge, a deb who blogs, she can be read at Sea of Shoes.  Below we share one of her photos from that blog:

Courtesy Sea of Shoes

And here is a sweet behind-the-scenes shot of Miss Aldridge and her sister as the big moment approaches.

Courtesy Sea of Shoes

And being a technical whiz, the young lady also Tweeted the photo via Twitpic. One more photo of Miss Aldridge, she wears Chanel Haute Couture.

The first Australian debutante at Bal is Georgina Robertson, and she wrote a blog for the Telegraph.  Here is an excerpt from her post:

“For three days my feet haven’t touched the ground – and not just because I’ve been wearing 10-inch heels. Le Bal is a fairy tale event in which the aristocracy rub sequinned shoulder pads with the celebritocracy.”

Below, Miss Robertson in a casual look.

More from her blog post at the Telegraph’s site:

“The weekend in Paris then became an endless flurry of hot hair rollers, make-up, trying on diamonds, couture fittings and fashion shoots. We posed, we pranced, we danced and kept going all night despite the crippling foot pain. Balancing on a box in stilettos for two and a half hours for the group photo shoot and waltz-whirling definitely took a toenail toll!”

The photo accompanying the post shows (L to R) Lady Kitty Spencer, Angelica Hicks in Lanvin, Carinthia Pearson in Alexander McQueen and Georgina Robertson in Collette Dinnigan.

The Telegraph

Below, Antonella de Lutio from Italy wearing a Zuhair Murad dress.

In classic Consort style, upon seeing this photo he asked “What is that she’s wearing? Someone’s chenille bedspread?”  Ahem.

Miss Robertson’s post in the paper raises the issue about the practice of ‘coming out,’ a tradition still celebrated in many locales around the country and around the world.

“Some people have said that it’s old fashioned for girls to “come out”. (My mother is particularly worried that it means she will have to “go in”.) But none of us is waiting to be rescued by Prince Charming. We are all students, with academic aspirations. But just because we’re standing on our own two stilettos, doesn’t mean we don’t want to be twirled around the ballroom in them.”

Another candid shot of the young ladies.

We think an official launch into society remains a wonderful and festive way of acknowledging one’s step into adulthood and accompanying social activities.  It is a special and magical time in a young lady’s life, and while some are dragged kicking and screaming through the process, others embrace it and cherish every moment. (Well, most moments, it is never all fun and frivolity.)

Many readers know we are actually in the heart of the season for many cotillions and balls, we expect some will be dealing with such activities over the next several weeks! We need to hear from our treasured readers on the topic: does it remain a fabulous tradition to be honored and continued, or is it a hopelessly antiquated practice whose time is gone? (Psst – you can probably guess where we are on this topic.)

Until next time (when we hope to update that Zac Posen for Target story that broke over the weekend), g’bye!