Let's be New York Debutante Balls

I'm the Muppet-faced flavah of Mr. Cole Rumbough.

I'm the gay and lighthearted Peter Duchin Orchestra version of "WAP."

It was 14 girls at Cipriani.

Let that sink in.

I've been to 30th birthday parties there that were larger than that.

I went to a private school in Manhattan in the 90s and 00s.

People thought they were ridiculous and girls who had them were pressured into them by their parents and (more usually) grandmothers who remembered their "deb ball" in the 50s. That and rich Europeans with titles who were living in NYC and could be cajoled into coughing up the money as it was felt having a them there lent a certain prestige.

I understand these balls are more common in the South to this day and much less of a joke.

One girl I knew who went through it said the creepiest part was the "escorts" who were (IIRC) guys from West Point or Annapolis who were from far more modest backgrounds and had zero clue WTF this was all about other than they felt like extras in some Anne Hathaway romcom.

Most interesting thing about the article is the date: February 2020, just before all hell broke loose.

^^And I should clarify, I only knew of three girls who went through with them.

The only former debutante I know, her family is extremely loaded but very fucked up and she is sweet but incredibly socially awkward. I feel sorry for her, despite her family’s money

I'm Little Edie Beale.

I skipped mine. Father wouldn't give me a white shirt to make into my ballgown.

That would describe the women I know too R5, or at least two of the three.

I'm the René Bouché portrait of me hanging on the wall in my Park Avenue pad. It's me just before coming out.

I'm the pubic hair trimmed *just so* on all the guests, from the West Point cadets on down.

My debutante ball in SC left amazing memories.

I'm the Manageress of Spam, who made my début with only the best of the best.

I'm Cuddles Kovinsky, escorted by my chauffeur, Heinz.

Enchanté!

[quote]I understand these balls are more common in the South to this day and much less of a joke.

The New Orleans debutante season is suspended this year but is usually such a big deal that NOLA.com and [italic]The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate[/italic] devotes a special section to it.

I am The Lady who brings her candy and a pail—two tears in a bucket, mothafuckit.

By time Whit Stillman made Metropolitan (1990's) deb balls were on the way out, least far as much of the old money/WASP set were concerned. By 2000's much of the scene was new money, Europeans or whatever, but the cachet things once had long lost the bloom.

No small number of families were not unhappy to see deb balls go by wayside as de rigueur. It was horribly expensive bringing out a young girl for the season. Far better (and often much more fun) to give a party and be done with things.

Let's cha-cha!

Cole Rumbough is grandson of late Dina Merrill and Colgate heir Stanley M. Rumbough,

I'm the jealousy of the OP of the young pretty women who will get rich husbands

I'm the new meaning of "coming out", which has totally eclipsed the old one!