Debutante balls are prominent events in almost every major city in the United States, although many people don't know they still exist. They were originally created as a way for the wealthy to parade their daughters in front of other elite families in the community, in hopes of finding an appropriate husband. Some historians have traced the origins of this ritual as far back as the Stone Age (see the history section). This culture has been a part of American way of life even before the Declaration of Independence was signed. Like many other customs in the United States, debutante traditions were carried over from England and incorporated into the newly developing American civilization. Being a debutante meant being a part of the upper class. It stood for wealth and power. Debutante balls were designed to include only those who the current members of the upper class deemed worthy.
Many of the people who know about debutante balls, associate them with words such as snobbish, privileged, exclusive, and self-indulgent. These words may be accurate descriptions of past debutantes, but things have changed. Modern debutantes don't have to be related to the Rockefellers or the Kennedys in order to participate. Nor do they have to go to private schools, or be at the top of their classes. Of course, there are many debutante societies that continue to follow strict guidelines like these, but they are no longer the principle factors in the selection process of every ball.
This website provides a brief history of debutante balls, introduces the Cary Debutante Ball Society in Cary, NC and gives information about "The Few, The Proud, The Debs" (working title), an upcoming film about debutante balls by Kate Rhodes Kennedy.