In addition to being "gowned and gloved in symbolic white," the debutante often carries a bouquet of flowers (Day, 35). Like the bouquet carried during the wedding ceremony, the debutante bouquet is a symbol of youth, purity and fertility. The bouquet is usually smaller, more compact and more demure than that carried by a bride, whose flowers are often large, cascading and sometimes "cradled" like a baby. In fact, digressing for a moment to wedding flowers, one author makes a direct correlation between a bride's flowers and sex:

The nosegay is a tight arrangement of flowers rising into a peak in the center. This central part of the bouquet, known as the 'climax,' may be removed and worn as a corsage by the bride as she leaves for the honeymoon (Frese, 103).

Not wanting to put the cart before the horse, however, the symbolism of debutante flowers is a bit more subdued. Bursting with color and fragrance, they can be compared to a young woman brimming with youth and promise. Champagne is also an important element at debutante balls. Like the debutante, it is sparkling and effervescent. Dancing is another component. Whether the band plays waltzes or modern rock, there is usually some element of romance in the music—appropriate background as the debutante floats from one dance partner, or suitor, to another, in a dizzying display of mock courtship.

Of course, announcing one's coming out isn't the only function of the debutante ball. As Jolique will explain in the coming weeks, the debutante ball is also a status play, especially on the part of the parents. (The cost for many balls runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.) And last, but certainly not least, it's one heck of a fun party.

Be sure to check out Part 2 of this series in the coming weeks, when Jolique will discuss the status aspect of the ritual in The Debutante Ball—Partying as an Art Form.

Bibliography:

-Birmingham, Stephen. "Our Debutante Daughters." Holiday. November, 1958, 62-7, 202, 204-5, 207-8, 210, 212.
-Carlin, Peter Ames. "The Debutantes Had a Ball." People. 26 January 1998. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO Publishing. Zimmerman Library, Albuquerque. 29 September 2000.
-Day, Beth. "After This Party She'll Be Invited Everywhere." The Saturday Evening Post. 3 December 1966, 34-9.
-Colman, David. "Dresses for Debs: Yes, Something's Sacred." The New York Times, 21 December, 1997, Sec. 9, 2.
-Fisher, Helen. Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Monogamy, Adultery and Divorce. London: Simon & Shuster, Ltd., 1993.
-Frese, Pamela R. "The Union of Nature and Culture: Gender Symbolism in the American Wedding Ritual." In Transcending Boundaries: Multi-Disciplinary Approaches to the Study of Gender, edited by Pamela R. Frese and John M. Coggeshall. New York: Bergin & Garvey, 1991.
-Haynes, Michaele Thurgood. Dressing Up Debutantes: Pageantry and Glitz in Texas. New York: Berg, 1998.
-Knudsen, Dean. "Socialization to Elitism: A Study of Debutantes." The Sociological Quarterly 9 (1968): 300-308.
-Murdock, George P. Ethnographic Atlas. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1967.
-Rosen, Lawrence and Robert Bell. "Mate Selection and the Upper Class." The Sociological Quarterly 7 (1966): 157-166.
-Scott, John Finley. "The American College Sorority: Its Role in Class and Ethnic Endogamy." American Sociological Review 30 (1965): 514-527.
-Van den Berghe, Pierre L. Human Family Systems: An Evolutionary View. New York: Elsevier North Holland, Inc., 1979.