Le Bal Des Debutantes

[ponytrot]

they really let anyone in now

yeah...seriously.

Guess, instead of Vogue, we'll see Teen Vogue or Cosmo cover this.

 

[dumbfairy]

Just curious. Who should qualify for this ball exactly?

Traditionally,well-bred girls from good families. That still holds true today,but now you can just come from a family with money.

What was dear Kitty thinking? She looks like a saloon girl. Such a poor choice of dress.

 

[loladonna]

Traditionally,well-bred girls from good families. That still holds true today,but now you can just come from a family with money.

What's considered to be a "good" or "well-bred" family?

 

[Thefrenchy]

^aristocratic background

 

[Jenna-maria]

eh, everything looks so tacky. I would die if i had to attend that kind of event...it all looks too upper class and tacky to me (wich it is...hahah)

 

[ponytrot]

What's considered to be a "good" or "well-bred" family?

Think the royals from Monaco (Charlotte Casiaghi), european aristocracy/royalty. Perhaps even Saudi princesses.

Look, I don't think we're being outdated/elitist if that is what you're trying to get at. Because realistically this is the 21st century, and no one (well not me and almost no one I know) holds views that uphold the rigid class rules and social barriers of 17th/18th century europe.

But taking this event for what it is - an elitist ball for "the elites", well its farcical and ridiculous when half the people here are randoms.

 

[Thefrenchy]

^Tooooooootally agree with you.

 

[Mantha]

That's why i was a bit surprised to see they invited Jane Aldridge although,i love the girl and her blog.

 

[loladonna]

Think the royals from Monaco (Charlotte Casiaghi), european aristocracy/royalty. Perhaps even Saudi princesses.

Look, I don't think we're being outdated/elitist if that is what you're trying to get at. Because realistically this is the 21st century, and no one (well not me and almost no one I know) holds views that uphold the rigid class rules and social barriers of 17th/18th century europe.

But taking this event for what it is - an elitist ball for "the elites", well its farcical and ridiculous when half the people here are randoms.

Funny that you mention Charlotte. I think the Bal has to go looking further now since royals like Charlotte present themselves like commoners and regularly go slumming with the trashier crowd. When I see pictures of Charlotte I wouldn't guess she was a royal if I didn't already know.

 

[Thefrenchy]

Well, some may hate what I'm going to say but I think it's somehow sad that things always have to change. Why did they feel the need to include people who, some time ago, weren't supposed to be here? It's like thinking the whole concept of elitism is a bad thing. And I'm just not talking about the BDD... Now they put BLOGGERS front row at some shows... It's just crazy to me...

 

[Vangie]

^^I agree.
I have nothing against girls with money, but they don't have the aristocratic background that some time ago it was required. For example, I don't think that Demi Moore and Bruce Willis' daughter has aristocratic background, but she's there. And, as said above, there are bloggers too! I don't know... I don't like it too much that way.

 

[loladonna]

I can understand the feeling of wanting tradition but if the foundation of that tradition(blue blood?) is pretentious why not update it to reflect a time where anyone can makes something of themselves regardless of what their long-dead relatives accomplished.

 

[Thefrenchy]

^ Even if I disagree with you, I get your point. My main problem is that, it's for those who don't have any aristocratic background but got there thanks to the family's money, a way to pretend. And I absolutely loathe that.

 

[honeyisle]

Even the aristocrats started somewhere before they became the "Elite".

 

[raj]

Some of the girls don't seem to carry themselves too well in the group shot.

 

[luluposh]

Well, some may hate what I'm going to say but I think it's somehow sad that things always have to change. Why did they feel the need to include people who, some time ago, weren't supposed to be here? It's like thinking the whole concept of elitism is a bad thing. And I'm just not talking about the BDD... Now they put BLOGGERS front row at some shows... It's just crazy to me...

I completely agree with most of what you all have said on this page; I think it is so sad that this event has changed and in such a negative way. There are certain traditions here in "Old Europe" which should remain so, and should not feel the need to include individuals who have not been born or bred into this social arena (by that I mean - they come from Aristocratic/Upper Class families). I think its actually tacky that the only reason that Sea of Shoes was part of the event, was through an invitation of Vogue?
It is not just her though, there are other questionable débutantes from previous years - daughters of film stars/motorsports millionaires...

 

[MulletProof]

Although I agree with some of the points made regarding the non-traditional debutantes, I also think that it's a viable way of keeping the event slightly more hip and known, and yes, it might be risking the prestige but to think it's dragging it to the floor would be an exaggeration.
The event as a whole is kind of ridiculous.. perhaps it's my very across-the-Atlantic mentality but it just seems off considering the times, the fact that the suggested 'old-Europe' way of thinking no longer has a place as the rest of the world keeps struggling to open up to diversity and break classist/elitist parameters.. so, as an idea, it's positive to keep on doing.. to remind people of your past, but to follow strictly as in past centuries with all related prejudice and elitism?, sounds more like a waste.

Jane looks lovely by the way.. she's very mature and confident for someone her age and I love how she can carry a striped dress with such elegance.
I also think that if we're going to compare, I think Jane looks around a few thousand bucks while 'aristocrat' girls like this..

[anorak.co.uk]

.. excuse me, but barely the few dollars it might cost another similar-looking spring breaker sunbathing in South Beach.

 

[dumbfairy]

I think that the inclusion of Jane has paid off for the organisers. Because we are all talking about the event,and she has given it a fair bit of publicity which it might not have otherwise garnered. As much as it may be seen to be outdated to some,I love the idea of debutante balls. And I'm with Luluposh on this one. I think that it is a shame that it has changed so much. The deb ball in The UK has just been reinstated I believe

As for Kitty ^ ^, I don't know what was going through her mind If anything at all. I have met her on a few occasions,and I didn't expect anything like what she was wearing. Jane did look good in chanel,and Francesca Eastwood also looked very beautiful. But the best girl for me has to be Autumn Whitaker

 

[loladonna]

Who is Jane?

Autumn Whitaker is the spitting image of her very beautiful mother.

 

[dumbfairy]

^Jane Aldridge,who's blog is Seaofshoes