How to Choose Debutante Ball Escorts

A debutante ball (also known as a 'cotillion' or 'coming out') is a formal affair that was common among the aristocracy of earlier eras, in which a young lady of 16 was presented to established society. This tradition originated in part during the Regency period of England in the early 19th century. Children were sheltered and did not mingle in society, until of a 'certain age', in which a cotillion, debutante ball or coming out party was held for them. The balls are still common today, especially among exclusive private schools in the Northeast US, among affluent communities elsewhere in the US, and in the southern states. Previously, the balls were established for the purpose of 'presenting the girl' to find a suitable match in matrimony. In contemporary times, these balls might be held as a charity fundraiser, or as the standard sophomore-year dance at an exclusive private school. The girl was known as the 'debutante' or 'deb'. Traditionally, the girl of honor at the debutante ball is accompanied by an escort.