The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-07
il an informal dance to which few more

il an informal dance to which a few more
young ls.op.e are asked.
Nov aoays a young woman aeldom makes
her formal bow before she Is IS. Some arc
10 and older. III for instance, the family CT
an eNrcc,ant d6butante goes INFO mourning
her formal Introduction Is aiw avs postponed
FIX months or more.
This year anyv here fro ~ four 70 sixteen
OF the debutantes young friends are asked
20 receive with her, the preference being
,,iten TO fellow deDutantes or to girls " no
Nil not be formally introduced until the
following winter. The most favored Of these
assistants range themselves near the de-
butante, who stands beside the relative by
whom she is introduced. ana the otneIs hep
10 heighten the attractions in the room
where O collation. is eerv,d.
Long before the date II thp tea. OF course,
the debutante makes her -eie elton Of lie II ers
who then meet in solemn council 10 dc eide
the nnJNrtant question Of gowns. For
although the hostess makes no arbitrary
rule about colors, the girs understand fully
hat 1t would never do to have conflicting
shades Of any one color or an inharrno NOUS
clashing Of colors in the group standing
near the debutante.
As for mat erials the more delicate and
diaphanons they are the better, and moi, hing
approaching a street costume Is permitted
In the receiving line.
The debutante invariably wears white.
or ought to, Her gown this season Is often
'lVlet "0nOeTINIIN Costly ana VET IL apes az
The greatest simplicity.
Satina, velvets. brocades, are quite out
oft. their place being taken by lace. chiffon.
mouts"line de sole, gauze and net embroid-
cred and plain. The lace gown. for the mo-
ment, has the most pronounced vogue,
perhaps for the reason that II presents the
greatest possibilities in the way 81 cost
4 white lace gown may cost several hum
dred collars and vet look as simple as one
Of mrussoline that was got up for $40.
febutantes at homo gown, which, of
course. is always cut high in the bodice,
or ght not to he flower trimmed. To make
up for II though the Cebutnnte holds In her
hand or across her loft arm a bouquet or
n loose pile II long-stemmed flowers. These
she changes from lime TO time as she de-
sires TO show greater honor to one or an
other OF the bouquets sent To her.
Rv the wav. the custom Of loading a
dehutante with flowers is observed more
lavishly this season than ever BY an un-
written law II would appear that every friend
q" i, the 81, family: nan n or woman, young and
tante at least a handful Of flowers. The
handful oftener turns out to be a huge
box full.
In some cases bouquet after bouquet,
box after box Of fragant blossoms. arrives,
30 that before lon the drawing room is
metamorphoeed into walled garden
crowded with the rarest Of roses. orchids.
violets. lilies. Screens are covered with
| flowers, flowers are banked in the mantels,
arranged into frames for the doorways, sus-
pended from every picture and projection.
One happy debutante, the other day,
counted 100 gifts Of flowers which had ar
| rived before p NJ. Probably a good
many more came later.
The collation. at these at-homes, Is very
| simple, seldom II over including wines
or more than one hot dish
There are some people who consider a
dinner dance the best kind Of entertain
ment by which TO introduce q young girl
TO society. II certainly Is the most
| expensive
Seldom fewer than 100 guests are asked
TO the dinner, and many more than that
number are invited to the dance Older
as we'll a. younger people are asked to the
| hrst part OF the entertainment which in
cludes all the costliest features Of any dim, r
! given by society.
Some lucky damsels have both an at
home and dinner dance to mark thu,
social debut. both given In the same week,
| others have an at-home and a dance on
Different days. and third contingent are
formally introduced at a large dance or
rather a ball. To which several generations
are asked
Best Of all. though, the New York girls
cominx-out entertainment. whatever il
may IL, 70 merely a delightful prelude
to an equally delightful round Of entertain