Debs Collection

Lady Elizabeth and Lady Rose Paget by Mme Yevonde
Lady Elizabeth and Lady Rose Paget by Madame Yevonde. Lady Elizabeth Hester Mary Paget (1916-1980) was the second daughter of the 6th Marquess of Anglesey, making her debut in 1933

A Madame Yevonde portrait of Baba Beaton
Miss Baba Beaton is the younger of the two beautiful and attractive Beaton girls. They are among the most popular of the blonde ex-debs, and no party is complete without them

Miss Jennifer Stratton
Cover of The Tatler featuring Miss Jennifer Stratton, one of the debutantes of 1956, wearing the dress in which she attended Queen Charlottes Ball. She is the daughter of Major and Mrs F.J. Stratton

Silver Soap Suds by Cecil Beaton in The Sketch, 1930
Miss Baba Beaton, (the photographers sister), the Hon. Mrs Charles Baillie-Hamilton (formerly Miss Wanda Holden) and Lady Bridget Poulett shown as decorative soap suds in a photograph by Cecil

Primrose Phyllis Salt by Madame Yevonde. She was the daughter of Major-General Harold Francis Salt DSO, making her debut in 1933. Date: 1933

Irene Cholmondeley and stepmother by Madame Yevonde
Irene Cholmondeley (1913-?) and her stepmother by Madame Yevonde. She was the daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Lord George Hugo Cholmondeley

Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, the younger daughter of the Marquess of Londonderry. Shown here a couple of months before her coming-out dance on 8th July at Londonderry House

Court gowns by Reville
Court gowns approved by King George V and Queen Mary for presentation at court in the year 1926. Designed by Reville of Hanover Square. Date: 1926

The Tatler cover - Fashion for debutantes - party
Front cover of society magazine, The Tatler featuring a photograph of people doing what looks like the twist at the annual ball of the Heythrop Hunt held at R.A.F. Little Rissington

A Vintage Season for Debutantes
Page from The Tatler by the magazines social editor, Jennifer, listing some of the events taking place during the Season of 1957, together with portraits of two debutantes

The Sketch debutante number front cover 1956
Front cover of The Sketch magazines debutante number, featuring the face of a woman wearing pink gloves, hiding partially behind a small posy of violets

The First Court of 1922
Debutantes bow to King George V and Queen Mary during the first court of 1922 at Buckingham Palace. Each debutante curtsies twice before withdrawing

The Supreme Moment
Debutantes, clad in their finery curtsey to King George V and Queen Mary during a court presentation. Thus they are launched into " Society"

Harrods ballgown of nylon net, 1958
Advertisement for a Harrods ballgown of nylon net and lace with a billowing skirt on a fitted swathed top. Perfect for a debutante, though inadvisable to stand near open fires while wearing it

A court dress to curtsey in from Harvey Nichols, 1935
Advertisement for the department store, Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, London, advertising a gown of classic simplicity to wear to a court presentation

Introducing a Lady to Her Majesty Queen Charlotte
Debutante Ceremony of Introducing a Lady to Her Majesty Queen Charlotte at the Court of St James's, 1766 Date: 1766

Page from The Tatler reporting on the coming out dance of Christine Sekers, daughter of Miki Sekers. The event was held at Syon Park where a nightclub was created by with moss-covered castellated

Cartoon, The Belle of the Season (Disraeli)
Cartoon, The Belle of the Season -- a satirical comment on the popularity of the Conservative Party, having won the recent General Election

Cartoon, The End of the Season (Disraeli)
Cartoon, The End of the Season -- Benjamin Disraeli (Miss Dizzy), dressed as a debutante, gets ready for the last event of the season

Cartoon, The Coming Season - debutantes getting ready for all the social events. 1870

Margaret Whigham at the Famous Beauties Ball
Miss Margaret Whigham, later Mrs Charles Sweeny and then Duchess of Argyll, pictured with her pet poodle dressed up a Perdita/Mrs Robinson at the Famous Beauties Ball at the Dorchester on 25 June

The last dance of the season 1906
Disappointed night for some of the debutantes, at the end of a long evening of dancing and being entertained by young gentlemen, some of the society ladies have come away empty handed! 1906

Debutantes court gowns of 1905
A page of Debutantes wearing traditional white court gowns. Date: 1905

DEBS CURTSEYING 1934
Debutante pupils of Mrs Ruby Peeler practice their curtseys ready for presentation at court. They have practice trains pinned on the back of their frocks. Date: 1934

Court gown and evening dress for the opera, 1930
On the left, a court dress from Reville of Hanover Square, carried out in shimmering white satin manufactured in Britain. On the right

Helen Wills as a debutante
Helen Wills Moody (1905-1998), American tennis player dominant during the 1920s and 30s, winner of 31 Grand Slam titles including 8 Wimbledon Championships

Lady Pamela Smith, married name Lady Pamela Berry (1915-1982), pictured in her debutante year by Olive Snell. She was the younger daughter of F. E. Smith, Lord Birkenhead

Celia and Maimaine Paget
Misses Celia and Maimaine Paget, the twin daughters of Mr and Mrs Eric M. Paget in their court gowns. They were presented at the Second Court of 1935. Date: 1935

The 1958 Season - Debutantes to make their curtsey
Double page spread from The Tatler magazines Debutante number, 1958, significant in that it was the final year debutantes were presented to royalty at court

The 1958 Season - list of parties and balls in The Tatler
Brilliant vista of last Royal season. Double page spread from The Tatler magazine listing some of the coming out dances and debutante cocktail parties for the 1958 London Season - significant in

Tatler cover - Miss Georgina Montagu-Douglas-Scott
Inner front cover of The Tatler magazines debutante number featuring a portrait of Miss Georgina Montagu-Douglas-Scott, daughter of Lord and Lady George Scott (aka the artist Molly Bishop)

The Hon. Pamela Digby (later Churchill, then Harriman)
Pamela Harriman Churchill (1920 - 1997), later wife of Randolph Churchill, daughter-in-law to Winston Churchill, socialite, political activist and diplomat

Lady Elizabeth Paget by Madame Yevonde
Lady Elizabeth Hester Mary Paget (1916-1980) by Madame Yevonde. She was a daughter of the 6th Marquess of Anglesey, making her debut in 1933

Lady Anne Bridgeman by Madame Yevonde
Lady Anne Pamela Bridgeman (1913-2009) by Madame Yevonde. She was the daughter of the 5th Earl of Bradford. Seen here modelling a dress of black cire satin

Court presentation, the convolutions of the train
As a society lady is presented at court, the logistical difficulty of curtseying to the Queen while simultaneously trying to manage her huge train, is captured by an ILN artist

Lady Gloria Vaughan as a debutante
Lady Gloria Vaughan, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Lisburne, one of the most important debutantes of the year according to The Sketch magazine

The cake surrounded at Queen Charlottes Ball, 1938
A huge white cloud of debutantes around the traditional huge cake wheeled out at Queen Charlottes Ball and cut by the guest of honour, in the case of this year, the Duchess of Gloucester

Duchess of Argyll and family
Photograph taken outside the Royal Academy during a Private View of the Duchess of Argyll (formerly, Margaret Whigham and later, Mrs Charles Sweeney)

Sydney Jewell, debutante, Dublin
Sydney Jewell, nee Auchinleck, as a debutante in Dublin, Ireland. 1902

Waiting in a queue for the royal courts by Matania
The long line of motor cars queuing on the Mall waiting for the official hour when the debutantes and their society mothers

The Season by Charles Graves
Article in The Sphere by Charles Graves explaining the London Season from the viewpoint of the debutante. The article is illustrated by photographs of well-known debs including Rose Bingham

The 1958 Season - The last Presentations
Page from The Tatler reporting on the last presentations of debutantes to the Queen at Buckingham Palace in the Season of 1958

The 1958 Season - Palace presentation outfits
Outfits suitable for a debutante to wear for presentation at Buckingham Palace during the 1958 season, the final year in fact that debs were presented

The 1958 Season - Fashions for her First Season
Double page spread from The Tatler featuring outfit ideas for a debutantes first season in 1958. On the left, mornings in town require a warm suit for the early days of the season so The Tatler

Clarissa Tennant
Clarissa Madeleine Georgiana Felicite Tennant (1896-1960), daughter of 1st Baron Glenconner pictured staring into the fire

Miss Maureen Guinness by Madame Yevonde
Miss Maureen Constance Guinness (1907-1998) by Madame Yevonde. She married three times, in 1930, 1948 and 1955. Date: 1930

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