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Pamela Digby (later Churchill, then Harriman)Pamela Harriman Churchill (1920 - 1997), photographed here to announce her engagement to Randolph Churchill, child of Winston Churchill, socialite, political activist and diplomat. Date: 1939
Duchess of Argyll and familyPhotograph 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, DublinSydney Jewell, nee Auchinleck, as a debutante in Dublin, Ireland. 1902
Waiting in a queue for the royal courts by MataniaThe long line of motor cars queuing on the Mall waiting for the official hour when the debutantes and their society mothers
Princess Alexandra of KentColour photograph of Princess Alexandra (The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, KG, GCVO, born 25 December 1936) and Queen Mary, daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece
The Season by Charles GravesArticle 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 PresentationsPage 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 outfitsOutfits 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 SeasonDouble 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 TennantClarissa Madeleine Georgiana Felicite Tennant (1896-1960), daughter of 1st Baron Glenconner pictured staring into the fire
Miss Maureen Guinness by Madame YevondeMiss Maureen Constance Guinness (1907-1998) by Madame Yevonde. She married three times, in 1930, 1948 and 1955. Date: 1930
Countess of Seafield by Madame YevondeNina Caroline Ogilvie-Grant, 12th Countess of Seafield (1906-1969) by Madame Yevonde. Also seen in another photograph (top right) with her husband, Derek Herbert Ogilvie-Grant-Studley-Herbert ()
Daphne and Pamela Gladstone by Madame YevondeDaphne (?-1971) and Pamela (?-1962) Gladstone by Madame Yevonde. They were the daughters of William Buckley Gladstone. Pamela had recently become engaged to Eustace Tennyson D Eyncourt
Elizabeth Hornung by Madame YevondeElizabeth Hornung (one of the Coronation Debutantes) by Madame Yevonde. She was the daughter of Captain and Mrs George Hornung of West Grinstead, Horsham, Sussex. Date: 1937
Anne Paget in 1938Anne Paget, younger daughter of Major and Mrs J. B. Paget, of Ibstock Place, Roehampton. pictured as a recent debutante in 1938. Date: 1938
Debutante dress show 1939Society girls as amateur mannequins at Dorothy Laws dress show in March 1939. From left to right, the group shows Miss Anne Nettlefold, Miss Joan O Malley, Miss Muriel Cunningham, Miss Pamela Stokes
Queen Charlottes Ball, 1937Gleaming in serried ranks: debutantes parading on the ballroom floor during Queen Charlottes Ball before the traditional cutting of the cake
Duchess of Argylls ball for her debutante daughterA spread from The Tatler reporting on the lavish ball held at Claridges by the Duchess of Argyll for her daughter, Miss Frances Sweeny
Queen Charlottes Ball, 1934The ceremony of cutting the cake performed by HRH Princess Arthur of Connaught (formerly Princess Alexandra of Fife), at Queen Charlottes Ball
Debutante queuing in the Mall by Rex WhistlerA shy debutante, accompanied by an imperious and matronly chaperone, sits in her chauffeur-driven car in the Mall, waiting to gain entrance to Buckingham Palace where she will be presented at court
Lady Alexandra and Lady Victoria Haig by Mme YevondeLady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig (1907-1997) and Lady Victoria Doris Rachel Haig (1908-1993) by Madame Yevonde. They were the two elder daughters of the late Field-Marshal Earl Haig. Date: 1929
The Tatler front cover - Debutante Number 1958Front cover of The Tatler Debutante number for 1958, the year in which debutantes were presented at the last royal courts before the ritual was stopped by Buckingham Palace
L Acaciosa de Caron fragrance advertisementAdvertisement for L Acaciosa de Caron, parfume de jeunesse (perfume of youth). Popular with debutantes during the inter-war years. Date: 1930
Bystander front cover featuring Miss Mary AshleyHon. Ruth Mary Clarisse Ashley, daughter of multi-millionaire, Lt-Col Wilfred Ashley (1st Baron Mount Temple) and sister of Edwina, Countess Mountbatten
The Debutante - hairdressing from EmileAdvertisement for Emile Ltd of Conduit Street, hairdressers to high society offering a faultless method of dressing the hair for court presentations. Date: 1929
How to be unsuccessful in modern society - 4The debutante treats a double blue with indifference. Date: 1929
Harrods head-dress for court presentationsAdvertisement for Harrods for head-dresses to be worn at court presentations. On the left is a design for a debutante, suitable for shingled hair to support the court plume of feathers
Cars in the Mall proceeding to Buckingham Palace, SeasonImpression of the Mall during the height of the Summer Season in London, showing smart cars crawling to and from Buckingham Palace
Sphere front cover - Debutantes practise the curtseyFront cover of The Sphere featuring a photograph of debutantes practising their curtsey for the forthcoming courts in May of 1933 at Miss Muriel Simmons School in Regent Street. Date: 1933
Harrods advertisement, presentation gowns for 1931Harrods advertisement for presentation gowns suitable for Their Majesties Courts. Appropriately, the three models shown all have regal names - Elizabeth, Anne and Victoria. Date: 1931
Advert for Ciro jewellery 1937Ciro will inevitably attend the years Courts... A variety of their twinkly products are displayed and in the middle, a woman, perhaps a debutante, in court dress by Marshall and Snelgrove
Four American Fashion Conscious Debutantes of New YorkFour American debutantes of New York, trying to outdo each other in the fashion stakes. Date: 1913
Isobel court gown, 1938Advertisement for court gowns designed by Isobel of Grosvenor Street and Harrogate. Date: 1938
Dance card filled at a ballA young gentleman arrives at a ball just in time to find out the object of his affections has filled up her dance card for the evening
Now for the London Season by Jennifer in The TatlerJennifers words on the coming London Season for 1958, the year that the last of the debutantes made their curtsey at Buckingham Palace. Date: 1958
Acquer evening dress for a debutante, 1958A short evening dress by Acquer in white net embroidered with tiny flowers available from Peter Robinson of Oxford Circus - perfect for the debutante of 1958. Date: 1958
Is it Worth It? Page from The Sketch on debutante seasonPage from The Sketch featuring an article by the photographer Tom Hustler reporting on whether the season, for the debutante was worth it
Sketch front cover - Debutante Number 1958Front cover of The Sketch magazine, Debutante number from March 1958 featuring a young woman in a floral ball gown about to leave a party (or perhaps just arrive?). Date: 1958
The Cost of Coming Out - 1958 SeasonPage from The Tatler featuring an article about the cost of coming out as a debutante in 1958, the last year debs were presented to the Queen at court
Waiting in the Mall (to be presented at Court)A page from The Sphere showing the various ways those waiting in the Mall to be presented at court at Buckingham Palace amused themselves
Hair styles for state functions in 1937Suggestions for hair styles to be worn with regulation headwear at court presentations or state functions in 1937, the coronation year. Emile of Conduit Street advises curls dressed high on the head
Majesties Courts gowns 1933Gleaming white satin with appliqued leaves of net embroidered with diamante and pearls this Geene Glanny model has net-bordered train. 1933
Debutante - Elizabeth Arden advertisementAdvertisement for cosmetics brand Elizabeth Arden aimed firmly at the debutante market, with tips on how a deb might avoid anything that be allowed to detract from her elegance. Date: 1937
The 1958 Season - Gay companions to sparkling debutDouble page spread from The Tatler suggesting various accessories required by the debutante to ensure a sparkling season! Clockwise from top left
Trocadero advertisement during London Season, 1958Advertisement placed by the Trocadero at Piccadilly Circus highlighting the dates where it still had the Empire Suite available to be hired for debutante dances. Date: 1958
The 1958 Season - Dresses for Dancing into the DawnTwo suggestions for dance dresses for debutantes for the 1958 Season, the last year in which debs were presented to the Queen at Buckingham Palace
Advert for Jays courts gowns 1933Limited amount of courts gowns, available from Jays. Showing a model wearing a beautiful slimline gown with white long gloves, train, feathers and tiara. 1933
A stately court gown, Debenham & Freebody 1912A stately gown for presentation at court of ivory tinted charmeuse designed and carried out by Debenham and Freebody. 1912