Have you ever heard of the Texas Dip? It’s a wild curtsy you might see performed—or botched—at a debutante ball. Kristen Richardson calls it a magic trick. And, yes, debutantes are still a thing. They’re the subject of her new book The Season.
Debutante balls used to be upper class young women’s first foray into society. Really, though, the debutante season was a crucial step on the way to getting married. Today, debutante balls are mostly expensive parties for wealthy teens. But, Richardson argues in The Season, here’s more to the story as she traces their history of social change, race and class, from Europe to America.
Kristen Richardson’s book is The Season: A Social History of the Debutante. [IndieBound|Amazon|Audible].