High society

[5] The media lavished attention on them, especially when newspapers devoted whole sections to weddings, funerals, parties and other events sponsored by the local high society.The new rich typically build a lavish opera house in the mining town, but then moved to a major city, especially Denver or San Francisco, where their wealth could be more suitably displayed and enjoyed.[16][17] In the 20th century, the London Social Season continued to be held annually with debutantes being presented to court at the Queen Charlotte's Ball until 1958.Its members included Lady Diana Manners, then considered a famous beauty in England and the daughter of a Duke and Duchess; Duff Cooper, who became a Conservative politician and a diplomat; Raymond Asquith, son of the Prime Minister H. H. Asquith and a famed barrister; Maurice Baring; Patrick Shaw-Stewart, a managing director of Barings Bank and war poet; Julian & Billy Grenfell, Nancy Cunard and her friend Iris Tree.The 20th century saw some of the most lavish high society parties, including Truman Capote's Black and White Ball in 1966, a masquerade attended by all of New York's elite.In 1971, Iran's Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi threw the most expensive party ever thrown to commemorate the Persian Empire's 2500th anniversary.Kings, Queens, Emperors, Empresses, Princes, Princesses, Dukes, Duchess, aristocrats, Presidents, Prime Ministers and all other important people from around the world attended, in one of the biggest gatherings of foreign royalty ever.Richard Morris Hunt played a large role in giving many members of high society what they were looking for: homes that represented their cosmopolitan outlook and outshine all that was around it.In many cases an elite member can confirm status by hiring servants, people who remove a mundane task from everyday life, or can patronize artists and performers, whose talent and skills are at their disposal.
Caroline Astor and her guests, drawing, 1902
Too Early by James Tissot , 1873
Mrs. William Astor painted by Carolus-Duran in 1890, presented at the 1894 Great Portrait Exhibition
"Portrait of Lady Helen Vincent" by J.S. Sargent, 1904
Marius af Schultén (on the right), a Finnish architect and artist with his siblings in Helsinki , 1910
High SocietyCaroline Astorsocial statussocial eventssocial clubsSocial Registerupper classToo EarlyJames TissotNew York CityBostonNewport, Rhode Island"upper tens"Ward McAllisterMrs. William Backhouse Astor, Jr'sDebutantesdebutante ballscotillionsInternational Debutante BallWaldorf Astoria HotelCentral City, ColoradoLeadville, Coloradogender rolesThe Dakotathe London Social SeasonQueen Charlotte's BallRoyal AscotWimbledonThe CoterieLady Diana MannersDuff CooperRaymond AsquithH. H. AsquithMaurice BaringPatrick Shaw-StewartBarings BankJulianNancy CunardIris TreeThe Bright Young ThingsMitford SistersGuinness familyTennant familyQueen Elizabeth The Queen MotherPrincess Nina of RussiaSpencer-Churchill familyJohn BetjemanCecil BeatonaristocratsTruman CapotemasqueradeElizabeth TaylorRichard BurtonPrincess Gloria von Thurn and TaxisShah Mohammed Reza PahlaviPersian Empire's 2500th anniversaryJohn Singer SargentFinnishHelsinkiStanford WhiteRenaissanceVictorian GothicRichard Morris HuntList of Gilded Age mansionssocial capitalDebutanteLanded gentryOld moneyPatriarchySocialiteSociety reportingWhite Anglo-Saxon ProtestantJackson, Kenneth T.The Encyclopedia of New York CityYale University PressBurrows, Edwin G.Wallace, MikeOxford University Press