Socialite

A socialite is someone who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable events attended by others of similar standing.^[1][2]

American Members of The Establishment, or an American "Society" based on birth, breeding, education, and economic standing, were originally listed in the Social Register, a directory of the names and addresses of the "preferred social contacts" of the prominent families in the 19th century. In 1886, Louis Keller started to consolidate these lists and package them for sale.^[3]

18th and 19th centuries

Socialites date to the 18th and 19th century. Most of the earliest socialites were wives or mistresses of royalty or nobility, but being a socialite was more a duty and a means of survival than a form of pleasure. Bashful queens were often forced to play gracious and wealthy hostess to people who despised them. Mistresses had to pay for their social reputation and had to use their social skills to obtain favor in the court and retain the interest of their lovers.^[4]

With the increase of wealth in America in the 19th century, being a socialite developed into a role that brought power and influence.^[4] Men and women became social climbers, which was made easy due to their abundance in money and means of attaining it (usually from inheritance).

21st century

In the 21st century, the term "socialite" is still attached to being wealthy and socially recognized. The lines between being a socialite and celebrity have since become blurred due to the influence of both popular culture and the media. Celebrities like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian are examples of 21st-century socialites due to their ability to attract media attention and fame simply based on their connections and associations. Hilton is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels & Resorts. Due to her inheritance, Hilton was hailed by the media as "New York's leading It Girl" in 2001.^[5] Kardashian, herself the daughter of prominent attorney Robert Kardashian, first gained media attention through her friendship with Hilton, a modern-day socialite, and soon became one herself.^[6]

Gossip Girl, an American television show that began in 2007, focuses on the lives on New York socialites who live on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The show is a strong influence on how socialites are regarded in the 21st century due to the presence of scandal, wealth (and what it can get you), and fashion in each episode. Pop culture gives the impression that by simply being wealthy and fashionable, an individual has the opportunity to become famous. Consequently, it is an individual's ability to climb the social ladder due to his or her wealth and recognition that makes him or her a socialite.

According to The New York Times, socialites spend between $98,000 and $455,000 per year (young and old, respectively) to maintain their roles as successful socialites.^[7] Just the evening wardrobe of an individual regularly attending society functions can cost $100,000 annually.^[8] Examples of American socialites include Olivia Palermo, Jill Kelley, and Tinsley Mortimer. Palermo's fame came after being on the reality television show The City (MTV series), which focused on the lives of Whitney Port and her friends. She is prominent among the other socialites who live in New York City and is known for her role in the fashion industry.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Socialites.

• Brüno
• Conspicuous leisure
• Debutante
• Elitism
• Famous for being famous
• Ingroups and outgroups
• International Debutante Ball
• It girl
• Jet set
• Sloane Ranger
• Social environment
• Social identity theory
• White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
• Yuppie
• Upper class
• List of American heiresses

References