World's Top 70 International Socialites Of All Time
A SOCIALITE is a term for a member of a social elite, or someone aspiring to be a member. According to Merriam-Webster the word was first used in 1928. A socialite participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable events attended by others of similar standing.
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. Members of true "society" were distinguishable from members of post World-War I "café society," from whom are further distanced "socialites," who are considered aspirational members of true "society," but with no substantive social credentials or personal achievements.
CAFÉ SOCIETY was the collective description for the so-called "Beautiful People" and "Bright Young Things" who gathered in fashionable cafes and restaurants in New York, Paris, and London beginning in the late 19th century. Lucius Beebe, noted American author, journalist, gourmand, and railroad enthusiast is generally credited with creating the term "café society," which he chronicled in his weekly column, This New York, for the New York Herald Tribune during the 1920s and 1930s.
Although members of café society were not necessarily members of The Establishment or other ruling class groups, they were people who attended each other's private dinners and balls, took holidays in exotic locations or at elegant resorts, and whose children tended to marry the children of other café society members.
In the United States, café society came to the fore with the end of Prohibition in December 1933 and the rise of photo journalism, to describe the set of people who tended to do their entertaining semi-publicly, in restaurants and night clubs and who would include among them movie stars and sports celebrities. Some of the American night clubs and New York City restaurants frequented by the denizens of café society included El Morocco, the Stork Club, and the 21 Club.
In the late 1950s the term "JET SET" began to take the place of "café society", but "café society" may still be used informally in some countries to describe people who habitually visit coffeehouses and give their parties in restaurants rather than at home. In journalism, jet set was a term for an international social group of wealthy people, organizing and participating all around the world in social activities unreachable to ordinary people. The term, which replaced "café society", came from the lifestyle of traveling from one stylish or exotic place to another via jet aircraft. The term jet set is attributed to Igor Cassini, a reporter for the New York Journal-American who wrote under the pen name "Cholly Knickerbocker".
- 3-DIGIT SCORE COULD DICTATE YOUR PLACE IN SOCIETY - Wired.
- 8 Celebrity-Favorite Hotels for Met Gala Weekend - Vogue.
- 10 Tips for Table Talk at Your Next Dinner Party - The New York Times.
- 20 Vintage Pictures of Jackie Kennedy in Honor of Her Birthday - "To mark what would have been her 92nd birthday - and to celebrate her timeless appeal as a fashion icon - here, Vogue pays tribute to the late Jackie Kennedy Onassis."
- 28 WORDS THAT ONLY POSH PEOPLE USE - Tatler.
- 71 Most Stylish People of 2023 - "OK, some weren’t people, but they all made us talk: about what we wear, how we live and how we express ourselves."
- $89 Million Can't Fix Her Mistakes - "After a dramatic rise in business and society, the art-world mogul Louise Blouin finds herself unloading a Hamptons dream home in bankruptcy court."
- 400 Hundred (Gilded Age) - was a list of New York society during the Gilded Age, a group that was led by Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, the "Mrs. Astor", for many years. After her death, her role in society was filled by three women: Mamie Fish, Theresa Fair Oelrichs, and Alva Belmont, known as the "triumvirate" of American society. On February 16, 1892, The New York Times published the "official" list of those included in the Four Hundred as dictated by social arbiter Ward McAllister, Mrs. Astor's friend and confidant, in response to lists proffered by others, and after years of clamoring by the press to know who, exactly, was on the list.
- ‘A cult to hate Truman’: how Capote fell from New York's high society - "The new season of TV drama Feud tells how the famed author became a social pariah to the city's elite women, the swans."
- A Gentleman's Guide to Social Climbing - "Publishing legend George Weidenfeld lived a quest to make friends in high places. All in the name of great literature, of course."
- A Glamorous Masked Ball & 100 People to Know - "Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World gala. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Doja Cat, Lea Michele, Kaia Gerber, Aubrey Plaza, Austin Butler came out for Time magazine and Save Venice."
- A Year in Paris That Transformed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis - "As a college student, Jacqueline Bouvier spent her junior year in Paris, and the city became one of the greatest influences in her life."
- absurd diets of the rich & famous - The Guardian.
- Advice for Dinner Hosts From a French Event Organizer - "In her book, 'Mistress of Ceremonies,' Françoise Dumas reveals the secrets to a successful formal meal."
- Al Smith Dinner | Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner - since 1945. "For more than seventy years, luminous guest speakers have stepped from the world stage to honor
and entertain Annual Dinner audiences with their light humor and political savvy." Annual white tie fundraiser for Catholic charities supporting needy children held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York on the third Thursday of October. It is generally the last event at which the two U.S. presidential candidates share a stage before the election.
- American socialites - Wikipedia.
- Anna Wintour stages starry gala as tensions rise at Vogue - "‘It’s about asserting her power.’ ‘London’s answer to Met Gala’ reveals behind-the-scenes power struggle between editors. Some of the biggest names from fashion and Hollywood will descend on the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the West End on Thursday night for an event that is being hailed as London’s answer to the Met Gala."
- 'Are you married or do you live in Kenya' - the aficionadoes of scandalous gossip about British colonial high society still like to recall a classic case of murder in Happy Valley. That was the enclave in the White Highlands of Kenya, where the sexual escapades of British aristocrats in exile inspired the question 'Are you married or do you live in Kenya?'
- Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People - (1993-2015). Was a televised compilation of ten public figures who are prominent names in the fields of entertainment, sports, politics, and popular culture. Hosted by Barbara Walters, the list was broadcast annually on the second Thursday of December on ABC from 1993 to 2015.
 - BARON DE RÉDÉ - (1922-2004). Prominent French banker, aristocratic aesthete, collector, socialite | social lion, and role as a host - notable for his Bal oriental, given on 5 December 1969. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1972.
- Beau Monde - the fashionable world; high society.
- Black Tie Dress Code explained - British GQ.
- 'Bodyguard to the stars': the man helping Jeff Bezos fight the Enquirer - "Gavin de Becker has spent decades protecting the rich and famous. Now he’s helping the Amazon CEO take on a tabloid."
- Bon Ton - term commonly used to refer to Britain's high society during the late Regency and the reign of George IV, and later. It is a French word meaning (in this sense) "manners" or "style" and is pronounced as in French. The full phrase is le bon ton meaning "good manners" or "good form" – characteristics held as ideal by the British beau monde.
- Bright young things - nickname given by the tabloid press to a group of bohemian young aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London. They threw elaborate fancy dress parties, went on elaborate treasure hunts through nighttime London, drank heavily and used drugs.
- Brownie points - in modern usage are a hypothetical social currency, which can be acquired by doing good deeds or earning favor in the eyes of another, often one's superior.
- CafÉ society - collective description for the so-called "Beautiful People" and "Bright Young Things" who gathered in fashionable cafes and restaurants in New York, Paris, and London beginning in the late 19th century.
 - Carlos de Beistegui - (1895-1970). Also known as Charles or Charlie de Beistegui, was an eccentric multi-millionaire aesthete, art collector and interior decorator and one of the most flamboyant characters of mid-20th century European life. Often referred to as "The Count of Monte Cristo". On September 3, 1951 Beistegui held a masked costume ball, which he called Le Bal Oriental, at the Palazzo Labia. It was one of the last truly spectacular events in the famous ballroom, and it was one of the largest and most lavish social events of the 20th century.
- Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Ghost Influencer - "Almost 25 years after her tragic death, the lithe blonde is the muse of the season. Little wonder that as fascination with that era reaches a new pitch, Ms. Bessette Kennedy has emerged as the ghost influencer of the season - one who has particular resonance as stealth wealth evolves into an embrace of more functional minimalism in the face of global chaos; disillusionment grows with the cesspool that the digital world has become; and the question of what exactly it means to be 'American' takes center stage."
- Cave Dweller - a term, indigenous to Washington, that defines a member of those families who have resided here for generations and whose bloodlines are woven into the warp and woof of the nation's capital.
 - Celebrity Register - "An Irreverent Compendium of American Quotable Notables." 1963. Editors: Earl Blackwell & Cleveland Amory.
- CELEBRITY Service International - "The premier information resource on people in the public eye since 1939, providing accurate and up-to-date contact information on celebrities."
 - Chatham House Rule - "Under the Chatham House Rule, anyone who comes to a meeting is free to use information from the discussion, but is not allowed to reveal who made any particular comment. It is designed to increase openness of discussion. The rule is a system for holding debates and discussion panels on controversial topics, named after the London headquarters of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, where the rule originated in June 1927."
- Cholly Knickerbocker - house pseudonym, owned by the Hearst newspaper chain, of a gossip columnist for the New York Journal-American, which was published from 1937 to 1966.
- CITYFILE NEW YORK - guide to the most notable and influential New Yorkers.
 - Claus von BÜlow - (1926-2019). British socialite of German and Danish ancestry. He was accused of the attempted murder of his wife Sunny von BÜlow (born Martha Sharp Crawford, 1931–2008) by administering an insulin overdose in 1980 which left her in a persistent vegetative state for the rest of her life, but his conviction in the first trial was reversed and he was found not guilty in both his retrials.
- Climbing the Socialite Ladder, One Gala at a Time - The New York Times.
 - Cliveden set - were a 1930s, upper class group of prominent individuals politically influential in pre-World War II Britain, who were in the circle of Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor.
- Coming out (party) - traditional term for debutante's ball.
 - Comte Etienne de Beaumont - (1883-1956). A leading figure in Parisian society, was famous for his elaborate and extravagant parties and masquerade balls.
- Coronation Invitation - "Buckingham Palace is pleased to share the invitation for the Coronation, which will be issued in due course to over 2,000 guests who will form the congregation in Westminster Abbey. It is also announced today that eight Pages of Honour have been chosen to attend Their Majesties during the Coronation Service." The Official Website of The Royal Family.
 - Cotillion - social dance, popular in 18th-century Europe and America. Originally for four couples in square formation, it was a courtly version of an English country dance, the forerunner of the quadrille and, in the United States, the square dance. Cotillions are also used as classes to teach social etiquette, respect and common morals for the younger ages with the possibility of leading up to a débutante ball.
 - Cotillion ball - in American usage, a cotillion is a formal ball and social gathering, often the venue for presenting débutantes during the débutante season – usually May through December.
- Daisy Fellowes - "The most wicked woman in High Society."
- DÉBUTANTE - (from the French débutante, "female beginner") is a girl or young woman of an aristocratic or upper-class family who has reached maturity and, as a new adult, comes out into society at a formal "debut". Originally, the term meant the woman was old enough to be married, and part of the purpose of her coming out was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families with a view to marriage within a select circle.
- DÉclassÉ - degraded from one's social class.
- Dede Wilsey Is the Defiant Socialite - The New York Times.
 - Diamond Horseshoe - was the ring of seats for the rich patrons of the original Metropolitan Opera House, 1411 Broadway (between 39th and 40th Streets), New York City, U.S.A. The opera house was built in the 1880s and was destroyed in 1966, when the Metropolitan re-opened in Lincoln Center.
- Dollar Princess - the fabulously rich daughters of the new American billionaires of the 19th century who came to England looking for the one thing they couldn't buy at home: a title.
- Elizabeth Taylor Auction of a lifetime - YouTube 1:13:11.
 - ELSA MAXWELL - (1883-1963). American gossip columnist and author, songwriter, and professional hostess renowned for her parties for royalty and high society figures of her day. Maxwell is credited with the introduction of the scavenger hunt and treasure hunt for use as party games in the modern era.
- Emerald Cunard - Maud Alice Burke (3 August 1872 – 10 July 1948), later Lady Cunard, known as Emerald, was an American-born, London-based society hostess. She had long relationships with the novelist George Moore and the conductor Thomas Beecham, and was the muse of the former and a champion of and fund-raiser for the latter. She was a supporter of Wallis Simpson during the British abdication crisis of 1936, vainly hoping for a court appointment. The Second World War ended her era of private patronage and lavish hospitality.
- Even the Internet Hasn’t Really Changed How Being Famous Works. Here’s Why - "'The history and theory of celebrity teach us that we get the celebrities we deserve,' writes historian Sharon Marcus."
- Fairytale of the jetset swans - Nick Foulkes looks back in rapture at the effortless glamour of the 1960s globetrotting elite.
- Famous for being famous - Wikipedia.
- Feud: Capote vs the Swans: How a scandalous Truman Capote story exposed the secrets of US high society - "A star-studded new miniseries from Ryan Murphy looks at how the author betrayed the confidence of some of America's most elite women - and destroyed his career in the process."
- Forbes sells directory that catalogs Old Money families - New York Post.
- FOUR Hundred (Gilded Age) - was a list of New York society during the Gilded Age, a group that was led by Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, the "Mrs. Astor", for many years. After her death, her role in society was filled by three women: Mamie Fish, Theresa Fair Oelrichs, and Alva Belmont, known as the "triumvirate" of American society. On February 16, 1892, The New York Times published the "official" list of those included in the Four Hundred as dictated by social arbiter Ward McAllister, Mrs. Astor's friend and confidant, in response to lists proffered by others, and after years of clamoring by the press to know who, exactly, was on the list.
- Four-Pack - "City Hopping Among the Wealthiest."
- Four Social Seasons (U.S.) - The Four Social Seasons in the U.S.A. started with spring, or the "petit saison", for horse racing; summer for the Hamptons or other cooler country climes; fall for riding to hounds; winter for the debutante balls, and deep winter for Palm Beach or sport fishing in the Keys.
- French socialites - Wikipedia.
- Gilded Age - Wikipedia.
- Gloria Vanderbilt Dies at 95; Built a Fashion Empire - "Gloria Vanderbilt, the society heiress who stitched her illustrious family name into designer jeans and built a $100 million fashion empire, crowning her tabloid story of a child-custody fight, of broken marriages and of jet-set romances, died on Monday at her home in Manhattan. She was 95."
- Gloria Vanderbilt’s Story (Reprised) - The New York Times.
- Golden Ish - "Virtual award recognizing all those stylish and Styles-ish."
- Goodwood brings glorious end to English social season - "A peek inside Britain's secret garden party."
- Gossip, sex & social climbing: the uncensored Chips Channon diaries - "Sir Henry ‘Chips’ Channon’s diaries caused a stir in 1967. Now edited by Simon Heffer and published unredacted, they reveal even more juicy detail about British high society between the 1920s and 50s."
- grande dame - woman who is socially prominent, respected, and experienced, especially one who is haughty and advanced in age.
- Guide to the 2016 Hamptons Party Social Circuit - The New York Times.
- Happy Valley set - group of hedonistic British and Anglo-Irish aristocrats and adventurers who settled in the "Happy Valley" region of the Wanjohi Valley, near the Aberdare mountain range, in colonial Kenya and Uganda between the 1920s and the 1940s. From the 1930s the group became infamous for its decadent lifestyles and exploits following reports of drug use and sexual promiscuity.
- haut monde - Fashionable society.
- He's Been Hiding Celebrities Since 2007 - "With haunts like The Bird Streets, Bootsy Bellows and Delilah, John Terzian is the rare club owner that famous people trust. But when everyone is a paparazzo, how does he keep a secret?"
 - Hedda Hopper - (1885-1966). One of America's best-known gossip columnists, notorious for feuding with her arch-rival Louella Parsons.
- Henry Kissinger, Social Fixture - "After leaving the White House, he returned to New York and became an in-demand guest, hitting the party circuit with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Madonna."
 - Henry Symes "Harry" Lehr - (1869-1929). Socialite and the husband of Elizabeth "Bessie" Wharton Drexel. Using his wife's fortune and his reputation as "The Fun-maker" of New York and Newport society, Lehr attempted to establish himself as successor to Ward McAllister.
- High society - Wikipedia.
- hostess with the mostess - a most dedicated hostess willing to please everyone.
- How a Nepo Baby Is Born - "Hollywood has always loved the children of famous people. In 2022, the internet reduced them to two little words."
- How Celebrity Memoirs Got So Good - "One way to explain this shift is fairly simple: the move toward unfiltered storytelling tracks with the dominance of social media, a tool that has undeniably transformed the celebrity landscape. Gone are the days of the inaccessible, mysterious A-lister of the tabloid era, whose public perception was determined largely by the whims of paparazzi. Now, with platforms like Instagram, access to public figures and the inner workings of their lives are just a screen swipe away - and firmly within their control, making authenticity (or at least the performance of it) the key to attracting a loyal audience."
- How Jackie Kennedy & Lee Radziwill Found Careers & Happiness in the 1970s - "After lives marked by glamour and tragedy, the Bouvier sisters embraced their second acts in New York City."
- How the history of debutante balls can help us understand women's lives - "It’s Easy to Dismiss Debutante Balls, But Their History Can Help Us Understand Women’s Lives."
- How the upper classes 'bonk' - The Telegraph.
- How to have a social life - but still succeed at work - The Telegraph.
- How to spot a socialite - The Rich Life. Blog written by David Desmond, a columnist for The Palm Beach Daily News.
- I never thought I’d miss the Gridiron Club dinner, but I think now maybe I do - The Washington Post.
- Ice baths before breakfast? Just say no to the lifestyles of the rich & famous - "Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey has revealed his morning routines. They show how the private jet set have a life uninterrupted by life."
 - Igor Cassini - (1915-2002). "King of society gossip." American syndicated gossip columnist for the Hearst newspaper chain. He was the second journalist to write the Cholly Knickerbocker column. He also coined the term "JET SET". The term, which replaced café society, came from the lifestyle of traveling from one stylish or exotic place to another via jet plane.
- Inside Jackie Kennedy's Secret Life as a Newspaper Reporter - "The new biography Camera Girl delves into her career - including her coverage of Queen Elizabeth's coronation."
- Inside most star-studded party in history - "The most famous celebrities on the planet have descended on the Hamptons for an ultra-exclusive all-white bash. Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez: a US billionaire has just hosted what might be the most A-list party of all time."
- International Celebrity Register - 1959. Editors: Earl Blackwell, Cleveland Amory & Sydney Wolfe Cohen.
 - International Debutante Ball - since 1954. Invitation-only formal debutante ball to present young ladies from upper-class families to high society. Founded in 1954, it occurs every two years at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. Young women from around the globe and all over the United States are brought together at the ball and the surrounding parties, including daughters of Presidents of the United States, diplomats, nobility, senators, ambassadors and governors. The International Debutante Ball is considered the most prestigious and the most exclusive debutante ball in the world.
- Ira von FÜrstenberg, Jet-Setting Princess & Actress, Dies at 83 - "With her aristocratic lineage, high-profile husbands and famous friends, she embodied a chic life of luxury as an international social figure."
- Iris Apfel dead at 102 - "Fashion icon and self-proclaimed 'geriatric starlet' passed at her home in Palm Beach, Florida."
 - Irving Paul Lazar - (1907-1993). American talent agent, dealmaker and social arbiter. Through the wit of his occasional client Humphrey Bogart, became known as “Swifty.” He was a tremendous snob who prided himself on his ability to get huge commissions for his literary (or acting) clients without having seen or read their work. Every Oscar night he gave a big party (for stars only – his definition of course) at Spago when it was located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. On Lazar's list, success has replaced Ward McAllister's criterion of pedigree. "Are you going to Swifty's?," people in Hollywood asked weeks in advance of the upcoming Academy Awards event.
- It’s Called the Met Gala, but It’s Definitely Anna Wintour’s Party - The New York Times.
- It's My Privilege: Glorious Memoirs by the Very Rich - "A look back at a time when the super-wealthy felt they had nothing to lose by letting readers inside their gilded corridors."
- Ivana Trump, an ex-wife of former President Trump, dies at 73 - "Ivana Trump died after 'falling down staircase of NYC townhouse."
- Ivana Trump Left Behind $34 Million. Here’s What Is In Her Will - "A Manhattan townhouse, a Miami Beach condo, some French property and her dog Tiger Trump are among the items to be split between Ivana Trump’s kids, a former nanny and a mysterious friend."
- Ivana Trump’s Funeral, a Gold-Hued Coffin & the Secret Service - "On Wednesday afternoon, when a funeral was held for Ms. Trump at an Upper East Side Catholic church, former President Donald J. Trump, along with his current wife, Melania, was there, seated in the front row, across from their three children: Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr. The Trump Organization had handled the funeral arrangements, and the coffin had a gold hue. The Secret Service stood by."
- Jackie Kennedy: The First Instagram First Lady - The New York Times.
- Jackie Kennedy, the Mona Lisa & the French Ambassador's Wife - "Jackie may have brought Leonardo's masterpiece to Washington in 1963, but she didn’t do it alone."
- Jackie Kennedy’s Childhood Home Hits Market In East Hampton, New York For $55 Million - "Located in East Hampton, New York, the home is called Lasata, which means ‘place of peace’ in the Algonquin language of the native Montaukett people. It’s being sold by Los Angeles-based television, commercial, and film producer David Zander, who purchased the home for $24 million in 2018. The home has also been published in numerous magazines around the world and is recognized as one of the country’s most iconic properties. Built in 1917 and designed by notable architect Arthur C. Jackson, the home was used as the Bouvier’s family’s summer home in the 1920s. According to the book Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: A Life by Donald Spoto, the property was owned by her grandfather, the late John Vernou Bouvier Jr., and she spent summers as a young child at Lasata."
- Jackie Kennedy’s Former D.C. Home Is On The Market For $26.5 Million - "The storied mansion where former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy stayed following the assassination in 1963 of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, is listed for $26.5 million. She bought the 18th-century residence in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., known as the Baker House, to be her personal home, but decided to relocate a year later as the four-bedroom, four bathroom home attracted too much attention from the public and especially the paparazzi. The Georgetown home, now combined with two other homes, spans 16,300 square feet with 13 bedrooms."
 - Jacques de Bascher - (1951–1989). "The man who fuelled the rivalry between former friends Karl Lagerfeld & Yves Saint Laurent by having a love affair with both of them and the reason Karl Lagerfeld suffered from a broken heart for years."
- Jerry Zipkin - (1915-1995), a celebrated fixture on the international social scene for almost half a century, often referred to as "a man about everywhere."
- jet set: 200 celebrities’ aircraft have flown for combined total of 11 years since 2022 - "Jets belonging to entertainers, CEOs, oligarchs and billionaires produce equivalent to emissions of almost 40,000 Britons."
- Kendall Jenner parks in handicapped spot to go for a workout - "Rules for thee but not for me! Kendall Jenner is caught parking her luxury Land Rover in a handicap spot for AN HOUR during Hot Pilates class in West Hollywood."
- Knickerbocker - was a term for Manhattan's aristocracy "in the early days" and became a general term, now obsolete, for a New Yorker.
- Lee Radziwill: a life in pictures - "Radziwill, the younger sister of Jackie Kennedy, has died at the age of 85. Married three times, she was a well-known socialite and a successful interior designer."
- Lee Radziwill Interview - YouTube 12:11.
 - Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy's elegant younger sister - The Telegraph.
- Lee Radziwill, Style Icon & Kennedy Onassis Sister, Dead at 85 - "The younger sister of Jackie Kennedy Onassis passed away on Friday in New York on Friday, February 15, 2019."
- Lily Safra, Star-Crossed Socialite & Philanthropist, Dies at 87 - "Lily Safra, a Brazilian-born socialite and philanthropist who led a star-filled, star-crossed life with enough jet-setting ups and tragedy-filled downs to fill a dozen Danielle Steel novels, including the bizarre death of her fourth husband, the banker Edmond J. Safra, died on July 9 at her home in Geneva. She was 87."
- List of American heiresses - list of some American socialites, from the Gilded Age to the end of the 20th century, who married into the European nobility, peerage and royalty.
- Lobster Palace Society - from the late 1890s through the 1910s, there emerged a spectacular, dazzling nightlife along Broadway. The classic way to spend a night on Broadway began with cocktails, then to a show, then to one of the gaudy, extravagant “lobster palaces.”
- Locust Valley lockjaw accent - colloquial term for a brand of speech, widely recognized as the stereotypical upper class American accent and usually associated with the traditional elite of the New York metropolitan area, particularly those on the North Shore of Long Island.
- Lord Lucan & the Enduring Mystery of Who Killed Sandra Rivett - "It has been 50 years since the 7th Earl of Lucan disappeared after allegedly killing his children's nanny. Is there something about this age old tale of rich people getting off scot-free that keeps us all obsessed?"
 - Louella Parsons - (1881-1972). The first American movie columnist. She was retained by William Randolph Hearst, possibly because she had praised Hearst's mistress Marion Davies, and her columns were read by 20 million people in 400 newspapers worldwide.
 - Maury Paul - (1890-1942). Journalist who became famous as a society columnist for the New York American. Writing under the pseudonym "Cholly Knickerbocker",
he coined the term "CafÉ Society". In addition to coining the phrase "Café Society" to describe the people who frequented tony night clubs and expensive restaurants, he also invested the expression "The Old Guard" (the "Four Hundred") for the venerable New York families. Paul focused on the very well-born and extremely rich. In addition to his daily column, each week he wrote three features for the Sunday edition of the American. The column and features were carried by the over 60 newspapers of the Hearst syndicate. On 17 July 1942, Paul died of a heart condition at his New York home. He was 52 years old. He was succeeded as Cholly Knickerbocker by Igor Cassini.
 - Max Jacobson - (1900-1979). German-born New York physician, nicknamed "Miracle Max" and "Dr. Feelgood", who administered amphetamines and other medications to several high-profile clients, including President John F. Kennedy.
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van’s Glamorous Turn - "Famous actors, singers, athletes and housewives are fans of the Mercedes-Benz van, which has become a staple in streets outside events like the Met Gala."
- Met Gala 2023: Everything we know about the theme, hosts & guests - "Why this year’s Met Gala theme could face some resistance."
- Met Gala 2024: Everything you need to know - "The first Monday in May is nearly upon us. The Party of the Year. The Oscars of the East. Fashion's Biggest Night. The theme is simply the title of the Costume Institute's new exhibition, 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.' The Met Gala also has a "dress code." This year's dress code is 'The Garden of Time.'"
- Met Gala 2024: Everything You Need To Know - "What’s the dress code, who’s hosting, who’s going and how to watch. Guests have been instructed to dress for 'The Garden of Time,' so named after a 1962 short story by J.G. Ballard about an aristocratic couple living in a walled estate with a magical garden."
- Met Gala 2024 fashion: The best looks from the red carpet - "Celebrities descended on New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday night for the annual Met Gala. The extravagant event raises money for the museum's Costume Institute. Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth were co-chairs alongside Anna Wintour."
- Met Gala 2024: The 'delicious irony' of the Met Gala's Garden of Time theme - "In JG Ballard's dystopian story The Garden of Time - which has inspired this year's dress code - the super-rich hide themselves in Arcadian splendour while the 'great unwashed' riot. It seems an unlikely choice of theme for fashion's event of the year."
- Met Gala: Seven of the best looks over the decades - "From Cher's naked dress to Rihanna's 'omelette gown', the gala has seen many iconic looks. As the fashion event of the year approaches, Ellie Violet Bramley looks back at some of its magic moments."
- NEW YORK JEWELRY DIARY - by Clive Kandel.
 - NEW YORK SOCIAL DIARY - since 2000. "Your Link To Society." Website that publishes photographs of various socialites and also provides a calendar of events that they might attend.
- Noor Muqaddam: The high society beheading that stunned a nation - "The rape and murder of Noor Muqaddam, by a man from the same circle of rich friends, outraged Pakistan - and it highlighted the shocking levels of violence women there face."
- Nouvelle Society - a term coined by a Women's Wear Daily (WWD) editor to denote a glittering Vanity Fair of new money and conspicuous consumption that flourished in New York in the 1980s.
- Old Guard vs CafÉ Society - "Old Guard types (the Mrs. Astor Set who liked sitting in their clubs and drawing rooms) eschewed all notoriety beyond weddings, funerals, and debuts. Café Society liked, really liked, getting their names in the papers." (The People, the Planes, the Glamour, and the Romance in Aviation's Glory Years Jet Set
 by William Stadiem.
- One of the World’s Greatest Shoppers Prepares to Share Her Treasures - "Mouna Ayoub has a huge collection of haute couture, and now, 252 of her Chanel pieces designed by Karl Lagerfeld are going up for auction."
- Oscars 2022: the after parties - in pictures - "Award winners and nominees celebrate into the night in Los Angeles after the 94th Oscars ceremony including the Governors Ball and the Vanity Fair party."
- Paris Hilton says it's 'hard' for her to be normal in new documentary - "According to Paris Hilton, she's been playing Paris Hilton all of these years. One of the first celebs to become famous for being famous, Hilton is sharing her story in a new documentary titled 'This Is Paris.'"
- Paris: The Memoir review - "How a celebrity nymph conquered the Earth. With its dizzying spirituality and devotion to ‘sacred’ skincare, Paris Hilton’s memoir exposes a culture in which the self only exists if validated by a selfie."
- Paris Hilton wants to be the 'Queen of the Metaverse' - "'I've always been an undercover nerd, so I've been obsessed with anything to do with technology and the future,' Hilton told CNN Business in an interview last month. 'Now my new nickname is 'The Queen of the Metaverse,'' she added, referring to a sobriquet she has used on the red carpet and in a number of her social media posts, which, according to her company 11:11 Media, first emerged in the NFT space on Twitter."
- Park Avenue Princesses
- Peggy Guggenheim: ‘She was trying to find herself’: the untold story of Peggy Guggenheim, Hampshire homemaker - "The socialite and collector prioritised art over family and claimed she had 1,00
- Petit Saison - of the four social seasons in the U.S.A., Spring was called "Petit Saison".
- Pilot fish - Ernest Hemingway bitterly immortalised John Dos Passos as a "pilot fish" for the wealthy in A Moveable Feast.
- Princess Grace's 40th birthday scorpio ball, Saturday, November 15, 1969 - Arxaiognosiafos.blogspot.com.
- Rarely seen photos from the Met Gala show celebrities letting loose - "The Met Gala, known as fashion's biggest night, returns to its typical slot - the first Monday of May - after two years of disruptions due to the pandemic. The event, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City coincides with the opening of part two of the exhibition, 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion,' hosted by the museum's Costume Institute. Guests have been asked to dress in 'Gilded Glamour and White Tie,' referencing the lavish Gilded Age, a three-decade period at the end of the 19th century that transformed American infrastructure and society life."
- Ready, steady, pout ... how selfies can help you climb the social ladder - "A new paper suggests that ‘sexy selfies’ can help women out-compete one another. But is this about gendered oppression - or academics selecting eye-catching areas of research?"
- Red Cross Ball 2022 will be on Casino Square - "Presided over by HSH Prince Albert, the 73rd Monaco Red Cross Ball takes place on Friday, July 18, on Casino Square for the second time since its creation."
- Remember when Grace Kelly threw a lavish party exclusively for Scorpios? - "You might assume that Grace Kelly's 700-strong royal wedding ceremony to Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 was the apex of her social legacy. But 13 years later, on Saturday November 15, 1969, the American film star-turned-princess threw herself one of the most peculiar and extravagant birthday parties in history. 'The Scorpion Ball,' Kelly's horoscope-themed 40th birthday celebration, was held at the Hotel Hermitage in Monte-Carlo, Monaco."
- Royal Ascot, Epsom, Wimbledon & Goodwood - "The definitive guide to what you can and cannot wear."
- Season (society) - historically referred to the annual period when it is customary for members of a social elite of society to hold debutante balls, dinner parties and large charity events.
 - Sheilah Graham - (1904-1988). British born, nationally syndicated American gossip columnist during Hollywood's "Golden Age". Along with Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper, Graham came to wield sufficient power to make or break Hollywood careers — prompting her to describe herself as "the last of the unholy trio."
- Sloane Ranger Handbook - Revisiting the guide 35 years on - "Looking Back at Princess Diana and the Official Sloane Ranger Handbook. Princess Diana made a certain kind of posh Londoner internationally famous. We spoke to co-author Peter York about the book's runaway success—and whether Sloanes still exist today."
- Small talk: No. 1 phrase people who are good at small talk always use, says Stanford public speaking expert - "Small talk might seem trivial, but it can deliver big results. It can help us forge new or deeper connections with others by allowing us to discover unexpected areas of common interest. It can enable us to establish or reinforce our personal reputations, giving us an opportunity to demonstrate warmth and empathy. Favorite phrase was 'Tell me more,' and it happens to be one that people who are good at small talk always use."
- Social Elite - Wikipedia.
 - Social Index-Directory - since 1921. The Social Index-Directory (aka 'The Black Book') each season publishes an index of residents and seasonal visitors to Palm Beach, Miami, the Bahamas and other Florida Resorts. Those listed in the Social Index-Directory have recognized social standing in their communities, both in Florida and their other residences. 265 Sunrise Avenue #204, Palm Beach, FL 33480.
- SOCIAL JET LAG - the fatigue you experience after trying to cram in too many social activities into one's schedule.
- Social Register - directory of names and addresses of prominent American families who form the social elite. The original New York Social Register first was published in 1886 by Louis Keller, a German-American of wide social acquaintance, who combined the "visiting lists" of a number of fashionable ladies to compile the families included.
- SOCIAL REGISTER Association - directory of names and addresses of prominent American families who form the social elite (socialites) in the United States (approx. 25,000 entries).
- SOCIAL SECRETARY - "...not to be confused with a personal assistant."
- SOCIALITE - Wikipedia.
- SOCIALITE: A HISTORY - New York Social Diary.
- Socialites by nationality - Wikipedia.
- Society of Patriarchs - (1872-1897). Was a committee of 25 “representative men of worth, respectability, and responsibility.” created by Ward McAllister in 1872 known for hosting the Patriarch Balls, the "epitome of conspicuous display and upper-class ritual and etiquette" during the Gilded Age. The Society, which lasted for approximately twenty-five years, was disbanded on April 9, 1897, two years after McAllister's death, reportedly due to a lack of interest. The increase in the number of private ballrooms and desire for less structured entertainment led many of the younger generation to resist the Patriarchs and their balls, which came to be known as the "Dowager's balls."
- Sociolect - variety of language (a register) associated with a social group such as a socioeconomic class, an ethnic group (precisely termed ethnolect), an age group, etc.
- some timeless style lessons to learn from Jackie O - On what would have been her 87th birthday.
- SoufflÉ Furstenberg - Recipes by Truman Capote.
- Stephanie Winston Wolkoff - (1971-). American fashion and entertainment executive and former senior advisor to the first lady Melania Trump. Before her controversial role in politics, she produced various notable events in New York City, including the Met Gala, and later worked as the founding fashion director for Lincoln Center and facilitated the expansion of its Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
- TATLER - since 1901. "The original social media." Latest party pictures | Luxury guides. Primary focus is on social trends of the upper class. Parties and society events are also portrayed. It also reports on luxury fashions and high-jewellery.
- Tatler's guide to snobbery - The Guardian.
- The Big Dame Hunters Are A Dying Breed - Chicago Tribune.
- The Branded Marriage of Kourtney Kardashian & Travis Barker - "The latest wedding in the family became a walking ad for Dolce & Gabbana. Is this a new model for celebrity matrimony?"
- The Capote Tapes: inside the scandal ignited by Truman's explosive final novel - "He partied with high society America but caused outrage when he spilled their secrets. Ebs Burnough talks us through his new film about Answered Prayers - the ‘smart, salacious’ novel Capote never finished."
- The Complicated Sisterhood of Jackie Kennedy & Lee Radziwill - Vanity Fair.
- The Coterie - was a fashionable and famous set of English aristocrats and intellectuals of the 1910s, widely quoted and profiled in magazines and newspapers of the period.
- The Last Days of John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette Kennedy - "Questions swirled around John and Carolyn in the summer of 1999—about their marriage, their careers, their futures, and most of all, what led them to make the tragic choice to board John’s tiny airplane that foggy night in July."
- The Man Who Made ‘Everyone Look So Famous’ - "That was how Andy Warhol described Richard Bernstein, who gave Interview magazine covers their signature look. Everyone wanted it - until they didn’t."
- The Shocking True Story of the Kidnapping That Rocked European Society - "A thrilling new book tells the tale of the violent 1978 abduction of Baron Édouard-Jean Empain in Paris - an ordeal that changed the world of French privilege forever."
- The Souls - were a small, loosely-knit but distinctive social group in the United Kingdom, from 1885 to the turn of the century. If their children are included, the group lasted up to about 1920. Their members included many of the most distinguished British politicians and intellectuals.
- The Titled Americans: Three American Sisters & the British Aristocratic World into Which They Married - Amazon.com.
- The Triumverate - Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish, Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont & Mrs. Hermann Oelrichs.
- They Don't Make Socialites Like They Used To - "Ryan Murphy’s new series, 'Feud: Capote vs. the Swans,' recalls the fine art of getting dressed."
- This Is Paris: Hilton documentary puts the reality in reality TV - "The heiress gained notoriety as the original social media influencer. As she shows a vulnerability the world has never seen, will fans take note or turn away?"
- Tilden's Extract - "It cost six cents for half an ounce and could be purchased at any drug store in New York. It was recommended for 'over-wrought hostesses,' who were advised to take a small dose before receiving guests or going out to dinner, to prepare them for the 'rigors' of the evening ahead. Tilden's was pure extract of hashish." (Life at the Dakota: New York's Most Unusual Address - Amazon.com.)
- Timeless style lessons to learn from Jackie O - The Telegraph.
- Titled Americans, 1890: The Real Heiresses' Guide to Marrying An Aristocrat - Amazon.com.
- Top 10 International Society Events of the Year
- Top 20 Socialites of All Time - New York Magazine.
- Tout-Paris - ("everyone in Paris") is a French expression referring to the fashionable and affluent elite of the city, who frequent fashionable events and places, and establish trends in upper-class culture. It is equivalent to the "jet set" elsewhere.
- Town Topics - (1879-1937). Notorious weekly published in New York City reporting high-society peccadilloes and often identifying perpetrators by name.
 - Truman Capote's Swans - the legendary beauties of a long gone New York who constituted his friends and muses, whom Truman Capote nicknamed his "swans", they included among others: Babe Paley (“Swan numero uno”), Gloria Guinness, C.Z. Guest (“the cool vanilla lady with champagne hair”), Marella Agnelli (“the European swan numero uno”), Lee Radziwill (“a special friendship”) and Slim Keith.
- Ultimate Dinner Party Guests - "Who wants to dance and drink and eat alone? Certainly none of the soigne bons viveurs celebrated here. Though they were all well acquainted with the finest wines and the most succulent dishes known to man, this magnificent seven were far from being simply 'browsers and sluicers', as Sir PG Wodehouse used to put it."
- US socialite who gave it all up to become a Carmelite nun - "Sister Mary Joseph lived the first sixty years of her life as San Francisco socialite Ann Russell Miller. A 92-year-old nun, who took a vow of silence, solitude and poverty, has died at the monastery where she lived for the past three decades - however the full story of Sister Mary Joseph's life is far from traditional."
- vanderbuilding - definition & explanation.
- Vogue World: Stars flock to Britain’s answer to the Met Gala - "It was billed as Britain’s answer to the Met Gala, and last night’s inaugural 'Vogue World' at the Theatre Royal on London’s Drury Lane didn’t disappoint."
- Vogue World’s red carpet - in pictures - "Some of the biggest names in fashion arrived at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, for London’s answer to the Met Gala. Organised by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, it aims to raise funds for London’s struggling art scene."
 - Waldorf's Sert Room Restaurant - located opposite the Empire Room on the north side of the Park Avenue Foyer, the Sert Room received its name from a series of 15 sepia-tone murals by Spanish artist José Maria Sert along its walls. The Sert Room was primarily used to house private social gatherings and charity events during the '30s.
 - Walker - a woman's escort at a social event. It is believed that the term "walker," first used by Women's Wear Daily, was coined to describe Jerry Zipkin (1915-1995), a celebrated fixture on the international social scene for almost half a century, often referred to as "a man about everywhere."
- Want to Live in Grey Gardens? - former home of Edith Bouvier.
 - Ward McAllister - (1827-1895). Self-appointed arbiter of New York society from the 1860s to the early 1890s, and Mrs. Astor's "Social Minister". Coined the phrase "the Four Hundred". According to him, this was the number of people in New York who really mattered; the people who felt at ease in the ballrooms of high society.
 - What a Swell Party it Was - New York Social Diary.
- What Happened to Paris Hilton? Paris Hilton Now in 2016 - Los Angeles Times.
- What I Learned Dogsitting for New York City’s Opulent Elite - In a city of yawning class inequality, some side hustles let you glimpse how the other half lives.
- What Is the Met Gala, and Who Gets to Go? - "Deconstructing the party of the year, including how much it costs, who hosts and what you have to wear."
- What Is the Met Gala, and Who Gets to Go? - The New York Times.
- What Jackie Kennedy Ate in a Day - "Jackie Kennedy took her breakfast in bed. Every morning, a White House butler brought a tray of toast with honey, orange juice, and coffee with skim milk. For lunch, the first lady had a cup of broth and a slim sandwich (which, on occasion, was grilled cheese.) Her dinner of choice? Cold poached salmon, followed by lamb with potatoes, string beans, and ice cream."
- What Tatler missed in their guide to snobbery - ready meals, public transport & swearing.
- What the butler saw: sex secrets of French presidents' palace revealed - "For 300 hundred years staff at the Elysée witnessed men flaunting their power over women, but no longer, says author of a new book."
- What the cleaner saw: dirty secrets of the upper crust
- WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER (WHCA) - April 27, 2024 (Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009, United States) - (since 1920- Wikipedia). Known as Washington, D.C.'s 'Oscar weekend'.
- White House Correspondents’ Dinner 2024: Biden swings at Trump during White House Correspondents’ Dinner remarks as pro-Palestinian protesters rally outside - "Speaking to a crowd of nearly 3,000 journalists, celebrities and politicians, Biden added, 'Age is the only thing we have in common. My vice president actually endorses me.'"
- White House Correspondents’ Dinner 2024 Photos: Best Of The Red Carpet - "The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner will bring together celebrities, journalists covering the political beat, and the President of the United States on a night to celebrate the First Amendment."
- White House weddings - past & present - "Naomi Biden: Biden's granddaughter to marry at the White House."
- Why High-Class People Get Away With Incompetence - "People from higher social classes were more likely to be overconfident, a new study found. This attitude was interpreted by strangers as competence. In several experiments, researchers found that people who came from a higher social class were more likely to have an inflated sense of their skills - even when tests proved that they were average."
- Why rich convicts hire prison consultants - "Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen is turning himself in on Monday - and we may see more headline convicts behind bars in the near future as cases like the college admissions scandal wind through the justice system. When the rich leave their luxury mansions for a spell in the big house, they sometimes turn to specialised consultants to cushion the blow of prison life."
- Why You Should Write More Thank You Notes - "A new study says sending gratitude letters and thank-you notes may have unexpected benefits for recipients and senders alike."
 - William d'Alton Mann - (1839-1920). American Civil War soldier, businessman, and newspaper and magazine publisher. As editor of Town Topics raised it to a hitherto unmatched mastery in the art of scandal. The gossip was personal, vicious, salacious. But the sophistication with which Mann served it up was a world above that of latter-day tabloids like the National Enquirer or the Globe.
- Working rich - defined having a net worth of between US$1 million and US$10 million and still working for a living (2008).
Top 70+ International Socialites: A-Z
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 - AERIN LAUDER - (1970-). Estée's granddaughter: New York City socialite.
 - AimÉe de Heeren - (1903-2006). "One of the most glamorous Woman of the 20th century ..."
 - Alva Belmont Vanderbilt - (1853-1933). Prominent multi-millionaire American socialite and a major figure in the women's suffrage movement. Known for having an aristocratic manner that antagonized many people, she was also noted for her energy, intelligence, strong opinions, and willingness to challenge convention.
 - Amanda Burden - (1944-). The daughter of socialite "Babe" Paley and decidedly "modern socialite". Director of the New York City Department of City Planning and chair of the City Planning Commission.
 - Ann Getty - socialite-turned-interior designer. Wife of Gordon Getty, fourth child of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty.
 - Anne Bass - (1942-). Arts patron and Manhattan socialite, former wife of Texas billionaire Sid Bass.
 - Annette Reed De La Renta - (1939-). American philanthropist and socialite married to the fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. She was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.
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 - Barbara "Babe" Paley - (1915-1978). American socialite and style icon.
 - Barbara Hutton - (1912-1979). American socialite, heiress and debutante, often dubbed "Poor Little Rich Girl".
- BARON DE RÉDÉ - (1922-2004). Prominent French banker, aristocratic aesthete, collector, socialite | social lion, and role as a host - notable for his Bal oriental, given on 5 December 1969. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1972.
 - Berry Hall - (1860-1940). New York socialite and later an American expatriate in France during the Belle Époque and beyond. He was famous for his extravagantly refined look and was crowned "King of the Dudes" in the 1880s.
 - Betsy Bloomingdale - (1922-2016). American socialite and philanthropist. She was considered a fashion icon, frequently appearing on the International Best Dressed List after 1970, and in 2009 was named in the list's Hall of Fame.
 - Brenda Frazier - (1921-1982). American debutante popular during the Depression era. She was known and dubbed as 'Poor Little Rich Girl' by the media, together with socialites and other famous debutantes Barbara Hutton, Gloria Vanderbilt and Doris Duke.
 - Brooke Astor - (1902-2007). American philanthropist, socialite and writer who was the chairwoman of the Vincent Astor Foundation, which had been established by her third husband, Vincent Astor, son of John Jacob Astor IV and great-great grandson of America's first multi-millionaire, John Jacob Astor.
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- Carlos de Beistegui - (1895-1970). Also known as Charles or Charlie de Beistegui, was an eccentric multi-millionaire aesthete, art collector and interior decorator and one of the most flamboyant characters of mid-20th century European life. Often referred to as "The Count of Monte Cristo". On September 3, 1951 Beistegui held a masked costume ball, which he called Le Bal Oriental, at the Palazzo Labia. It was one of the last truly spectacular events in the famous ballroom, and it was one of the largest and most lavish social events of the 20th century.
 - Carmen Mayrink Veiga - (1929-). Famous Brazilian socialite.
 - Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor | Mrs. Astor - (1830-1908). "The grandmother of all socialites"—and, as such, "the original American snob." Her “Four Hundred” was the "avatar of any subsequent ‘in’ crowd worthy of the name (e.g., the ‘in’ and ‘out’ lists Truman Capote drew up for his Black and White Ball)." Famous for being referred to later in life as "the Mrs. Astor" or simply "Mrs. Astor", she was the wife of real estate heir William Backhouse Astor Jr. Four years after her death her son John Jacob Astor IV was the richest man on the RMS Titanic and perished in the disaster of that ship.
 - Christina Onassis - (1950-1988). American born Greek socialite, businesswoman and heiress to the Onassis fortune.
 - Consuelo Vanderbilt - (1877-1964). Member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family. Her marriage to the Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough became an international emblem of the socially advantageous, but loveless marriages common during the Gilded Age. The Glitter and the Gold, Consuelo Vanderbilt's insightful but not entirely candid autobiography, was published in 1953. A reviewer in the New York Times called it "an ideal epitaph of the age of elegance."
 - CORALIE CHARRIOL PAUL - New York City socialite. Creative director of Charriol International, founder of accessories brand C.lili.
 - Cornelia Guest - (1963-). New York socialite, author, businesswoman, and philanthropist and the Debutante of the Decade for the 1980s.
 - Cristina Ford - (1929-2001). Italian-born socialite who, while married to Henry Ford II.
 - C. Z. Guest - (1920-2003). American stage actress, author, columnist, horsewoman, fashion designer, and socialite.
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 - DANI JANSSEN - (1934-). Los Angeles socialite and partygiver. Famous for her Oscar parties.
 - DENISE RICH - (1944-). US-born Austrian singer-songwriter, socialite, philanthropist, and political fundraiser.
 - Diane von FÜrstenberg - (1946-). Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon of Fürstenberg. Following their divorce in 1972, she has continued to use his family name, although she is no longer entitled to use the title princess following her divorce and subsequent remarriage in 2001 to American media mogul Barry Diller.
 - Doris Duke - (1912-1993). American heiress, socialite, horticulturalist, art collector, and philanthropist.
 - Duchess of Windsor - (1896-1986). American socialite whose third husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, abdicated his throne to marry her.
 - DYLAN LAUREN - (1974-). Ralph's daughter. New York City socialite. Named one of the Top 25 Most Stylish New Yorkers by US Weekly in 2007. New York City's Dylan's Candy Bar, the largest candy store in the world.
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 - Edie Sedgwick - (1943-1971). American actress, socialite, fashion model and heiress.
 - Elaine Lorillard - (1914-2007). American socialite who was a founder of the Newport Jazz Festival.
 - Eleanor Lambert - (1903-2003). "Godmother of American Fashion." Central figure in the American fashion public relations industry.
 - Evalyn Walsh McLean - (1886-1947). American mining heiress and socialite who was famous for being the last private owner of the 45-carat (9.0 g) Hope Diamond (which was bought in 1911 for US$180,000 from Pierre Cartier) as well as another famous diamond, the 94-carat (18.8 g) Star of the East.
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 - FABIOLA BERACASA - (1976-). New York City socialite. Born Maria Fabiola Beracasa in Caracas, Venezuela to the former Veronica de Gruyter and leather goods magnate and banking heir Alfredo Beracasa. Fabiola is known for her impeccable style.
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 - Gertrude Sanford Legendre - (1902–2000). American socialite who served as a spy during World War II. She was also a noted explorer, big-game hunter, environmentalist, and owner of Medway plantation in South Carolina.
 - Gloria Guinness - (1912-1980). Socialite and fashion icon of the Twentieth Century, as well as a contributing editor to Harper's Bazaar from 1963 until 1971.
 - Gloria Vanderbilt - (1924-). American artist, author, actress, heiress, and socialite most noted as an early developer of designer blue jeans.
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 - Ira von FÜrstenberg - (1940-). European socialite, actress, jewelry designer, and a former public relations manager for the fashion designer Valentino Garavani.
 - IVANA TRUMP - (1949-). Former Olympic athlete, socialite, and fashion model noted for her marriage to American business magnate Donald Trump.
 - IVANKA TRUMP - (1981-). "The Donald's" daughter: American businesswoman, writer, socialite, heiress, and fashion model.
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 - Jacqueline de Ribes - (1929-). "The Last Queen of Paris." French aristocrat, socialite and fashion designer. She is also a member of the International Best Dressed List since 1962.
 - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis - (1929-1994). Wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy and Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. A symbol of fashion for women all over the world.
 - Jane Holzer - (1940-). New York City socialite. American art collector and film producer who was previously an actress, model, and Warhol superstar. Often known by the nickname Baby Jane Holzer.
 - Jayne Wrightsman - (1919-). American philanthropist, socialite, museum patron, fine arts collector and widow of philanthropist and art collector, Charles B. Wrightsman (1895–1986).
 - Jimmy Donahue - (1915-1966). Heir to the Woolworth estate and a noted New York gay socialite. Although openly acknowledged as gay, Donahue claimed he had a four year affair with Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, the wife of the Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII.
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 - Lady Diana Cooper - (1892-1986). British actress, author and socialite. Famously glamorous social figure in London and Paris. As a young woman, she moved in a celebrated group of intellectuals.
- Lee Radziwill- (1933-2019). American socialite, public relations executive, and former actress and interior decorator. She is the younger sister of the late First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
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 - Marella Agnelli - (1927-). Born Princess Marella Caracciolo di Castagneto. Italian art collector, socialite, style icon and widow of former Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli.
 - Marie-HÉlÈne de Rothschild - (1927-1996). French socialite who became a doyenne of Parisian high-society and was a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France.
 - Marietta Peabody Tree - (1917-1991). American socialite and political supporter, who represented the United States on the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, appointed under the administration of John F. Kennedy.
 - Marion Graves Anthon 'Mamie' Fish - (1853-1915). Was a socialite and self-styled "fun-maker" of the Gilded Age. She and her husband Stuyvesant Fish maintained stately homes in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island.
 - Marjorie Merriweather Post - (1887-1973). Leading American socialite and the founder of General Foods, Inc. Net worth: US$5 billion (2008 dollars). She was the daughter of C. W. Post and Ella Letitia Merriweather. At age 27, when her father died, she became the owner of the rapidly growing Postum Cereal Company, founded in 1895. She was subsequently the wealthiest woman in the United States.
 - Marylou Whitney - (1925-). American philanthropist and socialite. Whitney has many residences, first and foremost her "Cady Hill" estate in Saratoga Springs New York, a massive camp in the Adirondacks, a farm near Lexington, Kentucky, a winter home in Florida, an apartment in New York City and a residence in Alaska.
 - Mildred "Brownie" McLean - legendary society icon & Palm Beach's reigning doyenne.
 - Mona von Bismarck - (1897-1983). American socialite and fashion icon. Her five husbands included Harrison Williams, said to be the richest man in America, and the Graf von Bismarck-Schönhausen, grandson of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Mona was the first American to be named "The Best Dressed Woman in the World" by a panel of top couturiers including Chanel, and was also named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame.
- Mrs. Astor | Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor - (1830-1908). Prominent American socialie and the reigning Queen of New York and Newport high society until a stroke and dementia ended her rule in 1908. Famous for being referred to later in life as "the Mrs. Astor" or simply "Mrs. Astor", she was the wife of real estate heir William Backhouse Astor Jr. Four years after her death her son John Jacob Astor IV was the richest man on the RMS Titanic and perished in the disaster of that ship.
 - Muffie Potter Aston - New York City socialite. Many living socialites could come before her on this list, but "I think the public just likes her name." And sometimes that’s all it takes.
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 - Nan Kempner - (1930-2005). New York City socialite, famous for dominating society events, shopping, charity work and fashion.
 - Nancy Astor - (1879-1964). Viscountess Astor, American-born English politician and socialite. She was the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the English House of Commons. Nancy Astor is nearly as famous for her scathing wit as she is for her political career. Many of the best-known quotations attributed to her are indicative of her personal and political views, such as feminism, temperance and conservatism; others are merely humorous.
 - NICKY HILTON - (1983-). American businesswoman, fashion model, socialite, celebutante, heiress and fashion designer. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton (founder of Hilton Hotels), and Paris' sister.
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 - Pamela Harriman - (1920-1997). English-born socialite who was married and linked to important and powerful men. In later life, she became a political activist for the United States Democratic Party and a diplomat. Her only child, Winston Churchill, was named after his famous grandfather.
 - PARIS HILTON - (1981-). American heiress, socialite, television personality, businesswoman, fashion designer, entrepreneur, model, actress, producer, author and singer. She is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels.
 - Patricia "Pat" Buckley - (1926-2007). Canadian socialite, noted for her fundraising activities and her height; she stood just under six feet. She was the wife of conservative writer and activist William F. Buckley, Jr.
 - Peggy Bedford Bancroft d'Arenberg d'Uzes - (1932-1977). "The term jet set could have been invented for her."
 - Perle Mesta - (1889-1975). American socialite, political hostess, and U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg (1949–1953). Mesta was known as the "hostess with the mostest" for her lavish parties featuring the brightest stars of Washington, D.C., society, including artists, entertainers and many top-level national political figures.
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 - SÃo Schlumberger - (1929-2007). French socialite, Paris hostess, patron of the arts and wife of Pierre Schlumberger, oil-industry billionaire from one of France’s most distinguished families.
 - Slim Keith - (1917-1990). New York socialite and fashion icon during the 1950s and 1960s, exemplifying the American jet set. She and her friend Babe Paley were the thinly veiled inspiration for characters in Truman Capote's novel Answered Prayers.
- Stephanie Winston Wolkoff - (1971-). American fashion and entertainment executive and former senior advisor to the first lady Melania Trump. Before her controversial role in politics, she produced various notable events in New York City, including the Met Gala, and later worked as the founding fashion director for Lincoln Center and facilitated the expansion of its Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
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 - Thelma Furness - (1904-1970). Thelma, Viscountess Furness, born Thelma Morgan, was a mistress of King Edward VIII while he was still the Prince of Wales; she preceded Wallis Simpson (for whose sake Edward abdicated and became the Duke of Windsor) in his affections. During most of her close relationship with the Prince, she was married to another British nobleman, Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness. That marriage ended the year before her relationship with the Prince ended. Her niece is fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt.
 - Theresa 'Tessie' Fair Oelrichs - (1854-1926). Went from the daughter of a hard-scrabble California miner to become heiress to a fortune in Comstock Lode gold and silver, the wife of steamship magnate Hermann Oelrich, mistress of the Rosecliff estate in Newport, Rhode Island and a member of the elite Triumvirate of American society.
 - TINSLEY MORTIMER - (1976-). New York City socialite.
 - Tory Burch - (1966-). New York City socialite and American fashion designer, business woman, and philanthropist. Dubbed "New York's reigning blonde" by W magazine's Robert Haskell.
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- Wallis Simpson | Duchess of Windsor - (1896-1986). American socialite whose third husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, abdicated his throne to marry her.
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by William Stadiem.