Pretty Maids All In A Row: Choosing Your Damas
Can you pick the best fourteen women in your life? Do they include your mother, your aunts, your friends and cousins?
Like a princess’ ladies-in-waiting from long ago, your damas are specially chosen to stand at your side at your fiesta. While today the role of “princess’ maiden” is largely ceremonial, the damas still play an important part in your Quinceañera preparations. They can help you with the fiesta’s planning, finding the right gowns and dresses you all will wear, in locating a facility and deejay, and even buying and hanging the fiesta decorations.
When deciding whom to pick for your court of honor, remember to honor those who have helped you as you’ve grown into a young woman. You may wish to show your gratitude to a special aunt, cousin, or even friend or adult who has helped you. Was there a teacher that was important to you? Possibly a coach or counselor? They’ll probably be very honored to participate, and your friends and family will see your new maturity when they recognize your appreciation for these important people.
If you’re unsure about how to pick your fifteen damas, splitting them into groups might be the quickest way to reach a decision. Your groups might be:
1. Senior family members: aunts and adult cousins;
2. Family members your age: sisters and cousins;
3. Women from your church or school: instructors and teachers;
4. Friends from school, church, and your social life;
5. Any one else you want to invite to your court.
Simply picking three people from the first four groups and two from the last group will give you fourteen damas total. You’ll probably have no problem picking enough members from each group!
You might also wish to choose the dresses that your damas will wear. Today’s fashions for the damas and Quince girl come down to one word: contrast.
“Color coordination is the main trend right now,” says teen fashion expert Sandra Chavez. “If the Quince girl wears one color, the damas should wear a lovely counterpoint. If she’s wearing white, then there’s no limit to the contrasting color the damas can wear.”
The former tradition of each damas wearing a different color, to represent a rainbow, is becoming less fashionable than it used to be.
“Today’s Quince girl prefers the less contrived idea of one color for herself and a contrasting color for the damas,” says Sandy Medina, an Atlanta-based Quinceañera expert. “They want their attire to reflect a mature sense of elegance and sophistication. In short, they want to show that they’ve grown up.”
“For theme fiestas, the damas’ dresses can be coordinated with the chambelanes, too. Matching the style of the men to the women – basically creating costumes for the event – really brings the theme’s ideas to life.”
Finally, be sure to invite your potential damas to join you well ahead of time – as much as a year in advance if possible. This will give them time to prepare and plan. They’ll want to have time to set appointments for hairstyling and making sure their dress is cleaned, fitted and ready to wear.
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