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In the same way as an American sweet sixteen or a Jewish bat mitzvah, Quinceaneras are strongly held Latino cultural traditions designed to announce a young ladys maturity just like an American sweet sixteen or a Jewish bat mitzvah. Traditionally, Quinceaneras were held to show that a young woman was mature enough to accept offers of marriage. This tradition lines up from a period in the 1500s when the Spanish conquered the Aztec Indians and mixed their customs with that of the conquered tribes. Nowadays, the celebration only commemorates the 15-year-old young lady's first step into womanhood.
Every nation has its own Quinceanera traditions. Celebrations are usually bilingual and bicultural in the United States. Customary party events occur. Also modern dancing and traditional customs take place, and traditional clothing is usually present as well. Customs are one of the highlights of a celebration and finding the perfect Quinceanera dress is probably the most important custom of all.
Essential for the celebration is the exquisite Quinceanera gown. Each young womans gown should reveal her beauty, poise, purity and maturity. In a sense, each young lady should look and feel like a princess. That way, a Quinceanera function is like a wedding ceremony. The focus of the Quinceanera is on the young woman who is clothed in a breath-taking dress, which makes it impossible to ignore her or look away. The perfect dress should be chosen for her so that she feels special on her special day. She should have a dress that is befitting to her nature and personality. Often this means selecting a dress and participating in fittings and gown adjustments well in advance. Quineanera dresses come in myriad colors and styles, even though pink gowns are traditional. In fact, many young ladies prefer white dresses to the traditional pink, and other colors are acceptable as well. The basic idea is to be comfortable and luxurious at the same time. Generally, this would involve searching for a dress that shows each maidens different characteristics and presence. Generally, there are many maids of honor (damas) as well, so matching dresses for them should also be arranged.
It requires a lot of work to be done, but planning a Quinceanera can really be fun. This is the reason why planning should be done many months in advance and purchasing online should be maximized to save money. Remember, this party is an important step for a young woman; it is a celebration that includes God, family, friends, music, food, and dance. Therefore, each aspect of the celebration should be as rare and special as the girl herself.