Celebrating Yourself

     The Prince and the Dressmaker, by Jen Wang, is about two loveable and charming characters. The first is a prince suffering an identity crisis. His problem is is that he likes to wear dresses, a strict no-no at the time. The second character is a dressmaker. She's isn't making much and doesn't like her employer. However, once they meet each other, their problems seem to be solved.

    The Prince and the Dressmaker begins by informing us of a grand royal ball being hosted by the prince. All the young ladies simply must have a new dress made for the occasion. One such lady happens upon Frances, an aspiring young dressmaker that's earning minimum wage and wishing she could work for someone else. The young lady states that she had a dress but it was ruined when she went horseback riding, so she couldn't care less what Frances designs for her. In fact, she requests Frances to make her look like "the devil's wench" (Wang 6). The reader is then taken to the ball, where we see the young lady wearing Frances' dress. The dress is nothing like the other formal gowns at the ball. It is all black and has a cape and a mask to go with it. However, young Frances will lose her job because of it. Something so obscene cannot go without punishment after all.

    But wait! There is hope for our dressmaker friend! For an unknown royal has deemed her dress a work of art and is wishing to hire her! Frances is taken to an elaborate palace, where she meets her royal. However, the royal's face is hidden behind a veil, and it isn't until Frances trips and grabs the veil that she realizes it is none other than Prince Sebastian himself! After some confusion, Prince Sebastian reveals that he is the one that wanted to hire her and that he wants to wear the dresses. Fast forward two days and we find Frances hanging out with Sebastian in public. But wait! Sebastian is wearing a dress, so that makes him (or should we say her?) the esteemed Lady Crystallia.

    Simply because I don't want to spoil the entire book, I'll let you guys find out what happens next :)
The Prince and the Dressmaker is a really great book. I sat down with it and read it in one sitting. The message from the author is clear. Express yourself. Sebastian won't let being a prince stop him from his dream of wearing dresses, so why should you let something, big or little, from stopping what you want to do? Even if you don't have anything you want to express, still try this book (it's a graphic novel by the way) because I think you'll like it.

Nathaniel Wiesbrook