This short but sweet book with gorgeous photos instantly brought me clarity on these two talented Queens. It is as close as I can come right now to seeing a drag show and I will take it!
SYNOPSIS
Drag superstars Trixie Mattel and Katya have long captivated fans with their stunning looks, onscreen chemistry, and signature wit. In Trixie and Katya’s Guide to Modern Womanhood, the pair channel that energy into an old-school etiquette guide for ladies.
In essays, conversations, and how-to sections peppered with hilarious, gorgeous photos, Trixie and Katya will advise readers on beauty and fashion and tackle other vital components of a happy home, such as money, self-love, and friendship; sharing advice and personal stories in high-concept fashion. from Goodreads.
REVIEW
Pre-Covid a friend of mine had an extra ticket to Trixie Mattel’s show. I have always been in awe of the artistry and work that goes into each drag queen’s persona and so I was excited to go even though I was unfamiliar with Trixie’s work. I was floored by the costume changes (seriously, there’s some witchcraft happening there!), the live music, and the hilarity. I left the show an instant fan. Since then, I have found Trixie and Katya’s YouTube videos to be an easy way to access a long and hearty laugh. If you are unfamiliar, their series Like to Watch is my hands-down favorite.
Having the witty, fast, and often dirty voices of Trixie and Katya in my mind helped with reading this book. Without knowing these two’s vocal cadence, I worry that the book might fall flat for some. Still, this doesn’t strike me as the kind of book one would pick up unless you had at least a passing recognition of their work. With their delivery style firmly locked in place though, I consumed every sentence like beautifully prepared layer cakes and relished the liberal sprinkling of blue humor.
Like their physical personas, these two’s language styles can be deceiving. I mean, look at them. You know a lot of work went into looking that gorgeous. I don’t think I will ever understand the training, the trial and error, and the sheer knowledge of basic chemistry required to put on make-up like that. I just recently added green tinted cream to my skin care regimen and I’m overwhelmed. Similarly, listening to them banter back and forth on camera you can instinctively sense the work they put into their performance. Reading it made it all so obvious. Like those costume changes, the sentence structure and vocabulary is complex and beautiful but the finished product appears effortless. And the variety! Some of their sentences burst like Pop Rocks and others are bitter (but enjoyable) dark chocolate.
The variety in their advice is shot throughout with a pure thread of good heartedness that makes me love them both on a deeper level. Whether discussing beauty, homemaking or relationships every discussion seemed to end with a short but sweet version of “but you do you,” which I couldn’t help but love. After all, this is their guide to modern womanhood, not their instructions on how to be Trixie and Katya. And while I find myself taking note of a good many of the makeup tips and fashion advice, I will probably always leave my furniture half on and half off the carpet because I’m ridiculous like that and no one comes over anymore anyway.
I only have two small critiques of this book. First, its too short! I want more! Sigh. I supposed if they had given me twice the pages I would still want more or I would complain that it drug on and on. I can be hard to please as a fan. Second, I wish that they had put the relationship section first or at least a Q and A on how these two know each other. Some kind of introduction. Instead, it just leaped into hair and jumped around a bit. It took me a minute to build up a feel for the book and the authors’ style that I think could have been achieved more easily by a different format.
I have to mention as well that there is some gorgeous photography in this book. Both Trixie and Katya have different looks that are featured in each chapter and they are all gorgeous. I just want to wander through their wardrobes, just once, and see all the pretty things. But, for now, I will settle on staring at the photos again and again.
Tell me, please! Are you familiar with Trixie and Katya?
Silver Button Books 