Alabama Teen Decides to Take Disney Princess to Prom

Layla Hildreth in her Tiana-inspired ball gown. Credit: Disney/Layla Hildreth

Princess Tiana is experiencing a bit of a revival these days. The star of The Princess and the Frog (2009) hasn't appeared on the big screen in over 15 years, but that hasn't stopped Tiana from making a significant comeback.

This summer, Walt Disney World will launch Tiana's Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom next month, which has helped propel the Disney princess into the spotlight.

But one Alabama high school student had an even better way to honor her favorite princess. Shades Valley High School senior Layla Hildreth decided to make her own Tiana dress to wear to her prom.

Unlike most of her classmates, who bought their dresses at local stores, Hildreth spent five months creating her dress, which mimics the one Tiana wore at the end of the film and during her appearances at the Disney parks.

In addition to time, Hildreth spent about $300 on the dress fabric alone. She said it took 10 yards of satin to create her Tiana-inspired look.

Hildreth said Tiana had inspired her since seeing the film as a child and called the Disney princess “inspiring”. She also said she was inspired by Tiana's big dreams and work ethic to create her prom dress.

When she arrived at the ball, her group of friends were blown away by the dress and her hard work.

Hildreth said:

They were like, “Wow, wow, where did you find it?” What happened?' A lot of people knew I made my dress, but it was mostly my group of friends, so once everyone saw it, they were like, “Girl, how did you do that?” I kept hearing “you did such a good job” and “I’m so proud of what you did.”

Never give up, let someone tell you you can't do something. You can do whatever you want. Your art is your art and don't let anyone tell you it's not.

Shades Valley High School is located in Monroe County, Alabama, just outside of Birmingham. Next year, Layla Hildreth will take her talents to Georgia State University.

As for Princess Tiana, her ride is set to open at the Magic Kingdom in late June and hopefully later this year at Disneyland. And who knows, maybe one The princess and the Frog a live-action remake is in the works so that Tiana can inspire another generation of young women.

What Disney princess dress would you like to wear to your prom?