Pardon me, but I must gush for a couple of paragraphs.

I just got home from attending Moonglow's play at her university. The Theater Arts Dept. put on Eugene O'Neill's one comedy, Ah, Wilderness!, set in 1906 Connecticut, near Yale (in New Haven). And to help her research I had pulled out my Ansonia, Connecticut (just west of New Haven) family photos from 1905, 1906, and 1907, of my great aunts in their high school graduation photos and another one taken of a women's team at school. And one of my grandfather with other young gentlemen from Yale. She also studied how a slip (petticoat) or possibly skirt that I have from that same household was made. Some eyelet lace, and horizontal tucks that make the skirt look fancier.

She really did her homework and design - when the curtain opens the stage is dark, then Fourth of July music of a parade comes up, and when the lights turn on there is a tableau - everyone in the play right there, in costume - it was gorgeous and it was like they stepped out of those old family photos! She did such a beautiful job! Apparently some of the male actors didn't like that they had to wear stiff removable collars, like in the photo, but she got it right down to the vest the father was wearing under his suit coat, and his watch fob! There were petticoats under the women's skirts, and there were all sorts of features that made the blouses all unique, yet they all had that turn-of-the-century feel for each character.

This is one proud mother reporting to the rest of MOM's kids. :)