Stitching History: Theatre Students Explore the Fabric of Time

Even after 130 years, the rich blue skirt and bodice, trimmed with iridescent peacock feathers, has the power to make you feel a tad underdressed.

It’s an imposing, slim-waisted ensemble, retaining all the intensity and formality sewn into it in the 1880s. “These garments were worn by someone who likely didn’t dress herself—she had help from a servant or family member,” explains Amy Page, M.F.A., UAB assistant professor of theatre and costume director. For proof, she points to the complicated fasteners and the luxurious but fragile silk taffeta that cascades from the neck to the floor via the bustle. The little-worn condition of that fabric hints that “this individual also had several sets of clothing for each day—she would change for breakfast, for visiting, for hosting, and so on.”

Page and her UAB Costume Shop colleagues have been following a lot of historical threads lately. Last fall, a local vintage-clothing collector, preparing for a move, graciously donated more than 200 pieces to the Department of Theatre—rack upon rack of dresses, skirts, bodices, hats, gloves, shoes, parasols, fans, a few men’s garments, sporting equipment, and, of course, the blue silk-peacock suit. All together, the collection showcases 90 years of changing fashions, from the 1880s to the 1970s. Page calls the scope of the gift one of the biggest surprises of her career and a “treasure trove of history”—one that UAB theatre students will be able to mine for information and inspiration.