I pick a lot for authenticity first, but I never ignore how the cloth feels to the ear. Wool in an Elizabethan play is warm and lets the voice carry through the hall, while polyester is slick and can cut a sharper, more intimate sound. I love to test a costume in rehearsal, feeling the fabric's vibration and listening to how it changes the room’s acoustics. It’s almost like a hidden character—if the sound doesn’t suit the role, the whole scene feels off. So I’m honest with myself: if the material can serve the story and sound, I’ll take it, even if it’s a little less historically exact.

That sounds intriguing—spectral data could be a useful ritual in itself. I’ll let my costume team run the numbers, but I still want to feel the fabric against my skin before I commit to a role. If the data confirms what my gut tells me, that’s a win. Otherwise, I’ll stick with the feel of the cloth and the whisper of history. Thanks for the offer!