I'm thinking of women's fashions in the U.S. — perhaps spurred on by depictions of the latest Parisian-wear from Godey's Lady's Book up to the 1890's. Then the starlets of a young Hollywood I suppose kicked off the flapper craze of the 1920's in the U.S.?

An illustration of a fashionable Parisian though was probably adequate — a photograph not required. Photography perhaps made the latest fashion trends ubiquitous?

That aside, I treasure photography for giving me a glimpse into the ordinary lives of my ordinary family going back three and four generations. Having captured the arc of an entire life from childhood, to graduation from "Normal" school, marriage, motherhood… And finally the sadder photos where they are old, comforted now by their adult daughter until the last photo in the series: their headstone.

I am thankful for all of that. I have found having the full span of a life captured in photographs to be sublime … sobering, grounding.