During the 1940s and 1950s, one of the most unforgettable images of Boston was the O’Neil sisters promenading up Commonwealth Avenue mall in matching dresses, bonnets, and corsages.
It is a centuries-old tradition to wear new clothes on Easter to honor the resurrection of Christ. To honor that tradition, the O’Neils collaborated with their family members, who ranged in age from 3 to 19. Mrs O’Neil sewed, the biggest girls ironed, the middle-sized girls attached buttons, and the smallest girls retrieved dropped thimbles.
The ten O’Neil sisters wore matching outfits and performed in Easter parades. LIFE photographer Nina Leen documented the 1952 burst of outfit-making in preparation for the O’Neils’ appearance on an Easter television special.
