My intention for the design of These Shining Lives was to respect the history and lives of the real women who experienced working in the factories that used radium paint, and consequently lost their lives or became very ill due to radium poisoning. Because this was based on a true story, I wanted to keep it balanced between realistic and idealized. In talks with the director, we agreed that the four main characters would have distinct looks, and I thought it would be interesting visually to have each wearing their own signature color. Since it is a memory play, and each scene flowed into the next without scene breaks in between, it was important to have the base garments be something they could wear throughout the play. Instead of making anyone's clothes look too realistic or worn-in, we decided to keep everything clean to be in contrast with the set. The scenic designer had the set look like the ruins of the factory they worked in, so it allowed the performers to stand out against a backdrop of debris and rubble.

One of the requests made early on in the design process was to provide several options for each character to use if it fit the action on stage and the director's vision of the scene. They would have to quickly be able to change accessories, hats, and coats to indicate changes in location or time. In my character boards, I included jewelry, purses, hats, and coats. Many of these items were sourced and tried out with the performers during rehearsals. Ultimately not all of the items were used and each look was simplified from the original designs.

The rest of the cast and ensemble were dressed in various 1920s and 1930s garments which were mostly rented or pulled. I chose to have a variety to cover the years that pass throughout the play.