Online Images of 18th Century Stays

Glazed Woolen Stays

Child's Stays

Blue Wool Twill Stays

Brown Linen Stays

Infant Stays

Cream Wool Satin Stays

Silk Moire and Linen Stays

Brown Cotton Stays

Silk Damask Stays

Brown Cotton and Linen Stays

Silk Brocade Stays

Red Wool Stays

Cotton Stays

Red Silk Damask Stays

Brown Linen Stays

Cream Wool Satin Stays

An Unusual Pair of Stays

For sale on ebay this pair of brown linen stays is unusual in many respects. The front opening stays do not have staggered holes for lacing, suggesting this pair laced over a stomacher in criss cross fashion, and not using a spiral lacing technique. The lining of the stays is missing and there are no tabs to splay out over the hips, suggesting a later date when stays followed the fashion of the rising waistline. Also unusual is the fact that these stays are of only three pieces and the boning of the stays makes no accommodation for the curves of the body and are straight up and down, suggesting use by a child or a slight young woman.

The full view of these stays shows the unusually high back and the odd shaping at the bottom of the center back. The dimensions of the stays are given by the seller as Front 13 1/2 inches long, Sides 11 inches long, Back 14 3/8 inches and a total of 30 inches around the top. Also odd are the abruptly angled cutouts for the armscye.

The stays are made of a very typical nutty golden brown linen, and are also bound with the typical white leather. They appear to follow many of the stay making conventions and yet appear to be somewhat primitive in design and execution. Many of the unusual features of these stays could be attributed to alterations, such as the lack of tabs, or the stays are transitional in nature between the more shaped 3rd Qtr 18th century stays and the less structured last decade of the 18th century. It would be interesting to examine these stays more closely for further information.

Bibliography

Costume Society of Great Britain. “Strata of Society”. Norwich, 1973.

Cunnington, C. Willett and Phillis. “The History of Underclothes”. London: Faber & Faber Ltd., 1981.

Doyle, Robert. “Waisted Efforts: An Illustrated Guide to Corset Making”. Sartorial Press Publications, 1997.

Koda, Harold. “Extreme Beauty: The Body Transformed”. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001.

Salen, Jill. "Corsets: Historical Patterns and Techniques". Costume and Fashion Press, 2007.

Sorge-English, Lynn. “’29 Doz and 11 Best Cutt Bone”: The Trade in Whalebone and Stays in 18th Century London”. Pasold Textile History 36 (I) (2005) 20-45.

Steele, Valerie. “The Corset: A Cultural History”. Yale University Press, 2003.

Waugh, Norah. “Corsets and Crinolines”. New York: Theatre Arts Books, 1970.

Wove Stays

This advertisement for "wove" stays is of great interest. This female staymaker has wove stays in stock, and also has imported patented stay cloth for those wishing to have custom stays made in Newport. The advantage of wove stays as advertised is that the stays will wash and look as "fresh as when new". Certainly an advantage over stays that cannot be washed, having not seen or heard of "wove" stays prior to finding this advertisement, more research to follow. Gentle readers, if anyone has encountered such an item as "wove" stays please let this blogger know!

Boston Gazette, 10 August, 1767

Sullteens and Holhipt Stays

Here is a staymaker announcing that he makes childrens stays, coats (a child's boned gown), Sullteens (another child's article?), Holhipt Stays in the newest fashion (are these also for children?). Two terms that need more research, but to the customers of Mr. Clarke, terms needing no explanation.

July 7, 1760 New York Mercury

Inside Up Close

In this image, you are looking at the front section (proper right) and the joining of the next section to it of the Child's Stays. There are four different fabrics in this image, the white linen on the inside of the front sections, the nutty brown fashion fabric from the right side of the stays (turned to the inside), coarse linen buckram and another brown linen of a different weave to the right of the front section, acting as a re-enforcing strip. You can see the back side of the boning channels which were sewn with a back stitch and linen thread . Notice that the linen thread used to sew the seam allowance to the stay sections is of another quality and is used doubled, very commonly found in adult women's stays.

Rousing a Brother Sportsman

This colorful print shows us a gentleman being called to hounds first thing in the morning, one slipper on and one off! His lady still laby abed wearing her nightcap and shift/nightgown with her stays discarded on the chair, note again the stays are depicted as a light white/cream color and are showing the roundness of the body.

Still on the Inside

This image gives a good view of the interior linen strip re-enforcements and also the holes for lacing on the Child's Stays. Notice that the eyelets holes are offset, just as in an adult's pair (two close to the top on the proper left and two close to the bottom on the proper right). The eyelet holes appear rather large and could have been made using an awl or a punch. Of interest is how coarse and quick the stitching is holding down the seam allowances to the interior of the stays.

On the Inside Looking at Tabs

Continuing to look at the Child's Stays from the inside, the tabs are lined individually in white leather and both the bottom and top of the stays are bound in white leather. This is very typical, lining each tab individually allows for movement of the tabs to spread out over the hips, and while these tabs are really not necessary (children do not have have hips to spread over) the technique used in adult stays is mirrored in this child's pair.

The Inside

The lining of the Child's Stays from the previous posting is fortunately for the purpose of study missing. This allows us to view the interior and offers a great deal of information about how these stays were made.

There are four sections to each side of the stays, left and right, for a total of eight sections. A combination of white and brown linen were used for the interior and a nutty brown linen for the exterior. These stays are made with the same care and techniques as an adult's pair.

The stays are boned in whale fin, which is visible under the worn white linen at the center front sections and it appears that every channel is filled.

There is a layer of additional white linen strips re-enforcing the top interior of the stays and also a layer of brown linen strips laid in above the tabs, these additional strips of fabric provide additional strength, uniting all the sections. A piece of very coarse linen buckram lines the bottom half of the front sections of the stays, adding firmness and strength to the center sections.

The seam allowances of the 8 sections are turned to the inside (wrong) side of the stays and whipped down to the stay sections. The whipping is done with doubled linen thread and very large stitches, not a pretty sight, but they do the job.

Original Child's Stays

An original pair of child's stays from a Connectictut estate sold on Ebay. The stays measure 8 and 1/2 inches in length at center front and 9 and 1/2 inches at center back. The width of the stays is 19 inches. A current industry standard for children's clothing has a two year old child with a chest and waist of 20 inches and hips of 21 inches, making this set of stays suitable for a very small child.

Prices for Stays

Mr Ewen has done this blogger a great service by giving in detail his method of selling and pricing stays. He will make an entire pair of stays for 6 dollars and a quarter or three dollars for the making only (labor) or plain stays without any taby (tabby) or trimmings are 5 dollars or two dollars and three quarters for making only (labor). Childrens stays are priced in proportion to the size of the child, two dollars and half or dollar and a half, labor only would be a dollar and a quarter and up also based on the size of the child. The prices given are those in Newport, Rhode Island and they are in local currency (not English pounds or shillings), which poses a problem to determine what the value of the local Rhode Island dollar held against the British pound.

May 8, 1769 Newport Mercury

Making a House Call

This print based on an early sketch by Hogarth, has the staymaker fitting a client in her home. Her son is looking on with great curiousity as another child is busily pouring a drink into fathers hat. He is lounging in banyan and cap while playing with the baby. The client is very interested in the fit of her stays and has her maidservant holding a mirror so she can check the fit of the back.

First Staymaker in Providence

Mr Mahon is the first staymaker "contiguous" to the ladies in Providence, Rhode Island. Of surprise to this blogger is that the date of this advertisement is 1772. Up until that time the ladies must have been relying on Newport, Rhode Island or Boston, Massachusetts for their custom stay making needs.

January 4, 1772, Providence Gazette

Children's Sizes

Mr. McQueen while a stay maker himself is also importing stays from London to be sold in New York. He frequently offers in his advertisements children's packthread stays, in this posting he also details the sizing of the stays. "first, second and third size Packthread Stays". Could one assume the terms small, medium and large would apply? Also unknown to this blogger is the term "cushcats (sp) for Ladies Morning dress".

April 29, 1765 New York Gazette

Red Calico Lining

Mr. Douchardy of Trenton, New Jersey, is advertising the loss of a number of garments including a pair of stays lined with red and white Calico. Many linings on surviving stays are blue check linen, plain lightweight linen or plain cotton. These must have been a colorful pair of stays, and the owner must have been fond of red and white as there is a short gown also gone missing of red and white large stamped calico.

August 20, 1764, New York Gazette

Going Out The Window

This print entitled " A Late Scene at Barnet" c 1770, has the typical lover jumping out the window upon discovery. Unknown to this blogger is the significance of the word "Barnet". It could be a manor, town or even be referring to a person but it has some meaning to the 18th century public purchasing this print and could even be a political statement of some sort. Of interest is the set of stays tossed off to the side of the bed on top of the chair. These stays have the decorative cording often seen on stomachers and shoulder straps.

Courtesy of the Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection

At the Sign of the White Stays

Mr. McQueen can be found on Smith Street, near the Mayor's and his trade sign has a pair of white stays as the visual shop advertisement, with the usual promise that his stays are made in the newest fashion direct from London!

March 17, 1766, New York Gazette

A the Sign of the Green Stays

Mr Catringer is advertising his move to a new location on Chestnut Street, which is near Front Stree (his old locale). He can be found at the Sign of the Green Stays. He makes all sorts of stays at reasonable prices.

At the Sign of the Blue Stays

Mr. John White is advertising not only his wares, (all sorts of women's and children's stays), his expertise, (in the neatest manner and in the newest fashion) but also his location (on Front Street, next door but one to Chestnut Street) . His shop can be found at the Sign of the Blue Stays.

January 7, 1755 Pennsylvania Gazette

A Source for Patterns

This book contains line drawings of original 18th century garments from the Snowshill Collection, there are no photographs but there are brief descriptions of each garment. For that reason alone, the book is a worthwhile addtion to the costume library. From a stay-making perspective there are three pair of stays detailed in the book. A red silk pair, laced back and front with shoulder straps, a blue silk damaskpair, laced back and front with shoulder straps and an unusual pair of green linen stays with no shoulder straps, back lacing only. There are two other pairs featured, they are both late 3rd Qtr, 18th c, both are back lacing only, one of linen and fully boned, the other with a cotton outer layer, half boned.

Last Shift

As the woman washes her last shift, (wearing only a large handkerchief to cover her bosom), the stays she was wearing are shown on the floor under table. the stays are of a neutral/natural color, back lacing are still holding the shape of her body. The whalebone has with the warmth of the body taken on its shape. There is probably additional horizontal boning to the interior that is contributing to the boundedness of these stays.

Courtesy of the British Museum

Getting Ready for the Ball

This print (c1776) gives another look at an undressed woman wearing her stays. She appears to be wearing an underpetticoat and stays with narrow tabs and decorative lacing often found on stays, which is purely decorative and not actually used to lace the front closed. The poor chicken has been plucked to provide the feathers for the towering hairstyle, another spoof of the extreme fashion and high hair of the 1770s.

Courtesy of the British Museum

Bath Stays

These workman are laboring to produce the steel shapes referred to in many of the stay maker advertisements. The blacksmith pounding on the anvil is working on a pair of steel stays, which is an exaggeration on the theme of using steel in women's stays. the woman is once again being fitted for her stays in petticoat and pocket. This print is entitled "Bath stays or the Ladys Steel Shapes" c 1777.

Whalebone Macaroni

This print of the Whale Bone Macaroni (c1772) shows us a Staymaker making a delivery of a pair of stays. This is one of series of prints spoofing the "Macaroni" fashion being followed by tradesmen. He certainly looks more dashing than one would expect a hardworking tradesman to dress. The Lewis Walpole Digital Library has a number of these prints online, follow the links to see addtional tradesmen dressed in the exaggerated continental style known as Macaroni.

The Bun Macaroni

A Macaroni Print Seller

The Butcher Macaroni

The Macaroni Mercer

The Firework Macaroni

The Macaroni Apothecary

The Camblet Macaroni

Courtesy of the Lewis Walpole Digital Library

Receiving Stolen Property

Stays as found in the Proceeding of the Old Bailey were put to another use besides shaping and supporting the body, they were also a repository for stolen goods! Thieves and pickpockets used the secured intimacy of the stays to conceal a truly wide assortment of stolen property. The 18th century storekeeper did not operate under any constraints regarding the personal rights and liberties of the thief and had no compunction about stripping the woman down and doing a search for the missing property right in the shop.

“lifted her up, and felt something soft tucked under her stays behind ; I put my hand up under a petticoat or two, I cannot say which, and there found this piece of lawn; I wrote my name upon it; here it is.”

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 16 June 2009), October 1751, trial Elizabeth Medows (t17511016-24)

“then in searching her by untying her petticoats at the bottom of her stays I found this bag, here produced, with gold in it; it amounted in the whole, silver and gold together, to 33 l. 18 s. 2 d 1/2.”

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 16 June 2009), September 1754, trial Ann Leddiard, (t17540911-37)

“we took her into the back room, and took six yards of lace from under her stays, my property; I sent for a constable”

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 16 June 2009), October 1759, trial Elizabeth Rosdell, (t17591024-2)

“I saw the prisoner standing in my kitchen by the door, with the things mentioned in the indictment, in her apron; I stopt her, and found four pewter plates under her stays” Ouch!

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 16 June 2009), May 1771, trial Mary King, (t17710515-49)

“ upon taking off her stays and shaking her cloaths, there fell down a guinea, a half guinea, a half crown and a shilling, which with the 4 s. that were found before, made up the money that I missed”

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 16 June 2009), January 1778, trial Ann Shepherd, (t17780115-50)

A Pleasing Circumference

This Carington Bowles c 1784 print shows the amorous Stay-maker making a house call, which he appears to be enjoying quite a bit! He is down on one knee taking the customer's waist measure with a tape of some sort, the tape has no increment markings. The tape hangs like a linen tape, but could as easily be the more commonly used paper tape, as would a tailor. There are two pair of stays in the picture, a pair on the floor (whitish in color), wrapped in a patterned handkerchief or scrap of fabric and a pair on a side table. The pair on the table has a different color to the front panels (pink), and has the appearance of being worn, as they are holding their shape when removed from the wearer, the assumption is these are her old pair, baleen boning over time will mold to the body and when the stays are removed they retain the roundness of the body.

Courtesy of the British Museum

She's Not Wearing Any!

This satirical print entitled "The Abusive Fruitwoman" c 1773, offers us a look at a larger lady in working class dress who is most obviously not wearing stays. She is wearing typical working class attire including a bedgown, apron, short cloak, petticoat, practical shoes and black silk bonnet, but no stays. She appears to be in the process of giving the passing young woman a tongue lashing, the assumption is the young fashion follower is a prostitute as it would make no sense to verbally abuse a lady of quality who would be a potential customer. The young boy in the print is taking advantage of the fruit woman's distraction and stealing from her table, with a sly finger to his nose.

Analysis of Beauty

Mr William Hogarth, in 1753 published "The Analysis of Beauty" which describes in detail Mr. Hogarth's opinion on what constituted visual beauty and good taste (quite a controversial topic of the time from a controversial artist).

The "S" curve, a serpentine line found in many elements of 18th century art, architecture, furniture and textiles constituted Hogarth's famous "Line of Beauty". In this plate, Analysis of Beauty (Plate 1 of 2), the fourth pair of stays (center) is the ideal shape, having all of those elements that are pleasing to the eye including: fitness, variety, simplicity, regularity, quantity and intricacy.

This plate shows us, the modern staymakers, what the ideal stayed figure should achieve from a visual standpoint while wearing stays. Too straight (number 1) is to be avoided as not pleasing to the eye, while too curvy (number 7) is also not attractive with the exaggerated curves to back and front, therefore striking a balance between the two extremes (number 4) is our goal when fashioning the stayed body.

A Moral Story and Children's Stays

Mr. J. L. Bell, on his Boston, 1775 site has written an article of interest to this discussion of stays entitled "The Ruffles so Shockingly Hemmed" which is a tale from a children's book that references as a reward a new pair of children's stays for improved behavior on the part of a little girl. Not something one would think would be included in a reward system for children!

As noted in many of the advertisements children's stays were widely available and for sale here in the colonies and there are children's stays in several museum collections.

The Museum of Costume in Bath has in their collection a pair of children's stays. Follow the link for the complete and detailed record.

The Musuem of Costume estimates these stays would fit a two year old child. Notice that these stays do not have waist tabs as the young child's body does not yet have defined hips, on an adult the tabs flare out over the hips, preventing the boning from digging in to the wearer and also providing strength to the entire stays.

The directions of the boning channels are vertical at center front and only slightly slanted at the sides of the body. The purpose of these stays is to provide support and protection and not to force the waist into a narrow shape. These stays appear to be in only three pieces, one center front and two side/back pieces and are constructed of only two layers of linen.

These appear to only partially boned, at center front there appear to be bones missing, but this is conjecture as the museum record does not indicate this. The boning on these stays is baleen (whale fin).

Mutton

Not only the young and beautiful wanted an enviable shape! This satire is going after the familiar subject of mutton trying to be lamb as the old woman is employing tight lacing to meet the current fashion and compete in style with the young. Her enormous headdress, bulging breasts, scrawny neck and narrow waist get the point across rather quickly. This is a variation on the "Tight Lacing or Fashion Before Ease" print, hitting two female foibles at the same time. a twofer.

Courtesy of the Lewis Walpole Digital Library

Cream Worsted Stays

These stays are in my private collection and they will be the focus of an in depth study on stays on this blog. These stays are professionally constructed by a professional staymaker and have a New England provenance.


Private Collection, Hallie Larkin

French Hips

Mr. Warden, late from London, (as all good staymakers are!) would prefer cash payment and is of course providing stays in the newest fashion. He goes on to describe the available choices in stays which could be turned, plain, back-thread or French Hips.

Speculation: "Back-thread" stays (pack thread) are stays with rows of cording for stiffening in place of whalebone. "Plain" stays (linen and buckram) are without a fashion fabric cover making "turned" stays those with a fashion fabric. Fashion fabric as the outer layer of stays could be free of the boning channels, keeping the exterior smooth and without showing the stitching of the channels or the boning channels could be sewn through all layers including the fashion fabric layer. Stays with "French Hips"? I will venture an opinion that the "French Hips" are referring in some way to the construction of the stay tabs which overlay the hip area and done in such a way as to differ from the English method.

A Source for Patterns

"Costume Close-up: Clothing Construction and Pattern, 1750–1790"
By Linda Baumgarten and John Watson with Florine Carr

While Costume Close-up does not have a variety of patterns for stays, it does have one, which is well diagrammed, graphed and ready for scaling up to size. These stays are typical 3rd quarter 18th century stays, covered in what is now pink (was lavender) worsted wool satin, the seams are trimmed in white leather and the edges bound in white leather. The interior of the stays have a loose (replaceable) linen lining and white leather covers the tabs (fingers) of the stays, each tab is individually lined with white leather, the leather wears well as that section of the stays are constantly rubbing and moving with the body.

More importantly this book describes in detail and with diagrams 18th century sewing stitches and construction techniques. Linda Baumgarten with clear line drawings lays out the layers of the stays and gives detailed descriptions of how these stays are constructed. This book is a must have for beginners, advanced staymakers and all 18th century costumers. It is back in print and very affordable for the wealth of information on original garments.

Value of Stays

The cost to purchase a new pair of stays is not included in the newspaper advertisements of staymakers . Therefore to determine the relative costing of stays the Proceedings of the Old Bailey is used as a resource. To help decipher British 18th century currency there is excellent information on the British monetery system at the Proceedings as well.

The values placed on stolen objects are arbitrary and decided upon by the clerk of the courts, of course the victim would like his property valued at the highest amount possible, but even with all of those caveats there is still some good information to be found. The lowest value set on a pair of stays from 1770-1773 was 6d. The amount citied for a new pair of stays was 30s. Most of the citiations during this same time period put a price on stays in the mid range of 5-12 s.

If a domestic servant living in 18th century London is only earning 2-3 £ (pounds) per year (which equals 40-60 shillings), then a new set of stays would be a large portion of your annual income, keeping new stays out of reach and the second hand market the affordable choice.

“a pair of stays, value 1s.”
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 8 June 2009), February 1770, trial of Mary Harwood (t17700221-34)

“a pair of stays, value 4s.”
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 8 June 2009), April 1770, Ordinary’s Account, Job Parker

“a pair of stays, value 12s”
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 8 June 2009), April 1770, trial Charles Chatterly, James Parker(: t17700425-61 )

“a pair of stays, value 8s”
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 8 June 2009), July 1770, trial Rebecca Keith (t17700711-20)

“a pair of stays, value 6d”
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 8 June 2009), February 1773, trial Ann Haag (t17730217-35)

“a pair of new stays, value 30s”
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, 8 June 2009), December 1773 trial Mary Worth (t17731208-48)

Waisted Efforts

Waisted Efforts is a source of several period patterns from the 17th through the 19th centuries. The book is written from a Costumer's point of view that addresses the issues of fitting to the body, constructing toiles and fitting muslins that many Costume History books do not attempt to explain or explore in any depth. Mr. Doyle provides a step by step look at making stays and corsets, but keep in mind the instructions are not following period techniques. A good addition to the library and not a waste of effort at all!

Out on the Town

The caption on this British Mezzotint, c 1772, reads "Lady Drudger going to Ranelagh". The old woman is primping for her visit to the 18th century pleasure gardens of Ranelagh, where there would be dancing, music and fine foods. Is the purpose of the print to poke fun at an older woman trying to look attractive, or is this cartoon aimed at a particular person whose identity is lost to us?

For the purposes of information about 18th century stays, it does show the pocket worn beneath the stays, a ribbon lacing across the front of the stays over the stomacher ( a different color from the rest of the stays) with the ribbon knotted into an attractive bow. It also depicts a pair of stays on a not so slender figure, and as in the "Tight Lacing, or Fashion before Ease" print, the underpetticoat is worn under the stays and is relatively short.

Courtesy of the Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection

Huzzas?

Mr. Astle, coming directly from London, as the best staymakers do, (there must have been a convoy of staymakers leaving London), is advertising his skills as not only a staymaker but also as a taylor and habbitmaker. In this advertisement he is also touting that he makes all kinds of Cloaks and Huzzas. Is a Huzza a type of cloak? An outer garment?

A Source for Patterns

Corsets and Crinolines, by Norah Waugh first published in 1990, contains a limited section on 18th century stays, but good diagrams, period references and citations. While mainly 19th century in orientation, this book is a good starting place for the modern staymaker. It is still an expensive reference book, and while it is nice to have on hand, interlibrary loan would be a good option.

Tight Lacing or the Cobbler's Wife in the Fashion

The HOITY head & TOIGHTY waist

As now there all the ton

Ma'am Nell the Cobbler's wife in taste

By none will be outdone.

But Ah! When set aloft her cap

Her boddice while she's bracing

Jobl'on comes in and & with his strap

Gives her a good tight lacing.

This satire, dated 1777, is pointing out the folly of not only tight lacing but also dressing above one' s station in life. The setting is a humble workroom, filled with the cobbler's tools of his trade. His fashion frenzied wife is dressed in stylish stays, a silk quilted petticoat and an extremely high hair style topped with a frilly beribboned cap. Unlike the "Tight Lacing or Fashion Before Ease" print, the cobbler's wife does not have a footman or lady's maid to assist in lacing her stays and so employs one of her husbands tools as a weight to the stay laces to draw them tightly. The husband enters the scene with his strap in hand and will beat good sense into her.

Courtesy of the Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection

Children's Stays

Mr. McQueen is advertising children's Packthread stays suitable for children aged one month to seven years. For the older girl (the young misses) he has an assortment of thin boned stays of differnent sorts and sizes, these appear to be ready made and available for purchase.

New York Mercury, April 28, 1776

Triplets

Mr. Banks having been blessed with triplets, two boys and a girl places that fact in his advertisement. Having increased his family by three children, he is now in need of work to support them. He also pledges neat work and low rates which would appeal to all potential customers.

Boston Newsletter, April 3, 1768

Tight Lacing or Fashion Before Ease

This satirical print is making sport of the fashionable woman on many levels. During the time period of the 1770s there were a number of prints published in England on this subject. Tight Lacing of stays was coming under criticism as the fashionistas tried to achieve through stays and tight lacing extremely narrow waists. An article published by Colonial Williamsburg entitled "Tight Lacing:Taking Great Pains with Fashion" by Susan Pryor details more citations on tight lacing, however I do not agree with the conclusions drawn by the author that all stays were injurious to health. Stays were worn until fashion said otherwise when the change to the classical and natural began in the last decades of the 18th Century.



In this well known English print, c1777, the strapping footman has his hands full with his lovely young mistress, the lady's maid is quite enjoying holding the handsome footman and the young black servant is having a good time assisting the young maid with his hands snugly around her waist while the dog looks on with canine curiosity. The monkey is pointing to a book with the words "victim of eating".

The point of the satire is easily taken, the tight lacing of the stays is being lampooned as fashionable folly, but this print tells historical costumers some information. She is wearing her under petticoat under her stays, her pocket is also being worn under the stays. She has her hair done prior to dressing and putting on her stays and is also wearing her shoes and stockings. The stays have an extremely narrow waist and yet are broad across the chest and under the arms, certainly not comfortable. All these details assist in putting together the entire package that is the 18th century woman from the inside out.


Courtesy of the Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection

Stay Making Supplies

What did the 18th Century Stay Maker need for supplies? According to Mr. John McQueen he stocked the following materials some of which are very familar to us and some are not.

White buckram (gummed and stiffened linen)

Half stiffened Irish buckram

White Russel canvas (canvas is heavy weight linen, Russel is a worsted wool, I am not sure of what this material is made)

White and black watered tabby (plain silk, with a watered finishº

White Janes ( a linen and cotton twilled fabric, also known as Jean)

Baladine Sewing Silks (a course raw silk sewing thread, very durable)

Galoon (wool, silk, or cotton combined with worsted or silk made into a tape, used for trimming and binding)

Bread Cord (this term appears in many advertisments for stay making supplies, some sort of cord, possibly for trimming the fronts of stays in a decorative manner or as the cord used for lacing up the stays)

Shaping (A guess? Possibly pre shaped whale bone for the front curve of the stays?)

Steel Collars (No guess on exactly what these looked like, but they are necessary for those girls attending boarding schools and very much worn by the young ladies in England !)

Textiles in America, 1650-1870, Florence Montgomery

Proper Measures

Pennyslvania Chronicle, September 19, 1772

Mr. White has moved his shop and is taking care to inform his old customers of his new location in the most polite manner. He is also ready to take orders from the country requiring proper measure taken of the length and width of the stays to be made, both the top and bottom and front and back parts. Can we assume these measures are taken from existing stays? Also of interest is the image in his advertisement. Note the curve of the back piece of the stays, this curve accommodates the indentation of the waist. The lacing on the front of the stays is very typical of the 1750s and 1760s stays, it is not functional, purely decorative.

A Source for Patterns

"Corsets" is a new book on Historical Undergarments, lovely photographs and line drawing illustrations, primary 19th century but there are several late 18th century stays (English) detailed. The graphs are clear and well laid out, it is a good addition to a costume library.

"Gazzet"

Mr. Allen is informing his customers that he is London trained as a
Stay-Maker and is advertising turned stays, jumps, packthread and bone stays as one would expect. An unusual item in the list of his stays/products is "Gazzets" a term that need further research and study. Since it is in the list of stay items, is it a type of stay? A children's item? A fashion flash in the pan? Uniquely New England? A search of the Old Bailey does not return any results.

Boston Evening Post, September 28, 1772

Mending Stays

Mr. Tyrrell not only makes new stays, in a wide assortment of stays including: turned, straw cut (whalebone) , pack thread (corded)and half boned pack thread stays but also mends and repairs all sorts of old stays. Stays are a large expense in a woman's wardrobe, mending a comfortable, worn in pair of stays is practical good sense.


Georgia Gazette, February 21, 1765

Taking the Measure

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Doing the Work?

Who is making the Stays?


According to Mr. Cambell the author of the the London Tradesman, this is the Division of Work in the shop of the Stay-Maker:


The Stay-Maker takes the ladies shape as nicely as he can, cuts out the tabby and canvas which is then given to women to sew the rows of stitching. This is piece work and the pay is minimal. Anyone who has examined a pair of original and professionally made stays can bear witness to the perfection of stitching and the many hours of labor required to sew all of the channels for a pair of stays.


Proceedings of the Old Bailey,Samuel Lowe, Susanah Butcher, Theft 4th December 1751.


“I have known her three years, she lived with me about 2 years ago; I never heard any thing, but what she is a very honest girl; her business is stitching of stays.”

Stay binding, trimming, and whale fin were purchased from the Haberdasher and then the job of stuffing the whale fin into the channels was done by the Master or Foreman of the shop.

"The work is too hard for Women, it requires more strength than they are capable of.." London Tradesman, c1747

The stays were then loosely sewn together, taken to the customer for a final fitting and then they were finished by laying braid along the seam and lacing across the stomacher and the edges bound.