Monday, July 20, 2009

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.

1 comment:

  1. Hello

    I'm very interested in social history and how clothes reflect our values. This child's corset - today we might say "how horrible to confine a child" (Hallie, how old might the original wearer have been?).

    However, in the 18 century it was good and informed child care that led mothers to put children into very stiff corsets. The children grew up with the "right" posture, the "right" shape and the could only move in the "right" way. However, it must have been uncomfortable.

    Not only in the 18 century, see this toddlers corset of 100 years ago.

    http://www.corsetsandcrinolines.com/timelineitem.php?index=190042

    Annie

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