Some opinions/resources:
A site called The Staymaker
shows examples of 18th century front-laced stays called fustian
stays. Not to be confused with “Faustian” which would imply a deal with the
devil – which might be appropriate given the design of some stays over the
years!
This writer asserts that women of all levels of society wore
stays and that money was even collected for homeless women so they could be
decently dressed.
Here’s an example of an 18th
century leather stay, reportedly worn by working class women. Like the
example above, it is front lacing. I can imagine that leather would be a useful
material for working class women – it was fairly available, if you weren’t
looking for fine quality. Plus, it would be a sturdier material than silk or
linen, able to stand up to working class demands while not requiring boning. While
whalebone would add to the expense of stays, I can also imagine it would hinder
movement. A supple, but firm leather stay seems to be much more effective for
holding a woman’s shape while allowing her to tend the garden, plow the fields,
make soap, wash laundry – or whatever was on her list that day.
Of course, the other reason for wearing stays besides a fashionable
conical shape (during the 18th century anyway) and back support
would be to support the breasts. Bras weren’t invented until sometime around
the end of the 1800s and not massed produced until the early 1900s. So while
the stays pictured may appear like full-body armor and highly uncomfortable, I suspect
many women were glad for their support.
MJ
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