Reconstructing History Pattern #RH833 - 18th Century Corsets - Colonial and Revolutionary Corsets

In the 1730s, back-lacing stays with a front-laced stomacher became popular.  These simple, commoner stays are constructed similarly to the Colonial Williamsburg Collection stays. By the third quarter of the 18th century, stay makers realised that it wasn’t the number of panels that were making the shape but the orientation of the bones.  By the 1780s, the style of dress had evolved from the conical top and bottom created by stays and hoops to the “pouter pidgeon” look with the chest thrust forward and the hips back.  The front portion of the look was made by scoop-front stays.  By the 1790s, the front of the silhouette was still forward in that pouter pidgeon fashion, but the back sat at the level of the floating ribs.