…(Direct excerpt from “Reconstructing History 2008 Copyrighted Available from your favorite historical pattern shop”)
Since the 1660’s, stays and bodiced gowns without their skirts were practically synonymous Except for a place to attach sleeves and skirts, stays and bodiced gown linings were the same in construction. One would think stays went into dormancy while the bodiced gown made them unnecessary. Yet throughout the late 17th century, stays were still being worn in undress, casually with just a simple oriental robe or wrapper thrown over them. When the mantua became acceptable for wear outside the house, the bodiced gown saw its last days and stays came out of the wardrobe again.
(Featured Photo: Modern reproduction “bodiced gown” of the 1770’s)