Stays become corsets…

As the Regency era at the turn of the 18th into the 19th century (early 1800’s) was the first time in history fashion basically removed all understructure, there were experiments with materials and methods and techniques aimed to produce the perfect Grecian ideal  form.  There was a long, knitted corset of silk or cotton.

(Photo:  1795-1800 Corset with tab to keep petticoat or robe from falling down from the above waistline position.  This transitional time saw many variations in design including side lacing or ruching like this one.)