While performing the Tortured Poets Department act of her Eras Tour in Paris in May 2024, Taylor Swift appeared in a custom Vivienne Westwood white dress . It had a fitted bodice and flowing, draped skirts scrawled in lyrics from her single, Fortnight. While the lyrics have gained the attention of Swifties across the internet, as an expert in Georgian fashion, I was captured by the fitted bodice – a design that was known in the 18th century as stays.
It’s a testament to the staying power of 18th-century trends that stays continue to be at the centre of fashion. Since the Bridgerton effect first took hold in late 2020, fitted corset-like tops have remained in vogue. These corset tops are not inspired by the hourglass cut of 19th-century corsets, but instead the structural underwear of the 18th century.
They have been seen in runway shows and campaigns, including Anne Hathaway for Versace , worn by celebrities such as Emily Blunt , sold by high-street brands and recreated by historic clothing enthusiasts and independent makers on Etsy and Ebay. “Stays” was the 18th-century term for corset. They were made using up to five layers of fabric including buckram and linen and were covered in wool or silk.
They were structured with baleen, more commonly known as whalebone : the bendy and absorbent keratin plates from the upper palette of a whale’s mouth. Pliable like your fingernail, whalebone absorbed moisture and moulded to the body. Like a supportive hug, stays provided fa.