ABSTRACT
The stays 1785-88 held at Chertsey Museum are part of the Olive Matthews Collection and are a beautiful example of a pair of half-boned stays. The stays are made from brown cotton twill, lined with natural linen. The whalebone is hand-cut and placed both vertically and horizontally to support the structure of the stays, providing the strength to mould the body to the fashionable silhouette of the late 18th century. The stays of this period flattened the bust and pushed it upwards; the tabs at the waistline of the stays splayed out over the hips enhancing a small waist. Stays had become an essential part of a woman's wardrobe; in most cases these were practical rather than decorative so were made of a plain fabric. The Chertsey stays pattern is a little more difficult to draft due to the stepped back panel, however the instructions will take you through the drafting process.
