ABSTRACT
By the middle of the eighteenth century the technical skill of the staymaker had reached a very high standard. When it is remembered that all the stitching was back-stitch done by hand, and all the whalebone had to be cut into strips—the thickness varying according to its position on the body—one cannot but admire the craftsmanship of these eighteenth-century corsets. Eighteenth-century stays are always difficult to date and especially those which have obviously been made at home and not by a professional staymaker. The best specimens of stays of the early part of the century have many seams and beautiful workmanship; they are usually covered with silk or brocade, sometimes embroidery. From the middle of the eighteenth century the very large hoop was worn for "full dress" only. Separate small side hoops, often called "pocket hoops", took its place for "undress" and are mentioned as being worn until 1775.
