A Material Study of 1780s Stays

• Chava Herniter, Art Conservation, University of Delaware

• Madeline Hagerman, Art Conservation, University of Delaware

Textile conservation on historic garments requires an understanding of the fashions of the time period, sewing skills, and conservation methods. In the 1780s, stays were a woman’s garment that held the torso’s shape with boning worn over a shift. The constructed stays were made using The Augusta Stays 1775-1798 by Scroop and Virgil’s Fine Goods. The pattern was based on numerous extant late 18th-century stays and a sophisticated boning layout to achieve the historically accurate silhouette of the late 1770s and 1780s. Features of the stays included adjustable partial front lacing, full back lacing, multiple layers of construction fabrics, and tape binding. The main goal was to develop an understanding of the construction of the garment and not full historical accuracy. As such, a combination of historical and modern materials and methods was used. Linen fabric, binding, cording, and thread were used to give a feel for the movement of the materials, while heavy-duty zip ties were used as boning because of their similar strength to historical boning without added expense. Machine sewing was used for straight seams and eyelets, while hand sewing was used for the binding. A shift was constructed so the stays could be fitted and worn properly. Constructing the stays served as an example of the internal and external structure, allowing for a better understanding of the garment, which is important for conservation work on historical garments and for expanding sewing skills.

Sources:
Jenny Tiramani, “17th and 18th Century Stitched and Smooth-Covered Stays: Their Differences and Similarities,” in Structuring Fashion: Foundation Garments Through History. Frank M. Kammel and Johannes Pietsch (Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, 2019), 52.

Scroop and Virgil’s Fine Goods. n.d. Augusta Stays 1775-1789 # 1903, pattern.