What is the difference between a “corset”, “bodies”, and “stays”?
The terms “bodies” and “stays” are the proper historic terms for conical corsets. They were often made in two halves laced at both the front and the back, and were sometimes called “a pair” of bodies or stays. The word “corset” was not used until the 1800’s, after the transition to a curvy fashion silhouette.
