Quick Study: Even Children Wore Stays!

Hello! Today's post is my first "quick study" a post where I go over a quick history of something interesting I found online while study historic clothing and the past. Without further ado today I will be talking about stays

For...
Children...

Yes, you heard me, for children, real-life, 18th-century children! This might seem horrible but like many things in the 18th century, it was engrained in their culture.

While looking at the wonderful Kyoto Costume Institute's website, I noticed that they had a set of stays in their collection that looked small, a little too small. After reading the description of these oddly small stays, I learned that they were made for children!

The stays are made of linen and through further inspection look like they are fully boned. Young children in the 18th-century wore stays for their posture. Most aristocratic and wealthy families would have their kids wear stays, starting at young ages. Overall, stays to the 18th-century women (or child) is like our undergarments today, absolutely vital.