The main differences between corsets and stays are the era from which they originated, and the silhouette they create. Corsets extend past the waist and over the hips, creating the curvy, hourglass shape of the Victorian era, and the S-curve shape of the Edwardian era.  Stays typically end at the waist around the sides and back, with variations on how much the waistline curves down in the front. Stays create a triangular shape, which is more common of Renaissance, Elizabethan, 17th and 18th century silhouettes. While both corsets and stays are traditionally a type of undergarment and were never worn above the clothing, bodices were a stiff outer jacket-like garment that were worn over corsets or stays. In the technical sense, everything we make at French Meadows would be considered a bodice, as it is meant to be worn over clothing as a fashion item, not necessarily as an undergarment (though it does function as both). You will see throughout our site that we use the terms corset, stays, and bodice somehwhat interchangeably. That’s because most people are familiar with the term corset and aren’t aware of the differences in terminology. As corsets and stays become more popular in the modern era, the term “corset” is being adapted as more of a blanket term for all of these variations of silhouettes.