A bodice historically covered the upper half of a woman’s body and was worn with a skirt. It evolved into a form-fitting sleeveless garment, and is still used in traditional folk clothing and historical costumes. It’s also used in wedding dress design and lingerie.
Historically, a bodice was an article of clothing that covered the upper half of a person and was worn by women in conjunction with a dress or skirt. In some historical uses of the term, it specifically refers to the top of a complete garment, even though the top was a separate piece from the rest of the clothing. In this use, the two parts were made to be used together despite being pieces put together separately. The modern use of the bodice generally refers to a particular type of garment worn on the upper body by a woman, which is usually sleeveless or has removable sleeves.
The bodice typically referred to in Victorian or early 20th century fashion was the top half of a full garment. Two pieces would be attached, usually via a hook-and-eye system, in which small rounded hooks on one piece of clothing go through loops sewn into another piece of clothing to connect the two. This type of clothing was popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, as it allowed for large, expansive skirts to be worn with fitted bodices. However, in the 20th century, one-piece dresses came into fashion and replaced two-piece dresses for the most part.
The modern use of the bodice generally refers to a particular type of garment worn by a woman on the upper part of her body. In this usage, the bodice refers to a garment that resembles a vest and is sleeveless and form-fitting. The bodice can sometimes be stiffened with rushes or boning, much like corsets, to provide a more distinctive shape. Where bustiers and corsets primarily differ is that corsets are meant to be worn under other clothing to define a woman’s shape underneath, while bustiers are meant to be worn on top of a shirt or chemise and be visible.
As a practical garment, the bodice has fallen out of use in most areas, but exceptions include traditional folk clothing worn by some European women in areas such as Austria or Scotland. Bodices have also found a resurgence and have gained popularity among participants in Renaissance fairs or by members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, who often wear the garment as part of historical costume. The bodice has also found a new life and continued to be used in wedding dress design to provide a fitted and fitted top and in lingerie.
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