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This clumsy-sounding word (to the modern ear) was two (very important) things to an 18th-century woman. It was a triangular piece of fabric which might be embroidered, bejeweled or beribboned. It was separate from the main portion of the gown and could be changed out as whim or time of day demanded (a more sedate version for day, and a more elaborate version for a ball, for example), It was an integral part of gown construction in the 18th century (see painting, next page).


A stomacher also referred to a specific type of jewelry that was pinned to the fabric stomacher. It was a must-have accessory, that recherche bit of 18th-century elegance, that affirmed a lady's wealth and position. The jewel "stomachers" were often part of a larger parure that would typically include earrings, a necklace, a brooch, and/or bracelets. Sometimes even a haircomb. And, for those entitled to wear one, a tiara.