While they were extremely fashionable at the turn of the twentieth century, the stomacher, a piece of jewelry that is designed to be pinned to the bodice of a gown, has long since gone out of style. Modern clothes don’t really allow them to be worn, so royal examples often languish in the vaults — or are redesigned. Above, Queen Mary wears one of several examples from her jewelry box.
Today, have a crack at the stomacher in Queen Elizabeth II’s collection: the one she received as a wedding present from Queen Mary. (Here’s more on the stomacher from the Royal Collection website.) She’s only worn the complete piece once, though she sometimes wears the bottom section as a separate brooch. If you could reimagine this royal stomacher, what changes would you make for a modern wearer?
