The stomacher, a V-shaped triangular panel, wore on the front of a woman's open gown in the 18th century. To keep the bosom from standing out, the stomacher was extravagantly adorned with embroidery, laces, rows of ribbon bows called "échelle" (ladder) and sometimes with jewels. Since a stomacher needed to be pinned to the dress each time it was worn, this style was time-consuming.