Bodystockings were used on stage in at least 1860s. In 1861, American actress Adah Isaacs Menken controversially wore a flesh coloured bodystocking on stage, to preserve her modesty and stay within the obscenity laws, while giving the illusion of nudity.Brooks, Daphne A. "Lady Menken's Secret: Adah Isaacs Menken, Actress Biographies and the Race for Sensation". Legacy, Volume 15. Number 1. (1998): pages 68-77.
