A bodice is an article of clothing traditionally for women and girls, covering the torso from the neck to the waist. The term typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the upper portion of a modern dress to distinguish it from the skirt and sleeves. The name bodice is etymologically an odd plural spelling of "body" and comes from an older garment called a pair of bodies.
Line art drawing of a bodice
Countrywoman's bodice, 19th century (detail of The Hay-Harvest by Belgian painter Julien Joseph)
A woman wearing a dirndl
A dress is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice. It consists of a top piece that covers the torso and hangs down over the legs. A dress can be any one-piece garment containing a skirt of any length, and can be formal or casual.
Illustration of 18th century French women
Empire dress, 1800–1805, cotton and linen, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
French afternoon dress, circa 1903, cotton and silk, Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
Dresses in the 1930s.