Roman clothing

The most basic item of Roman and Romanesque clothing was the tunica, which in a few variations formed the innermost layer or layers of everyone's clothing.

Cloaks and wraps of several kinds (such as the toga, which was worn only by men) were worn over the basic garment by both sexes, and women also wore veils as part of their everyday outdoor dress.

Forms of decoration and fabrics used depend on the timeframe in question, though in general, vertical decorative strips called clavii were often woven into tunicae for those who could afford such decorations.

Because of the relative simplicity of Roman dress, jewelry was worn widely and used to communicate wealth and ostentation, as much as or more so than the clothing. Some forms of jewelry had particular significance, denoting rank and citizenship.

Men's hairstyles tended toward the simple and military shorter cut, though later roman men also sometimes wore it longer. Roman women's hairstyles went through numerous fashion changes, fluctuating from simple to elaborate and back again.

External Links

• Atlantian A&S Links: Ancient Roman Clothing