The Roman costumes worn by the ancients were often loose pieces of material that draped around the bodies of both men and women and were secured by pins. Women wore roman costumes called stola, which was essentially two pieces of fabric, one for the front, another for the back, that were held together by a series of safety-pin like clips (think Elizabeth Hurley and a more modest version of her Versace safety pin dress). Over this a palla was worn, which was essentially like a modern day shawl.
Men on the other hand, generally wore a toga, which interestingly enough became the clothing of prostitutes as well after the fifth century BC. Before then, both men and women were apt to wear a toga without any censure.
During this period, the color of Roman costumes also determined the status of those wearing the items. Magistrates and boys wore clothing that had a purple border. Generals wore togas with a golden border to signify triumph. Gods and royalty wore clothing that was a solid purple.
Roman costumes also include sandals that laced up the leg of the wearer. Both men and women wore these sandals, and it is believed that the finer the leather, the wealthier the wearer was. Interestingly enough, it was the Roman's who invented socks. These were developed to keep the feet of legionnaires warm in northern climates, such as Germany, which they encountered as their empire spread. These socks would have been worn, like today, underneath their shoes at the time.
Armor Venue sells armor and weapons replicas such as Roman costumes to collectors and historians. Please visit http://www.armorvenue.com to learn more.
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