Roman Clothing and Accessories

[helwen]

Spent a little time today trying to figure out Roman clothing again.... figure L will be from around Hadrian's time (do I remember when that is? No, of course not. Will have to look for that again...) -- because of the beard. Hair will still be too long, oh well. It's likely we'll only be doing Roman for the Runnymede dinner, so we don't have to go completely crazy. Although if we can do the seating I'd like, that would be nice :) Speaking of hair, a number of the styles of Roman women I'm really not too crazy about :p

http://www.costumes.org/HISTORY/100pages/ROMANLNX.HTM is a decent place to look at for clothing ideas -- they reference other people's sites, and one of them is vroma, which I liked.

Since we're doing a dinner, not going to court, L won't need a toga. Although he could wear something called a synthesis over it (no, I'm not making that up).... well, he could if I knew what it was.

And I probably don't need a palla, since again that's outside-the-home-wear.

Still have questions though, especially on the stola today... like according to one site the stola apparently has short straps instead of fibulae or buttons like the chiton. Basically, it looks like a wrapped-around rectangle that attaches at the top only at the shoulders -- kind of like a peplum only with no fold-over.... although another site says that it was like a tunica, with big armholes down to the waist, and sometimes pleated at the shoulders, with the pleats being held in place by brooches or some braid sewn over them.

Then the first site says that the stola were worn by married women, and that they were usually white. But the other site says that the stola were often in colors more intense than the tunica or chiton. ???

I am being a little evil and taking advantage of the fact that I'm short. I've taken some lovely sage/leaf green linen and turned it sideways, so that I can use the selvages for the open top edges of the chiton and the hem... only have to do handwork to finish the 'sleeve'/armholes. Time is precious, especially this year!

Comments

[danabren.livejournal.com]

I'd be happy to send you the wee blurb I wrote up on Roman garb for D&R 1

Drop me a note at username at gmail dot com

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

I pleat the shoulder like whoa (it's technical term) and would be happy ot talk with you about it at Coronation tomorrow. I also usually make them in colors- there are a lot of mosaics and paintings that show them in lots and lots of colors.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

That would be totally spiff, thanks!

I'm reading up whenever I have the time, but so far there have been some big gaps.... like, nothing on the trims that you've talked about, for instance. See you tomorrow :)

[harpnfiddle.livejournal.com]

I am reading this closely. I have some $2 sheets from savers that I will be making the Roman outfit from. I thought to make a peplos, but looks like I may need a stolla as well.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

I got to talk to Rufina today, which helped me understand some things, like a way to tie the belt that also acts as a way to keep the upper part of the garment in place. And, she explained how she makes a stola. I think Roman will be very easy and comfy :)

We're currently discussing turning the dinner back into later period people pretending to be Romans, but I still plan on making a Roman outfit, as apparently some of them did. The issue of period music came up -- which is to say, people have some theories, but nobody knows what the music of the time sounded like. So to make it less jarring, doing the renaissance people pretending to be Romans works better -- and we can still do Roman foods :)

[harpnfiddle.livejournal.com]

Sounds cool. I'm excited.