But you, by nature form'd in finer moulds,
Must wrap your tender limbs in silken folds;
Wear lawns and tissue, sleep in damask beds,
And with gay knots and wires adorn your heads:
Your ears with pendants, lockets on your arms,
Besides a thousand other nameless charms.
— Ovid, Art of Beauty
Materials
Woolen and linen were the staple fabrics in Republican and even in Imperial Rome. In the latter periods, silk was worn with increasing frequency -- real silk, brought from China. It was very expensive and proportionately prized.
Make your own!
Consult these instructions to make your own Roman clothing!
Sources: History of Costume, Historic Costume for the Stage by Lucy Barton
