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
