ROMAN CLOTHING

STOLA and PALLA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stola The stola was a long, pleated dress, worn over an undergarment called a tunic or tunica intima (the Roman version of a slip). The stola was generally sleeveless but versions of it did have short or long sleeves. These sleeves could belong to the stola itself or be a part of the tunic. The traditional sleeveless stola was fastened by clasps at the shoulder called fībulae. The stola typically had two belts, and was typically girt with ribbonsThe first was worn just below the breasts creating a great amount of folds. The second and wider belt was worn around the waist. The stola was frequently worn with a a long shawl-like garment called a palla. It was worn when women went outside and typically went over one shoulder and draped across the body. It could also be pulled up over the head as a shawl.

TUNICA Nearly all Romans wore a simple tunic under more formal clothes, while slaves generally wore only a tunic A tunic worn as underwear was known as tunica intima

TOGA The toga was originally worn by both sexes but later restricted to male Roman citizens and so became a prized symbol, even though cumbersome. A candidate for election wore a dazzling white toga (toga candida), hence the word `candidate’) The toga praetexta, with a broad purple stripe near its edge, was worn by boys and also by some magistrates and priests

The words already presented are the ones you’re most likely to encounter in the exam but, just to make things more complete, here are three more…

PALLIUM Originally a garment worn just by Greeks, especially philosophers. It could be worn in various styles, sometimes rather similar to a toga but also folded and used as a rather elaborate scarf. The `pallium’ adorned with crosses and now used by the Pope and some other senior leaders of the Catholic church appears to have evolved from the folded ancient pallium.

AMICTUS A general word for an outer garment, but sometimes translated `cloak’. In Harrius Potter et Lapis Philosophi, the phrase `Amictus Invīsibilitātis’ is used as a translation of `Invisibility Cloak’

LAENA This was `a thick, shaggy, woolen cloak worn over a pallium or toga and fastened with a pin.’ (http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/clothing/g/011011-Laena.htm)