Stola

The stole was a long overdress, which was worn by women in ancient Roman Empire.

Description

This garment was a very long dress, which was worn over the tunic. On the bottom of the stole ended in a seam which was usually made ​​of fur or leather. The dress was tied at the waist with a belt. Especially in the cold and wet winters of the Apennine Peninsula, the stole was much worn, as they are very heated. The stole was worn by women counterpart to the toga. This dress was also often combined with a Palla, which was worn over the shoulders.

The stole was worn as a badge of social rank, and was a feature that the woman was married.

Compared to the toga, which was only made ​​of white wool, the stole was made in all sorts of colors, including red, yellow and blue. The toga could be worn only by Roman citizens, while the stole could be worn by all married women who had the money. In the provinces this fashion was sought during the Romanization also among indigenous women.

History

In the early republic rich women as well as men wore a toga. In the 2nd century BC this clothing style then went out of fashion. Women who wore men's clothes like togas, prostitution was said. It took on a new dress for women. Hence the Stole developed. Initially it was used as a symbol of high social status of the wearer, in late antiquity it was more of a dress costume that was worn in ceremonies and traditional festivals.