Roman Fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Roman Fashion - Essay Example The essay "Roman Fashion" discovers the fashion history in Rome. Due to lifestyle developments, individuals and societies have learned to use their clothing, with the aid of other decorations, as a form of nonverbal expression of their personality, occupation, status, and affiliation. Fashion refers to the way of carrying and styling these clothing with accessories, hairstyle, adornment and body art. Fashion does not merely converse individual identity in such a way that it instantly let other people see and understand a person, as it may speak of plain sophistication or even a personal rage, moreover, it demonstrate a social perception. This is greatly evident in the way fat women were once considered beautiful whereas current fashion trend have somehow made a vast promotion of diet, exercise and even surgery with its picture of beauty as being slim. A person can be identified to a certain tribe, organization or field of work by merely looking at his/her wardrobe. Attires may explai n a person’s role, may she be a housewife or a company manager. It can be a mode of displaying once wealth as well as poverty. As Thorstein Veblen, an economist of the book The Theory of the Leisure Class, has wrote â€Å"†¦our apparel is always in evidence and affords an indication of our pecuniary standing to all observers at first glance... â€Å". With its vast influence, stating all its implications would be a tedious job, if not impossible. Fashion has become so powerful that it can imply almost anything related to human. Costume and fashion, collectively, refers to manner and style of clothing. It is considered an art that decodes personality or culture at any particular time. With pictorial arts, costumes and fashion have revealed much of the history. It had managed to explain social transformation from the very remote past to the most current civilization. CHAPTER 1 ROMAN CLASSIC "From the Hellenistic Era to present day, fashion fads and statements evolved from similar backgrounds to make styles that seem new, but are really just "doctored-up" versions that can be traced back to the times of ancient Rome" (R.W.) Roman people have applied their creativity in every aspect of their lives including manner of clothing. Their garments were simple as it were basically made of wool with minimal use of stitch. Variations have eventually existed due to social status. Safety pins and knots give various shapes to their garments and undergarments; hence they have to designate a different name for each particular design. Toga was once the basic Roman garment for both men and women (Figure 1). Eventually women's clothing has to be made distinct. Similar to Greek himation, though much larger and more complicated in its draping. Toga's size and shape indicates social position. It is usually made of white wool and undecorated but had later been elaborated with gold embroidery during the late Empire. Tunica serves as their under garments for both men and women (Fig. 2). It resembles that of the reeks which were sleeveless. It is made of two wide cloths having sewn almost to the top leaving enough space for the armholes and neckline. It is fastened with pins or buttons and then held with a belt. Women's tunica are usual fuller and longer. As a symbol of decency and honor, married women wear stola (Fig. 2). Apart from its rectangular shape, it is a sleeveless tunic that resembles a toga which is a long wide cloth. It is a long garment that drapes around the body covering