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Stolata

In early Roman times Women too wore togas, but soon this mode of dress gave way to the stola, robe of the traditional Roman matron, and to see a woman togate meant that she was a prostitute or in disgrace.

Women in the late Republic and early empire wore a tunic, over which was worn the stola, a long, full-length dress gathered above the waist by a girdle, or zona.

The Domina dresses

The stola was always long, covering the woman'sinstep. A distinguishing decoration often referred to was the institia, however,records of this trimming are lacking, since it is not imitated on sculpture and has apparently not been recognized in the surviving paintings. It is most likely to have been a narrow border around the bottom of the stola.

Livia Augusta wearing a pallaOver this the Roman matrona donned the palla, a wide, trailing scarf which covered her from head to foot.

VILLA > PERSONAL APPEARANCE > WOMEN > TUNICA