Ancient Roman Fashion

From LoveToKnow Men's Fashion

Ancient Roman fashion for men consisted of a simple wardrobe that was directly associated with social status and rank. Do you think the style of Ancient Rome will make its way into modern men's clothing? Keep reading to find out.

About Ancient Roman Fashions for Men

Men in Ancient Rome kept their wardrobe simple. Depending on social rank, men wore fashions to reflect their status. Roman clothing was created to reveal the status of the man wearing it. The higher rank males wore clothing that was distinctively marked whereas men who ranked low wore unmarked clothing.

Basic Fashions

Tunic: The tunic was the most basic clothing item for men. It was made of two pieces of undyed heavy wool and was sewn together at the sides and shoulders. It was worn belted and covered the knees. When the weather was cold, more than one tunic would be worn. The tunic was worn by men of all social ranks. Boys wore a tunic down to their knees. It was white, with a crimson border. When a boy reached age 16 and was considered a man, he put aside these clothes, and wore an all-white tunic.
Toga: Often seen today at college parties or as a Halloween costume, the toga is one of the most easily recognizable Roman items of clothing. The toga was reserved for Roman citizens and generally used when appearing in public. It was a long sheet of wool or linen and was approximately three meters in width. Its size would vary depending on the man’s physical size, social importance and wealth. The toga had no pockets or sleeves and was most commonly seen in white.
Cloak: The cloak was the basic outerwear item of Ancient Roman fashion. Cloaks were used to protect men’s clothing against bad weather. The poor wore short and dark cloaks and the wealthy donned brightly colored ones.
Footwear: There were various types of shoes for different situations. At home, Romans wore sandals called "soleae" and in the streets they wore square toed shoes with leather bands that tied up the ankle. Roman footwear showed little distinction between male and female.

The Romans did not wear hats except in certain situations such as:

Traveling
Fighting at war
Religious feasts
Processions
Public games

Roman Soldiers

Roman soldiers often wore heavy boots and armor made from leather. The Roman soldier was not adorned with shiny metal armor or any embellishments.

Roman Accessories

Rings were the only jewelry worn by the Roman male. Manners stated that only one ring should be worn at a time. More than that was seen not to be in good taste. In early times, long hair and full beards were popular for men.

Modern Meets Ancient

Today there is not much demand for togas and tunics, but other Roman fashions have made their way into modern clothing. For example, men can still be seen wearing sandals, much like the men in Ancient Rome wore. Men also prefer to wear outerwear to protect their clothing during bad weather.

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