The stole was a basic garment worn by married women in ancient Rome, held together with fibulas and belts. It indicated a woman’s status and was made from wool, linen, or silk. Hairstyles and accessories also indicated wealth. The stole was similar to the toga but wearing a toga was considered shameful for women.
Equivalent to the toga worn by men, the stole was a basic garment worn by married women in ancient Rome. A long, typically sleeveless gown, the stole was often layered with other clothing. Sewing needles in this era were quite thick and unwieldy, so seams were kept to a minimum on garments; Most of the clothing was held together with snaps. On the stole, small shoulder clasps called fibulas held the garment in place, while two different belts were fastened under the breasts and around the waist.
Colors ranged from bleached white to red, and some stoles had a colored band or pattern at the hem and at the neckline. Women often wore a long shawl-like garment called a palla over the stole. Although the stole was similar to the toga worn by men, it was considered shameful for women to wear a toga. The women who did it were thought to be prostitutes, only wearing togas to advertise their trade on the streets.
The stole was not only a sign that the woman wearing it was married, unmarried and divorced women were forbidden to wear the garment, but also served as a sign of a woman’s status in society. While most women’s clothing was originally made from wool or undyed linen, the rise of the Roman Empire inspired more luxurious garments. Wealthier women might have had a stole made of silk, while poorer women would have stuck with simpler fabrics that could carry them from season to season.
Hairstyles and accessories also kept pace with the evolving society. Though simple during the republic and early empire, hairstyles gave way to more elaborate curls, waves, jeweled hairpins, and gold or silver hairnets for Roman empresses. These styles required the assistance of a personal hairstylist and were therefore another indication of wealth. Similarly, the fibulas used to hold garments in place ranged from simple to ornate. Wealthy Roman women might have accessorized with clasps made from precious metals.
Inspired by the clothing of ancient Greece, the stole stood the test of time in ancient Rome, changing little from century to century. Statues of women dating back to the Roman Republic and through to the Roman Empire in the first millennium were carved in the pleated garment. It is also the garment worn by the Statue of Liberty in New York City.
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