The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-10-30
WOMAN IN OLD ROME.
She Had kllths Luxurious Tastes Of Nod.
ern Femlnluity.
INTERESTING TOILET SET.
II er Dress WINS Originally White. but
ia Time Colors Eccnme Fnsi,ion.
Elaborate Manner OF Dress
ii Ing The lknir-Thc Beautiful Greek
vi Fashions Were Admired.

During tho host t,mo Of tho Roman 70.
public the position Of patricinn lady was
very high one. She was absolute rulor
8 In her own house and an equal of her hug
band. Many of the numps of such ladies
have come down to us as synonyms Of tho
p highest virtues.
Tho nobility of tho dress ut this time Is
4 very evident, md It's dignity and simplic-
fly most marked, but toward tho tine Of
! tho decline of tho republic and during tho
s curly empire this was gradually changed
Y Wealth, luxury and safety of conquest
Z had their inevitable effect on tho national
taste, and tho simple white woolcn stoln
gave way to gorgeous silks dyed in purple
I and embroidered in gold, that found lnvor
& with tho imperial ladies'
Tho dress Of the Roman lady was origi-
nally white but in timo color and ornu-
mentation of oil kinds became the fash
ion, as cnn well be seen on many of tho
frescoes discovered ut pompoii. Tho under,
Il garment was tho short "tunica interior"
without sleeves, fastened over tho shout
ders with u abnla; sometimes little tubes
of gold were fastened on tho cloth for tho
pin of tho flbula; over this came tho long
1 and graceful stola made usually of wool
OF various textures, according to tho sea-
( son. This had short sleeves, fastened
= with jowclcd studs or clasps. 1t was
drawn UP under n glrdle, over which 1t
fell in kind of pouch Tho buckles for
& these girdlos were frequently much orna-
mented and SGT with gems. At tho bottom
of tho stoln was n largo 1ounce of embroid-
4 cred or dyed stuff and also On ornamental
border ut the neck.
Out Of doors n kind Of oblong cloak ro-
y sembling togo was worn. This was
I called u "palln." 1t was folded over tho
shoulders In peculiar manner and was
largo enough to be drawn over tho hentl II
y required IT was also originally OF white
1 WOODEN cloth, but in Its turn was used
much ornunicntcd and colorcd. Roman
& ladies did not walk about much, but were
\ carried In littcrs borne by slaves, other
I slaves accompanying them with fans OF
peacock feathers on thin wood, and others
bearing parasols. Their shoes wcrc of
light and ornamental kind, of brightly col
orel leather, often seb with gems or pearls.
Tho toilet was never complete without
gu elaborate couture. At ono time tho
Beautiful Grek fashions In this particular
wore admired aud followed, but soon
y enough special slaves were educated to
q dress the hair rs II speciality, and very elab-
Y orato modes of doing the hair up were
& used. These manners can we'll TIC studied
] from portrait busts OF the Roman ON
4 presses and great Indies who set tho fash-
ION Of tho day, and the fnot OF their rnpid
4 change can DO gathered from tho fuct that
some OF them arc known to have boon
& matle With the hcnddross In separate
piece, SO thut it could be changed Many
of these. methods of Embarrassing are de-
4 scrlbed by Ovid in his ART of Love. ("
Plaits and braitis held together by hair
pins, false curls raised up high above the
forehead, braids wound about the head
like crowns, hnir waved orimpcd and friz-
2lou, dyed anu worn in ncts of gold and
& even fatr wigs, were all worn; oils and per
Tunes were used in abundance, and tho
1 dllets, diadems md coronets OF all shapes
were innumerablo They used combs OF
/. ivory or lockwood
3 The uso of cosmetics of all kinds was
we'll understood The eyebrows and cya-
lids We're darkened; dyes powders of rod
and white for the face Unguents Of flour
and enamels for the skin wcro regularly
used, manicure was carefully practiccd,
and the nails trimmed and polished, and
when the teeth decayed they wero replaced
by new ones OF ivory set in gold.
In 1898 very interesting and valuable
discovery was made Mt Rome of q complete
2 toilet set, probably made for bride, of
[ solid silver, highly repousse and chased,
much of which was gilded. The smaller
OF the two caskets found contained five sill
YER bottles for perfumes or oils and tho
larger casket has round the edge Chris
fihn inscription. In these caskcts also were
found hairpins, brooches, rings, tbue
and various other articles, many OF them
for use In tho bnth. They are ascribed to
tho fourth century A. D., but nre not ap-
parently oil of the Same dato Mirrors, of
$ course were always used. They were usu-
ally OF some composition of metals which
took high polish and often had small
( sponge filed with powdered pumico at
cached to them SO as TO he easily rubbed
bright. Glass, with q backing of gold or
other thin metal, was also used, but does
3 not seem TO have been very popular.
For jewclry magnificent necklaces and
& chains, with pendants of worked gold,
5 cmeralds and rubies were particularly
Worn. Arm bands with serpent heads
4 nave been found at Pompcii, and diadcms of
I rich ornnmcntation Of all kinds Finger
rings of gold and long pendant earrings of
gold and gems, and especially of largo
pearls, were much valued london Queen.
Clarn Bewick Colby.
M en- tfn III