Clothing & Beauty

"Every morning, Aemilia rises early, greeted by her attendants. The day was warm and breezes blew through the open windows of her home, and right then and there Aemilia decided she would like to take a walk in the gardens later. Of course, she would need to get dressed first. She slipped on a plain tunic, assisted by a servant, and fastened the straps closed. After that, she chose a cream-colored stola, tied with a simple belt at the waist and pinned with ornate brooches that had been an engagement gift from her husband. Aemilia had always loved this stola; the hems were embroidered with gold thread that went nicely with the deep brown of her hair. A palla was pulled from her wardrobe as well, one dyed a bright shade of blue that matched the clear sky outside. She wouldn't need that, however, until she went out later in the day.

"Aemilia had visited the hairdressers the day before, so the ornate curls and braids of her hairstyle were still intact, save for the few stray hairs a young servant girl quickly pinned back in place. She strode over to her vanity, her leather sandals already placed on her feet, and sat down on the short stool. After a quick look in the polished mirror at hand, Aemilia reached for her chalk powder and dusted her face generously. Her face fashionably pale, she reached for bright wine sediments and used it to color her cheeks with a 'natural' blush and stain her lips a deep red. Then came the dark kohl, which lined her eyes, making them appear much larger and darker than was natural. 

"Finished with her makeup, Aemilia turned towards her group of attendants, letting them pile necklace after necklace around her neck, followed by a multitude of rings that slid onto her fingers, save for her wedding band that was always present. Bracelets and earrings were donned as well, all of the finest material."

Read about this funerary relief here or here. Courtesy of www.mfa.org.

This funeral relief of a woman named Aththaia from around 150 - 200 A.D. in Syria is an accurate example of the clothing style worn by upper-class women, specifically those who were married.
Most noticeable is the veil-like clothing she wears, known as a himation. This piece of clothing would both wrap around her body and then cover her head, a modest look specific to married women of the time. However, this veil does not cover the symbols of wealth strewn about her body. Necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings can be seen here, as well as a diadem that sits below a cloth headdress and a string of jewels that is placed on her hair. The ring on her right finger signifies marriage, a practice still used today.
The typical outfit of a wealthy Roman woman consisted of three layers. The bottom-most layer was a tunic, a simple garment made out of two rectangles of fabric. Though it was scandalous for a woman to wear only this, this garment was the common outfit of men. The middle layer was a stola. This was a full length garment, with a scoop neck and straps that could be buttoned or pinned
 closed. It was usually belted at the waist. The top layer was a palla, an outer garment worn when out of the house. The palla was a large piece of fabric that acted as a cloak, draped around the whole body and then slung over the shoulder. It was sometimes used as a hood as well.

Fresco from the Villa of the Mysteries, courtesy of www.archaeology.org.

Beauty was incredibly important to the rich women of Imperial Rome. They spent large amounts of both time and money on various styles of hair, which were highly intricate, often braided or curled. A single visit to a hairdresser would provide a woman with a hairstyle that would last for days, as it was held in place by a hairnet. Female servants were also tasked with the job of hairdressing.
Makeup was also popular among women. The style tended towards light skin (often done with chalk powder), since tanned skin was the sign of a manual laborer or slave. Women would also color their cheeks and lips red, using red wine sediment or plant dye. It was fashionable to bring attention to the eyes, so kohl was used generously as eyeliner.

SOURCES:

Usborne Internet-Linked Romans by Anthony Marks and Graham Tingay, pages 42-43
http://travelswithnancy.com/women-ancient-rome/women-beauty.htm
http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/funerary-monument-of-aththaia-daughter-of-malchos-151395.
http://www.medieval-rings.com/about-rings/ancient
https://www.archaeology.org/news/3109-150323-pompeii-villa-mysteries