How to Tie a Toga

The Roman toga makes a readily identifiable costume, either for Halloween or wild parties. Accessories for your toga costume should include sandals, but also could include a laurel wreath, scroll, sword and baldrick. This could also be used as the basis for playing a classical God, so Zeus or Jupiter could be carrying lightening bolts. Here's how to tie a toga.

Instructions

1. Trim a bed sheet or length of fabric into a long, narrow rectangle. Some sources recommend a semi-circular length of fabric up to 6 yards long and 2 yards across at the widest point, for the sort of toga a historical re-enactor might want. A trimmed bed sheet or stretch of other fabric, between 4 and 5 yards long, will do for a costume.

2. Wear a tunic. This is optional, but recommended.

3. Pin one end of the toga to your tunic's waist with a safety pin. If you are not wearing a tunic, you will need to pin it to your underwear. A costume toga cannot be worn "commando." If you wish to give your toga more "grip" in the event of someone pulling on it, use more pins.

4. Wrap it over your shoulder and around you, taking care that it hangs down to around your knees.

5. Pin the toga on your opposite side.

6. Throw the sheet back over your shoulder again. If you have sufficient length to wrap it around you again, either do so or trim to fit your frame accordingly.

Tips & Warnings

• Selecting a fabric with a bit of trim (red with a gold stripe, for example) can add a little something extra to your toga.