The toga was considered the official dress of Roman men. Only free Roman citizens were allowed to wear the toga. White was the color prescribed by law and togas were made of wool. Though the toga was a mark of respect for men it was a sign of disgrace when worn by a woman, and during the Republican era (261 B.C.) the only women to wear the toga were prostitutes. Today anyone has the right to wear the toga, and they are often seen in theme parties.
Select 2 yards of a fabric that will drape nicely such as nylon, a fine cotton or even fleece. Machine stitch around all four edges to prevent raveling. This will be the only sewing you will be doing and may not be necessary, depending on the fabric you have chosen. Two yards of fabric will make a short woman's toga or a child's long. This little fabric will probably not work for a grown man.
Hold the fabric lengthwise and fasten one end to your waistband if you are wearing an undergarment. If you do not have a waistband, have someone hold it in place at your hip while you wrap the cloth around once (or if you are small or doing this with a child, wrap one and a half times around). Place a safety pin at the end of your first wrap-around. You should have a length of fabric left.
Throw the rest of the fabric around the back and over the opposite shoulder from the hip if you were able to wrap one and a half times. Throw the fabric in front and over the opposite shoulder if you were able to only wrap once. Tuck this into the waist that was created when you did the first wrap. Tuck loosely to give the toga a draping effect.
Tip
Fleece hangs nicely in a toga and is perfect if you are going to an outdoor party or event. If the evening will be especially cool, consider a lightweight cotton. You may want to wear a camisole or sleeveless tee shirt if you are modest.
References
Writer Bio
Iris Gallagher has been a professional online writer since 2006. She has earned a license to sell insurance and has worked as a licensed Emergency Medical Technician, a Certified Nurse Assistant, a dental assistant, a court clerk and a Corrections Officer in a men's prison where she ran the inmate library.