Got The Toga - What About The Hair?

OK so when you have decided upon how to make a toga and have got your accessories in place, its time to think about hairstyles.

So I phoned Terry to get his new-found historical expertise and asked him what did the Romans do.

He tells me up until 300 BC they did not do an awful lot grooming-wise, spending most of their time fairly grubby - eww.

Well hey Terry, that's not much help, un-groomed is not a good look, especially for anyone out there hoping to find a date at said party.

Let me finish, he goes on. This soon changed with men starting to favor a groomed beard, only to be removed once grey hairs started to appear. I like grey on a man - distinguished and all of that. Shut up, he says.

Men’s hair, he goes on, was kept very short or shaven, the vainer amongst them would have had their hair curled with curling irons

Oh I think I have an old set of curling irons in my bedroom drawer, would he come over so that I can practice on him...no he says, he's busy he says, all week he says...

So what about for us girls Terry? Women’s hair he says, would have been tied in a bun at the back of the neck, or coiled it into a knot at the top of the head. Alternatively the hair may have been adorned with ribbons or worn as ringlets.

Mmmm ringlets, mmmm curling irons..let me just check those curling irons still work...hang on he has not finished he says.

False hair and wigs would have often been used to create such flamboyant styles and many would have had their hair bleached blonde.

Bleach...wigs...oh I am so loving this.

Gotta go I tell him...so much to do I tell him. Curling irons, wigs and all that.

So if like me,your really feel like making like a bona fide Roman, then invest in a set of curling irons or check out your local hairdressing supplies and wig store.