One subject of perpetual interest where women are concerned is that of dress and personal appearance.  The Roman woman emphatically pursued the cult of beauty and personal adornment.  Perhaps the first prayer which a mother offered for an expected daughter was that she should be beautiful.  Whether she proved so or not, no pains were spared to correct or supplement the work of nature.  It is true that fashion, except in the dressing of hair, underwent none of those rapid and astonishing changes which perplex the unsophisticated male of to-day.  Above all, there were no hats.  But all that gold and jewels, colours—­blue, green, yellow, violet—­and varied stuffs—­woollen, linen, muslin, and silk—­could do for dress was done by every typical woman of means; and every device for improving the complexion, the teeth, the hair, the height, and the figure—­which, by the way, never sought the wasplike waist—­was fully exploited.  We need not go too closely into details.  It will be enough to describe the ordinary attire and the ordinary methods of beautification.

[Illustration:  FIG. 91.—­TOILET SCENE. (Wall Painting.)]

The conventional indoor dress consisted of, first, an inner tunic, short and sleeveless, with a band passing over or under the breast, so as to produce something resembling what is called the Empire figure; second, an outer tunic of linen or half-silk, less often of whole silk, which fell to the feet.  The outer tunic was fastened on the shoulders with brooches; it had sleeves over the upper arm, and, in the case of adults but not of young girls, a flounce or furbelow at the bottom.  A girdle produced a fold under the breast.  The garment was commonly white, but might be bordered with coloured fringes and embroidery; for ladies of senatorial rank it bore the broad stripe worked in purple or gold.  On the feet sandals were often worn, but for out-of-doors these were replaced by soft shoes of white, coloured or gilded leather, sometimes studded with pearls or other gems.

[Illustration:  FIG. 92.—­WOMAN IN FULL DRESS.]

When a lady left the house she threw over the indoor dress a large mantle or shawl, much resembling the toga of the men, except that its colour was apparently what she pleased.  This article was passed over the left shoulder and under the right arm, which was left free; it then fell in graceful folds to the feet.  Works of art show that a fold of the shawl was frequently laid over the top and back of the head, for which no less becoming covering had yet been introduced.

[Illustration:  FIG-93.—­HAIRPINS.]