Military dressing of roman high-rank officers

[Quintius Clavus]

I'm going to echo Matthew Amt - Yes the Romans were absolute fashion slaves, especially among the upper classes with TRADITION setting the fashion for senior officers. The Romans valued tradition and "the way things have always been done", probably more highly than they should have. Even those officers who started out in a lower social strata, like some during the Third Century crisis, adopted the fashion conventions of the upper classes once they too attained higher status. The right armored appearance, lorica musculata, attic or other "officer's" helmet, conveyed visually one's high social status.