What about those skirts?

[M. Demetrius]

Augustus was just a big showoff. Which of us can afford seven hand-woven tunics? Hmph.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yes, after all, just because onehigh ranking Roman does something, it surely can't mean the rest of the Romans would do it.
Especially low paid legionaries....what a thought! :roll:

[Crispvs]

I think that you will find that wearing just two woollen tunics under your armour with make you feel a lot more comfortable in the cold. In any case, I doubt you could actually get any armour on over seven tunics. As I said, extra layers on your torso, along with a layer of wool over your feet and lower legs will keep you nice and warm while those around you are all complaining of the cold.
Two years ago I was at Dover castle for a three day weekend. Over that weekend we had around eight inches of rain (estimated from the level of water which built up in a metal bucket which had been left outside for the duration of the weekend) and the strength of the wind coming in from the sea meant that virtually all of the other groups who were there had packed up and gone home by lunchtime on the second day after several tents had been badly torn by the wind and some injuries sustained. Needless to say, it was bitterly cold. Added to that, by day three I had had three successive nights of badly broken sleep as the rain progressively made the ground soggier and soggier and the wind pulled up my tent pegs, despite the tent being pitched in a relatively sheltered spot. I had to get up several times each night to go out into the rain and peg the tent down again. During the third night I had to get up an even dozen times to re-peg the tent. It should go without saying therefor that by day three I should have been at a very low ebb and much more suseptable to feeling the cold much more keenly. However, during day three I was wearing woven socks, leg wraps, a linen undertunic, two woollen tunics and a paenula, as well as my hard kit. I did not feel at all cold and was quite comfortable standing outside for half an hour or more in the wind and rain, talking to the handful of brave punters who had braved the elements to visit the castle that day (most of whom were wearing hats, scarves, gloves and waterproof jackets and trousers and all of whom were complaining of the cold) as I was finding the (barely heated) atmosphere in the English Heritage marquis (which by then was the only tent still up) rather too warm for my level of clothing. Trousers were certainly not necessary. :wink:

Crispvs

[M. Demetrius]

Right, Byron. Which of us could afford over 1,500 USD of woolen tunics? Not this fairly impecunious specimen of a reenactor, for sure.

[aquilifer]

I have also found that as long as ones heart is warm, the extremities stay "comfortable"... until frostbite sets in! In other words if my upper body is toasty warm, the rest of me follows!

Meh not for me though, My upper body and legs can be perfectly warm yet my hands and feet are almost impossible to get warm

[garrelt]

Meh not for me though, My upper body and legs can be perfectly warm yet my hands and feet are almost impossible to get warm

Closed shoes, needle binding socks and mittens will help. :wink:

[jvrjenivs]

yeah, I still believe you can distinguish a good seasoned re-enactor just by looking at his boots and winter clothing

and yeah, when you do a decent job on Roman winter clothing, you're probably better clothed as with modern stuff agains rain and cold.