Stola This created the illusion of layers, a symbol of wealth and status. Stolas were made in a variety of colors including red, yellow, and blue. Decorations were also added to the neckline and hem. For common women, these would be a simple band of color or pattern. For wealthier women, more details and embellishments were used. A wide ornamental border called an instita was often used around the neckline and hem as a display of wealth. Stola The stola was the traditional garment of Roman women, corresponding to the toga, that was worn by men. The stola was usually woollen.
Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company mill at that time. Whilst most industry in Ipswich provided employment opportunities for the adult males, the cloth industry employed hundreds of women. The largest single employer of female labour in Ipswich was The Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company; in 1891 the firm employed 152 women of a total of 226 employees. Those living in Ipswich at this time patronised local industry; the flannel made by The Queensland Woollen Manufacturing Company was a favourite cloth used by the women for making work clothes for men. The garments made within the mill were also popular with the industrial workers and miners in Ipswich.