A tunic is a loose-fitting garment that hangs from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and knees, like a long shirt or short dress. In ancient Rome and Greece, tunics were everyday clothing for many people: soldiers wore them under their armor, merchants wore them in the marketplace, and children played in them. The Roman tunic was usually made of wool or linen and looked somewhat like an oversized T-shirt that reached to the knees.

Today, tunics appear in many forms. You might wear a tunic over leggings, or see one as part of a school uniform in some countries. Many traditional costumes around the world feature tunics: the Indian kurta and the Middle Eastern thobe are both tunic-like garments adapted to different climates and cultures.

While togas get more attention in stories about ancient Rome, the tunic was actually what Romans wore most of the time. The toga was formal wear saved for special occasions, but the comfortable, practical tunic was what people lived their daily lives in.