Ancient Greek Fashion

Ancient Greece was known for many things; right from the beautiful art to the very rich literature. Ancient Greek fashion was equally interesting and had certain characteristic features about it. Women in ancient Greece were quite modest as far as their clothing was concerned. Here is a detailed look at how people dressed in ancient Greece.

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Types of Clothing
The kind of clothing worn in ancient Greece was loose and flowing, and the garments were rarely sewn together. The fabrics used were mainly linen or wool. There were certain typical garments that belonged to this period. Women also wore a veil with their clothing whenever they stepped out of the house. In fact, the ancient Greek fashion was quite modern in its outlook as far as men were concerned to the extent that male nudity was really not a big deal in ancient Greece.

Chiton

The chiton was worn in the olden days in Greece by men as well as women. This form of clothing was quite popular due to its comfort. The chiton could be worn with a himation (a kind of cloak) or it could be worn without it as well. When worn without the himation, it was known as the monochiton. The chiton appeared on the scenario after the Persian invasion. A belt was also worn with the chiton, which was called the zoster. The chiton was seen in two varieties - the Doric chiton and the Ionic chiton. The Doric chiton consisted of two pieces of cloth, which were rectangular in shape, and was worn long. The Ionic chiton differed from the Doric chiton in terms of the overfold. The overfold was worn longer on the Doric chiton.

Himation
The himation represented a form of outdoor wear. The himation was also an important garment of ancient Greek clothing. This was generally made from a rectangular piece of wool. With the use of lighter fabrics, the himation could be worn at any time of the day. It was also used as a form of drapery to be worn over the chiton. The himation can be compared to the Roman toga, the only difference being that the himation has less volume in the fabric. When worn solo, the himation was known as the achiton. This piece of clothing can be compared to the modern cloaks worn today.

Peplos

Women often wore the peplos and these go back to the period before 500 BC. This can be described as a piece of woolen material which was styled as per the height of the wearer. The peplos consisted of a tubular-shaped cloth. This was folded from the inside out. The top area of the tube usually gathered at the waist and the bottom area extended till the ankles. The cloth on the upper area was brought underneath the left arm. This was secured with the help of tapes or pins on the right shoulder. The top layer of the cloth, which draped the waist often gave the appearance of two pieces of cloth. There were certain types of patterns that were used for the peplos. Some of the common patterns included checks, flowers, waves or even stripes. When women wore the peplos, the arms were generally left bare.

Chlamys
The chlamys also had a flowy appearance and was mainly worn by the soldiers in ancient Greece. The chlamys was used as a cloak and was pinned at the right shoulder. It was an apt form of clothing for the soldiers due to its light fabric and the flowy material. During winter, the soldiers used this piece of clothing as a cover to keep themselves warm.

Jewelry and Makeup
Jewelry formed a significant part of ancient Greek fashion. This was discovered with the findings of jewelry at the Greek sites which proves that women in ancient Greece loved to wear all sorts of jewelry with their flowing garments. Bracelets, earrings and beautiful necklaces were worn with Greek attire. Even men were not left behind as far as fashion was concerned. It is known that men wore jewelry till the 4th century.

Ancient Greek women also used makeup. Pale or light skin was considered a status symbol for women. Women used honey and olive oil to improve their skin. They often used substances as a substitute for cosmetics for enhancing their looks. Dark powder was dusted over the eyebrows and red powder was used over their lips. Women also loved to wear their hair long during this period.
Thus, we can see the ever-changing scenario of fashion since the ancient days. Greek fashion is popular even today with celebrities wearing toga-inspired dresses to red carpet events. Wear this fashion with a modern touch and give yourself a Greek goddess look.