ANCIENT GREEK COSTUME
5th c BC to 1st C AD
PAUL ANDERSEN
You have before you a very simple and unpretentious document, one not intended as an academic tome but a practical manual.
All garments have been personally constructed, draped, test run, and they work !!!.
The following are a few practical pointers regarding modern construction of ancient Greek clothing.
Materials: The only acceptable materials are linen and wool, although a percentage of natural fibre blends such as cotton is acceptable, as it doesnt adversely affect the appearance or draping quality of the base linen.
Construction: Whilst all non-visible seams may be machine sewn, all hems, sleeves and collars should be hand sewn to avoid highly visible machine stitching.
Fastenings: Garments not sewn together were fastened by long pins, fibulae, brooches or buttons of bone, wood.
Suppliers: The best and cheapest location to find linen, linen blends and wool are the Vietnamese Material Shops at Cabramatta, particularly "Hong Kong Fabrics". Failing this more expensive options such as Home Yardage & Lincraft stores usually carry some linen & wool blends.
Bone Buttons: The Bead Company, Hurstville
The following is a bibliography of useful costuming books:
J Sebesta & L Bonfante "The World of Roman Costume"
University of Wisconsin, 1994
ISBN 0-2999-13850-x
Francois Boucher "A History of Costume in the West"
Thames & Hudson, 1966
ISBN 0-500-27
John Warry Warfare in the Classical World
University of Oklahoma Presss
ISBN 0-8061-2794-5
CHITON
Worn By: Both sexes.
Construct: A rectangular piece of cloth approximately 1.5 to 2.5 to 3 meters long & at least 1 meter wide on the drop, which is sewn into a tube.
Length: Varied from mid-thigh to full length ankle versions.
Draping:
Variations: A more complex version is made from 2 pieces of cloth fastened or buttoned at the shoulders & sewn from belt level to the bottom of the drop.
Multiple fastenings of either fibulae (pins) or buttons were common.
EXOMIS
Worn By: Males.
Construct: A rectangular piece of cloth approx. 2 meters long and least 1 meter wide.
Length: Varied from genitalia exposing to just above knee length.
Draping:
II. The garment is then belted & the material arranged to drop evenly.
TUNIC
Worn By: Males
Construct: Two rectangular pieces of material approximately 80-90cm wide x 1meter long, sewn together at the top to leave a neck opening.
The body is cut to a broad "T" and sewn up the sides to leave adequate openings for the arms.
Length: From mid-thigh to ankle. Sleeves usually to crook of the arm.
Long sleeves were known but not common as they were considered a sign of weakness & effeminacy.
Draping:
HIMATION
The Greek version of the Roman Toga.
Worn By: Males
Construct: A long rectangular piece of material approximately 4 5 meters long and 1.2 1.5 meters wide.
Eg: For a Man 5"8" = 4.2m long & 1.4m wide
Length: Worn draped about the body from shoulder to ankle.
Draping:
Variations: The end of the garment can be drawn under the right arm & pinned over the left shoulder. The remaining material is thrown over the left arm, across the chest and over the right arm.
Lead weights could be sewn at the end points of the material to weigh them down and make the material sit straight.
PEPLOS - DORIC
Worn By: Females.
Construct: A rectangular piece of cloth approx. 2 meters long and least 3 meters wide.
Length: Folded over at the top and dropping full length to the ankle.
Draping:
Variations: A more complex version is made from 2 pieces of cloth pinned at the shoulders & sewn from the bottom of the drop to the belt level.
This allows more even arrangement of the folds of drapery from the waist.
PEPLOS - IONIC
Worn By: Females.
Construct: A rectangular piece of cloth approximately 2 meters long and least 4 meters wide.
Length: Full length to ankle.
Draping:
Variations: A more complex version is made from 2 pieces of cloth pinned at the shoulders & sewn from the bottom of the drop to the belt level.
This allows more even arrangement of the folds of drapery from the waist.
A long cord may be passed from the belt crossed between the breasts, passed under the shoulder fastenings, crossed over the back and fastened to the belt at the back to give a more fitted appearance.
CLOAKS & WRAPS
Rectangular Cloaks often referred to as Thessalian Cloaks appear to have been common.
These varied greatly not so much in length, generally about 2.5 meters long, but in width. Some were only a meter wide whilst others appear to have been 1.5 meters in width.
Thessalian Cloaks often had lead or bronze weights at the corners.
Circular cloaks were known, both long and short, but the most common type was called a Chlamys or short hunting cloak.
Short Thessalian Cloak Long Thessalian Cloak Chlamys
A form of poncho, either square cut or rounded seems to have enjoyed popularity in the 7th 5th centuries BC, particularly amongst the Etruscans.
Women wore a type of himation, a variety of rectangular wraps which were draped over forearms or shoulders (see wrap Peplos - Doric), and the mantle.
OTHER CLOTHING
Whilst footwear was known in quite a variety of shapes ranging from thongs, full and toeless sandals, to ankle & calf boots, most people went barefoot inside & out most of the time.
Hats were made from straw, felt and leather, in styles identical to many broad brimmed modern sun hats.
Paul Andersen