Cretan Costumes. If you have ever felt that the ancient costume lacked what we call “style,” behold this snappy, chic little Cretan goddess! With her short-sleeved, closely fitting jacket, full flounced skirt and wasp waist, headgear, loops, and sashes. She might have been the very latest word from Paris a generation ago.
Cretan Goddess
Greek Costumes. When we speak of Greek costumes, we usually think of those upon Greek statues, such as the Athena and Artemis. Since these are in marble or in plaster of Paris, it is quite natural that we should think of the Greek costume as being white. It is interesting to learn, however, that Greek costumes showed a great variety of colors.
Greek Costumes: Man and Woman
The favorite colors were deep purple, red, and yellow. There was a very dark blue and a green described as the color of unripe grapes or frog colored. The materials used, were linen, wool, sometimes cotton, and silk. The costumes worn by the common people were of coarsely woven wool. The finest weaving was worn by the people of wealth. Design was important in the Greek costume. Sometimes it was an all over symmetrical pattern or a floral or an animal pattern. Even the human figure was used as a motif. A fragment having a naturalistic design of ducks embroidered in gold and green on a dark brown background has been found. These designs were sometimes woven into the material, sometimes embroidered, and very frequently painted upon the materials. Border designs beaten out in thin gold were not infrequently stitched onto the dress.
The chief and indispensable garment of a Greek woman was her peplos, which was a piece of material sewed together, open at top and bottom, and reaching from the neck to the feet. The width was equal to the extended arms. It was fastened over the shoulders with a kind of pin or fibula and about the waist with a girdle. Under this she wore a short undergarment. A similar but much shorter and simpler chiton was sometimes worn by the Greek men. The outer garment for both men and women was a kind of cloak or mantle made from an oblong of wool, 7 or 8 feet long by 5 or 6 feet wide. There were many ways of wearing this garment which was called the “himation.” Here is a description of the toilet of the Goddess Hera: “Then she clad her in her fragrant robe, that Athena wrought delicately for her, and therein set many things beautifully made, and fastened it over her breast with clasps of gold. And she girdled it with a girdle arrayed with a hundred tassels, and she set earrings in her pierced ears—earrings of three drops and glistening—and therefrom shone grace abundantly. And with a veil over all, the peerless goddess veiled herself—a fair, new veil, bright as the sun, and beneath her shining feet she bound goodly sandals.” (Lang, Leaf, & Myers.)
Roman Costumes
Soldier| | | Lady| | | Noble