What do ancient greek women wear

New York: Oxford University Press, Pedley, John Griffiths. Greek Art and Archaeology. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo. Fourth-Century Styles in Greek Sculpture. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, The Archaic Style in Greek Sculpture.

Chicago: Ares, Robertson, Martin. A History of Greek Art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Stewart, Andrew. Greek Sculpture: An Exploration. New Haven: Yale University Press, Ancient Greece. The Greeks wore light, loose clothes as the weather was hot for most of the year. Long pieces of colourful fabric were used to make the Greek clothes.

The main item of clothing for men was a tunic , called a chiton , These were big squares of cloth, held in place by pins at the shoulders and a belt round the waist. They were made from wool in the winter or linen in the summer. Chitons also had knee-length for men and ankle-length for women. The undergarment that women wore around the mid-portion of the body was called strophion while the shawl that they wore over the tunic was called epiblema.

Some women wore a loose veil as well while at public places. The women also wore necklaces, made of gold and silver, and had earrings and bracelets. A rectangle, woolen, blanket-sized robe that men wore was called chlamys. It was a typical Greek military attire and when it was not used as a robe it was wrapped around the arm and used as a light shield in combat. During winter, Ancient Greeks wore the himation -a larger cloak worn over the peplos or chlamys. Her body is revealed under the folds of the himation thrown around the shoulders covering the head.

The veil makes a woman socially invisible allowing her to enjoy privacy while being in public. The custom of wearing a veil in public has been associated with Eastern civilizations. Ancient Greeks often tied ropes or fabric belts around the center of their garments to cinch their waists. Using belts and girdles, Greek women adjusted their floor-length chitons and peploi to the desired length.

While the tunic was the basic garment, it could also be an undergarment. Another feminine style involved wrapping one long belt around the area of the chest or below it. Under their garments, women used to wear a breast belt or a breast band called the strophion. It was a large woolen strip of cloth, a version of the modern bra, wrapped around the breasts and shoulders. Both men and women sometimes wore triangular underwear, called perizoma.

When she doesn't write about fashion and art, she watches biographical films and reads about different cultures. Are you enjoying this article? Sign up to our Free Weekly Newsletter. Please check your inbox to activate your subscription Thank you! Read more by Stella Polyzoidou. By Stella Polyzoidou, in Artists. Popular Articles in Ancient History. By Robert C. Holmes, in Ancient History.