Greek Fashion
Fashion in ancient Greece revolved centrally around a system of draping one or two pieces of woolen or linen cloth. Women's tunics were often ankle-length, whereas men's tunics could go as short as the knees, sometimes shorter. Greek fashion was as much about utility as aesthetics, and the loose-fitting garments allowed for liberal movement and warmth in the colder seasons, and lightness and mobility in the warmer months. Below you will find a guide to ancient Greek fashion, and a few how-to steps to recreate the styles on your own.
Chiton
The chiton was worn by both men and women, appearing in Greece after the Persian invasion in the early 5th century. The garment consists of two pieces of cloth, usually pleated linen, rectangular and long, and most often worn with a belt and bloused out to create an overfold. Examples of the chiton include the Porch Maidens and the Caryatids of the Erectheum.
Himation
The himation was a piece of outdoor wear, made with a rectangular piece of fabric folded into a cloak-like drape to be worn over the chiton. The himation is a protective piece of clothing but often made with lighter fabrics and comparable to the toga in these stages.
Peplos
The peplos was women's garb. Created with a piece of cylindrical woolen material, the peplos was cinched and gathered at the waist, brought underneath the left arm and fastened over the right shoulder, usually with something ornamental. The waist was gathered with a girtle, and the cloth was often patterned.
Chlamys
The chlamys was a cloak-like garment pinned at the right shoulder, worn by the soldiers of Greece as a protectice covering.
Colors
Colors were heavily symbolic in Greek fashion. As in many societies, dark veils symbolized mourning, but more often they were a dark indigo than black. Other common colors include violet, green, and gray. As time went on, nearing 400 BC, ancient Greek women began to favor brighter colors and newer styles.
Accessories and Hair
Long hair was popular in ancient Greece, held together and styled with scented waxes and lotions in ponytails or braids. Headbands were also a popular accessory, made from metal or ribbon as ornamental jewelry or to functionally manage hair in the front of the head. Ancient Greeks, both men and women, favored perfume a great deal. To create it, men and women would boil flowers and create a concentrated lotion or wax to be applied to the wrists and neck.
See here for more information on all of these garments.