Western World Costume. Carolyn G. Bradley
companionship with the hetaerae, a class of independent, educated women of Athens. These women were usually foreigners who were not permitted to marry men who were citizens of Greece. One of the most famous of this class was Aspasia whose salon was frequented by all the great men of the time. She was not only intelligent but a charming personality and a leader of fashion who wore her costume in a distinctive way. It is said that a few of her male friends introduced their wives to her and that she urged them to seek to improve themselves intellectually so that they could be better companions of their husbands.
The Dorians were only at the pastoral stage of development when they invaded the Cretan territories. Soon after they were in their new environment, the Dorian man took over the duties of farming, various types of handicraft, and engaged in commerce. The majority of the inhabitants worked in agriculture, producing animal products, vegetables and grains, cultivating olive trees for oil and grape vines for wine. All forms of manual labor, commerce, and business were considered degrading by the aristocratic Athenian; work of this kind was left to their social inferiors.
DRESS
1 Sources of information: frescoes from Cnossos, frieze of the Parthenon, and temple of Zeus, paintings, pottery, sculpture, monuments, Tanagra figures, medals, and literature.
2 MEN (Minoan or Cretan Period, 2800-1200 B.C.)Garments:Outer upper and outer lower: loin cloth.Under: loin cloth.Cloaks and overgarments: short mantle or cape fastened at one shoulder.Hair: hair often concealed by helmet; looped and knotted with hairpin at top extending through metal helmet; short hair signified mourning.Headdress: helmet and broad-brimmed hat.Footwear: richly embroidered shoe and half-boot with heel of moderate height.Accessories: dagger inlaid with golden figures worn in broad belt.Jewelry: necklace; rings; bracelets for wrist and upper arm; jeweled pin on mantle.Typical Colors: gay colors; blue-black, purplish-brown, white, yellow-green, gray, and white.Typical Materials: patterned fabric used for loin cloth.Make-up: apparently none.
3 WOMEN (Minoan or Cretan, 2800-1200 B.C.)Garments:Outer upper: short-sleeved bodice, low neckline, very small waist.Outer lower: ankle-length, bell-shaped skirt with flounces.Hair: several strands of curled hair to waist, remainder of hair in elaborate knot.Headdress: tall-crowned, narrow-brimmed hat.Footwear: shoe with moderately high heel; often barefoot.Accessories: ornamental stick pin; beautiful gold buttons.Jewelry: long string of beads; golden necklace; ring; bracelet for wrist or upper arm.Typical Colors: refer to B. 7.Typical Materials: patterned cloth.Make-up: apparently none.
4 MEN (Homeric or Archaic, 1200-510 B.C.)Garments:Outer upper and outer lower: long chiton worn by young and old at first; then knee-length Ionic chiton, sometimes open down one side with the edges fringed; later, open side sewed; by 5th century B.C., similar to woman’s Ionic chiton with portion on upper arm gathered; later, long chiton worn only by older man, by the 5th century B.C., short chiton for young man; double-girded Doric chiton, worn by athlete; chiton shaped or cut away under arm; crinkled chiton also used; kolpos; apotygma; kolobus.Cloaks and overgarments: himation sometimes worn alone with no other garment, the only garment worn by philosopher or very learned man; chlamys introduced, c. 500 B.C.; ephebi.1. Caul 2. Cap with Small Brim 3. Phrygian Cap 4. Pilos 5. Fillet6. Doric Chiton 7. Ionic Chiton 8. Ephebi, Sandal 9. CeryphalosHair: long hair usually done up in braids, knot, curls, or coil, and held by band; long braids crossed in back, the 2 ends fastened in front; short hair above forehead combed to conceal ears; long hair worn by elderly man; hair cut in honor of the dead; short hair worn by athlete; beard of soft wavy curls or stiff and pointed, without mustache, young man beardless.Headdress: petasus; pilos; Phrygian cap; fillet, net or kerchief, or wide bands worn by athletes and charioteers; purple petasus draped with white scarf, signifying royalty; brim of petasus sometimes in 4 sections, with 2 turned up; small skull cap under helmet of warrior; himation and chlamys often thrown over head, stephane.Footwear: generally very elaborate; barefoot, or sandal worn in the house; sandal with straps wrapped around leg; ankle-height shoe, often laced from foot to top of shoe; shoe probably made on last, construction of right and left shoes followed the shape of the foot; high boot for horseman and hunter; boot with large tongue; buskin; cothurnus; carabitina.Accessories: long walking stick; utilitarian glove for boxing, gardening, eating hot food and kneading bread; wax tablet or roll and stylus; olive wreath over woolen fillet signifying victor in Olympics; ivy wreath for winner of recitations honoring Dionysus, and victor in dramatic contests; laurel and parsley for bard, orator and poet; myrtle wreath for Aphrodite, goddess of love, and as an emblem of peace and plenty; olive for Athena, goddess of the arts; oak leaves for Zeus, king of earth and air, also worn at religious festival; garland of wild parsley worn at funeral; wreath of fresh flowers, worn by man at banquet; sunshade sometimes used by dandy.Jewelry: beautiful workmanship, yellow gold, silver, and bronze; usually not set with jewels; plain gold band worn by royalty, jeweled band for king, lord, and various divinities; fibula and stephane decorated with jewels; seal ring; gold pins and ornament worn in hair, before 5th century B.C.Typical Colors: various bright colors for chiton and himation, saffron, blue, and Tyrian or red-purple dye from the mullusk; red and yellow, at border of apotygma and tunic; other colors used were dark red, brilliant red, and vermilion; blue, in paintings, but not in dyes; indigo, yellow ochre, emerald green, veridian, apple green, gray, brown, and black; white for aristocracy; black, purple, dark green, and gray for mourning; green, gray, and brown worn by peasant; white, real gold, and silver used in embroidery; later, colors in the Hellenic Period less vivid, spotlessness, sign of good breeding; plain colors or all white used; gold, saffron, and purple, purple cothurnus; gilded sandal worn by nobility; yellow, white, red, and natural-colored sandal, by others.Typical materials: expertly woven cloth, horizontal and upright looms used; linen, wool, and hemp for chiton; Doric chiton, at first of wool, Ionic chiton, or semitransparent material of silk or linen; cloth used in garments made by the mistress and daughters of the house and by the maid servants; all-over patterns on cloth, painted, dyed, or embroidered; sometimes, painted or gold-decorated borders embroidered or woven into garment; narrow gold plates and pliable wire worked into material; fret borders, and all-over patterns of sprigs, flowers, and leaves, woven into woolen or crinkled linen cloth; forms of domesticated animals and wild beasts also used in designs which were copied from the Persian weaver who in turn had taken the idea from India; later, transparent linen woven in olive oil; coarse woolen and hemp; some furs worn, skin of lion, leopard, and goat.Make-up: great care used in being well groomed; manicure, perfume.
5 WOMEN (Homeric or Archaic, 1200-510 B.C.)Garments:Outer upper and outer lower: short or long peplos, forerunner of chiton, 1200-600 B.C.; long chiton; Doric chiton, 550 B.C.-A.D. 100, girded or ungirded, narrow at first; natural waist line; chiton sometimes ornamented with scrolls and dots; double girded chiton worn by Spartan woman; Ionic chiton, 600 B.C.-A.D. 200; crinkled Ionic chiton, more transparent than Doric type; sometimes, Doric chiton worn over Ionic chiton; kolpos; apotygma.Under: strophion; undertunic.Cloaks and overgarments: elaborately draped himation; chlamys, sometimes twisted and worn as girdle; diplax; diploidon; skin of leopard or other animal worn by huntress.Hair: stiffly waved on forehead, giving effect of scalloped edge; side ringlets and coronet of stiff curls on forehead, with hair hanging down back and over shoulder in snake-like curls, often held in place by fillet.Headdress: sometimes unadorned; fillet or wreath worn around head; fillet narrow at first, later becoming wider; miter worn by lady of rank; tiara; diadem; ampyx; ceryphalos; bandeau; stephane; petasus worn as protection from sun; Phrygian cap; veil or small chlamys draped over the head; flame-colored, semitransparent veil held in place by gold fillet, worn by bride; himation worn pulled up over the head, as a head or face covering; head covered for mourning and for performing sacrifices; veil worn with peplos; gold ribbon or string of pearls wrapped around head several times.Footwear: often barefoot; shoes, when worn, usually the most costly article of feminine dress; low open-work shoe; wooden or leather sole with thongs worn in earliest times; strip covering toes, used later; decorated or soft sandal; high-heeled sandal occasionally used to increase height.Accessories: mirror and vanity case; courtesan distinguishable by hand-mirror; long-handled fan of leaves or feathers, carried by slave; fan showing Egyptian, Assyrian, or Persian influence, later of linen or silk, always with a long handle; parasol of linen or silk, smaller than those used by the Assyrian and the Persian, also used over sacrifice, and chariot; girdle of beautiful and intricate metal work; ornamental hairpins of gold or carved ivory; stiletto to hold hair in place.Jewelry: yellow gold, worked in beautiful