The Ionic Chiton
The costume of these people consisted practically of only two garments for men and women alike—nothing more than rectangular pieces of material—but the manner of wearing them required care, management and perfect taste. These garments were called by the Greeks: THE CHITON and THE HIMATION, but are commonly known to us as "The Tunic" and "The Mantle." The last six centuries B.C. and the nineteenth and twentieth centuries A.D. share a distinction in the history of costume, as being the only periods in which women have dominated the fashions. The women were compelled by law to change their attire, as it was found that the large pins by which the earlier "peplos"* was fastened proved dangerous weapons in the hands of infuriated women, whereas the Ionic chiton generally required no pins.
The Crinkled Ionic Chiton
The top part. The crinkled Ionic chiton was shaped like the original garment, but made of even thinner material, almost transparent, for the limbs could be seen through it. It was necessarily thinner, as more material was required in its width. It is seen on statues, the top part being crinkled in some way, in zig-zag or wavy lines, to about the hip level, where it is turned under and secured by an invisible waist-belt. It was fastened by buttons or clasps, or sewn as described earlier, to form sleeves. The skirt part was not crinkled, but, being very full, it hung in many flat folds, which gave a zig-zag effect at the bottom edge.
The Doric Chiton
The Doric Chiton, 550 B.C. {circa)-A.D. 100 About the same time, or shortly after the introduction of the Ionic chiton, a variation of the peplos was adapted under the name of the Doric chiton. It was worn simultaneously with the Ionic chiton, even to the end of the first century A.D., as may be seen on many vase paintings and pieces of sculpture. It was made of fine woollen material and woven complete in itself
The Himtation. A garment worn in Greece and Rome between 550 B.C. and 300 A.D.
From this time onward another garment, distinct in itself, came into general use, and remained until the end of the Classic Greek Period. This was the himation, an essential part of a Greek woman's costume, and indispensable with the Ionic chiton. It was often worn in the house, and always out of doors. In shape it resembled a shawl, and was an oblong piece of woollen or linen material, twelve to fifteen feet long, and in breadth about equal to the height of the wearer.
The Chiton
The early chiton. At the beginning of the sixth century B.C. men followed the example of the women by adopting the Ionic chiton for general use. The masculine variety was a shortened version of the original worn by the women, and reached to just above the knees. In its early stage (sixth century B.C.) it was no more than a rectangular piece of linen, or wool, folded round the body and fastened on each shoulder by buttons or brooches, and round the waist by a girdle; or it could be girded under the arms. It was worn open down one side, and these two edges were usually finished off with a fringe, probably the raw edges left in the weaving.
The Crinkled Chiton and the Clamys (left) and the Chiton (right)
The later chiton. Approximately at the beginning of the fifth century B.C., the chiton was made on the same principle as the women's Ionic chiton using wider material; and was bound or worked at the top edge, with the portion covering the upper arms slightly gathered. This part was buttoned or clasped back to front, and. later on sometimes sewn together, to form a sleeve. It was girded at the waist and under the arms. It eventually became customary to sew up the open side, thus making the garment a cylinder in shape. The figure on left is a young man wearing a crinkled chiton under the chlamys. His long hair is twisted up and banded. He carries his petasos in his hand. The figure on right represents a young man dressed in accordance with the fashion of the fifth century B.C., but his hair is of the sixth and fifth centuries. The lyre is a development of the more primitive instrument of an earlier Age.
The Kolobus, 400-146 B. C.
The figure represents a man of this particular epoch (400-146 B.C.) wearing the kolobus ornamented with bands of embroidery. It is girded at the waist, and a himation of small dimensions is draped over the left shoulder, ready for the other end to be thrown over it. He wears the pilos and his hair has been allowed to grow longer than heretofore, in accordance with the new fashion of this age. If this young man had desired to be in the height of fashion, he would have had long close-fitting sleeves added to his kolobus.
The Himation, 600-146 B.C.
The Himation was not exclusively a feminine garment; it was also worn by men. It was an oblong piece of material, woven with a border, and in dimensions approximately eighteen feet by six feet. During the sixth century of the Classic Period, it was often the sole garment worn. How to wear it. It was draped over the left arm, with one end hanging in front, the rest of the material being drawn across the back, round the body on the right side, and over the left shoulder again. As civilisation progressed, it was deemed necessary by ordinary men to add an under-garment—either the chiton or the kolobus.
Peasants (600 - 146 BC)
The following excerpt from Homer's Odyssey, XXIV. 225, gives details of the costume worn by peasants of an earlier period, and this description applies equally to the dress of peasants between the years 600 and 146 B.C. He was clothed in a filthy chiton, patched and unseemly, with clouted leggings of ox-hide bound about his legs, against the scratches of the thorns, and long sleeves over his hands by reason of the brambles, and on his head he wore a goatskin cap. "Sleeves " did not mean arm-coverings in the way the term is generally understood, but were pieces of hide tied or laced round the forearm, wrist and hand, leaving the fingers free, with possibly a hole for the thumb. This was the first Glove.
The Peplos
The peplos was the chief garment of the Achaean women of the early Archaic Period (circa 1200-600 B.C.). In shape it was a rectangular piece of material, often heavily embroidered and consequently of a solid texture. It was put on in the manner of the Doric chiton, but being made of more substantial stuff it was wrapped tightly round the figure without folds, girded at the waist and open up one side, the top part falling back over the chest and back. It was fastened on the shoulders, and often down the side,by large pins.