4.12 Ancient Greek Clothes, Fashion, & Jewelry Lesson for Kids

Get to know the culture of ancient Greece through their clothes, fashion, and jewelry. Explore the characteristics of ancient Greek fashion, who wore dyed fabrics, and the three main items of clothing. Finally, discover the characteristics of popular jewelry.

Ancient Greek Clothing

Wasn’t it so much fun to collect wool from a sheep the last time you needed to make your own clothing? What? You mean, you don’t make your own fabric and clothing? You go to a store and shop for new clothes. Well, in ancient Greece, there were no clothing stores! Anytime people needed clothing they had to make their own or have it made!

Linen and wool were two of the most common fabrics used for clothing in ancient Greece. Linen was made from flax plants and was a lighter material, used in warmer weather. Wool was made from the fleece of sheep and was a warmer material, used in colder weather.

Both men and women wore loose fitted clothing, often draped and pinned, and there were three main types:

1. The chiton was a simple tunic made of two pieces of cloth sewn together on the sides and connected at the shoulders with holes for the head and arms. It was worn by men and women.
2. Women also wore a longer tunic called a peplos, which was an extra large piece of material that was first folded down partway to double over the waist, then belted at the waist and pinned at the shoulder.
3. Over the chiton or peplos, a piece of fabric called a himation was worn. It was worn by both men and women like a wrap, similar to a toga.

What if everything piece of clothing you wore was white? That might be kind of boring! Well, those in ancient Greece who were poor did not have much of a choice. They could not afford fancy clothing or fabric with colors. Families that were wealthy were able to afford dye to color their clothing and had more options for different types of colorful fabric.

We have the luxury of wearing many types of shoes. Whether gym shoes, sandals, or dress shoes, we have many choices! However, ancient Greeks had leather sandals and sometimes leather boots. It wasn’t uncommon for people to walk around barefoot!

1. Main points:

The text describes how people in ancient Greece made their own clothing, primarily using linen and wool, and the different styles of clothing they wore. It also compares their limited clothing options and footwear with the diverse choices we have today.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What were the two most common fabrics used in ancient Greek clothing?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: How did wealth influence the color and variety of clothing in ancient Greece?
• Thematic Analysis: What are the three main types of clothing that people in ancient Greece wore?

3. Further Discussion:

If you lived in ancient Greece, which type of fabric would you prefer to wear—linen or wool—and why?

4. Answers:

• The two most common fabrics used for clothing in ancient Greece were "Linen and wool."
• Wealth influenced the color and variety of clothing in ancient Greece because "Families that were wealthy were able to afford dye to color their clothing."
• The three main types of clothing people in ancient Greece wore were the "chiton," "peplos," and "himation."

So kiddo, isn’t it interesting how different life was in ancient Greece? What fabric would you choose if you lived back then? Linen or wool? 🤔

Ancient Greek Jewelry

Greeks that were wealthy wore a lot of jewelry. Gold and gems were favorites in ancient Greece. The Greeks learned how to make jewelry with gems such as emeralds, pearls, and amethysts. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, armbands, and thigh bands were some of the most popular types of accessories worn. Some women even had jewels sewn into the fabric of their clothing.

1. Main points:

The text describes how wealthy Greeks in ancient times wore a variety of jewelry made from gold and precious gems, and even incorporated jewels into the fabric of their clothing.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What types of accessories were popular among wealthy Greeks?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: How did wealth influence the kind of jewelry and accessories worn?
• Thematic Analysis: What materials were commonly used in ancient Greek jewelry?

3. Further Discussion:

Would you like to have jewels sewn into your clothes like some wealthy ancient Greeks did, and why?

4. Answers:

• The popular types of accessories among wealthy Greeks were "Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, armbands, and thigh bands."
• Wealth influenced the kind of jewelry and accessories because those who were "wealthy wore a lot of jewelry. Gold and gems were favorites in ancient Greece."
• The materials commonly used in ancient Greek jewelry were "Gold and gems such as emeralds, pearls, and amethysts."

Hey kiddo, can you imagine having jewels like emeralds or pearls sewn right into your clothes? How fancy would that be! Would you want something like that? 🤩

Fashion in Ancient Greece

How do you think you would look with a unibrow? Weird? Both men and women of ancient Greece connected their eyebrows to make one long eyebrow! They used dark, charcoal colored powder to connect their eyebrows together.

Makeup was an important part of fashion in ancient Greece. Women of wealth spent most of their time indoors and did not have much contact with the sun, which meant they did not have much color on their face. Most women wanted to appear wealthy, so using makeup to appear pale was a common practice. They would color their skin with white chalk or white lead to make it look lighter. Red paste made from clay or beeswax was used to color lips and cheeks red.

Women liked to wear their hair long, often with braids, curls, ribbon, or headbands. They did this so they could look distinctly different from women who were slaves because slaves had to cut their hair short. Men kept their hair short, but in early ancient Greece, they often grew beards.

1. Main points:

The text explains ancient Greek beauty and fashion practices, from unibrows and makeup to how men and women styled their hair, and how these styles were influenced by social status.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What did ancient Greeks use to create a unibrow?
• Socio-cultural Analysis: Why did women in ancient Greece like to wear their hair long?
• Ideological Analysis: What underlying belief influenced the use of makeup to appear pale in ancient Greece?

3. Further Discussion:

Would you ever consider having a unibrow if it became a popular fashion statement again? Why or why not?

4. Answers:

• Ancient Greeks used "dark, charcoal colored powder" to create a unibrow.
• Women in ancient Greece wore their hair long to look "distinctly different from women who were slaves," as slaves had to cut their hair short.
• The underlying belief influencing the use of makeup to appear pale was that women of "wealth spent most of their time indoors and did not have much contact with the sun," so appearing pale was seen as a sign of wealth.

So, what do you think? Would you want to try out a unibrow like the ancient Greeks, or would you stick to modern styles? 😄

Lesson Summary

Ancient Greek clothing was made of linen or wool and included three main items:

1. The chiton, a simple tunic worn by men and women
2. The peplos, a longer tunic worn only by women
3. The himation, a long piece of fabric used like a wrap over a tunic

Gold jewelry bedazzled with gems was popular, and women often wore white face makeup and red cheek and lip makeup. Most Greeks wore just white clothing, although richer people could afford to dye their clothes with bright colors.