The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-18


dress. for instances. most people think Of IN,
marbles. while. as regards male garments
their minds at once refer to the figure Of soph
ocles In the Lateran. or Of the Esehines o.
Naples AZ matter Of fact It IL entirely wronf
TO regard the costumes OF these figures a.
typical Of Greek dress. They represent neitheI
the costume Of all Hellas nor that Of the whole
classical age Generally speaking, one mus
distinguish both In male and female Greek
costumes two kinds Of garments. first. those
which are cut In certain shape and
partly stitched. and secondly. NANTES oil
various shapes which are drapsd on the na.
ure. and only acquire their form by means oil
this drspinR. As a rule. II IL the under gar
ments which are stitched. while the upper
garments are draped. The Nance which were
used throughout almost the whole Of Greek
antiquity for the two chief articles OF dress
were. for the under garment, chiffon; for the
upper garment, himatiop. These terms were
employed for both male and female clothes.
At Athens aud throughout 1onia the long linen
chiffon remained as the under dress OF older
people till shortly before the time OF Thucydi-
des. Then IL was discarded or reserved for
the richer classes and for festive occasions.
while the short woollen chiffon became
thencsforward the universal dress. This 10
usually found on vases in the form OF a
widish garment sewn together below the
girdle. and above IL. divided into two parts. q
front and back piece. put on in such manner
as to be fastened together by pins or Hbule
on the shoulder. II the chiffon was allowed to
fall quite free IL usually went down about as
far as the knees; but II was customary when
unimpeded movement was required, to draw
up a part above the girdle and let 1t fall In
folds below It Subsequently chitons were
made with the upper parts sewn together. and
with armholes or short sleeves. which.
however. never covered more than a part
OF the upper arm. Long sleeves falling to
the hand belong exclusively to barbarian cos
tunes. From the time OF Thucydldes onward
the nam himation was used for the cloak worn
over the chiffon. while what had been the alter
native term. chlaina. was only retained for
special kind OF cloak, distinct rather by Its
material than by its shape. Wehave called the
himation n cloak. but perhaps It should rather
be called mantle for 1t was four cornered.
and probably an oblonH piece OF cloth. II the
right arm was to be kept Free the hlmation
was drawn through under the right shout
der and in front. folded across the body and
chest while the end OF 1t was thrown back
across the left shoulder or else over the left
arm. The other mode OF wearing II, and the
one commonly followed By the ordinary citi-
zen was to draw the cloak over the right arm
and shoulder so that. at most. the right hand
was exposed. and then to throw It back again
over the left shoulder. This arrangement was
facilitated by small weights OF clay or lead
sewn on the points. which helped to keep the
cloak firmly in its place. It was. however.
q special art which required practice. and
probably also assistance. to produce beautiful
and harmonious drapery with the himation.
and the social position OF the wearer was
disclosed by the way in which he wore
his mantle. which ought neither to be
drawn up too far nor fall too low. At home.
as rule. only the chiffon was worn. 1t was
not considered seemly to be seen thus In the
street It was just as incorrect to appear only
in the him alton without the chiffon. The abb
sence OF the chiffon is very comm on in works OF
nrt. but this is . liberty taken by artists to
avoid concealinR the body entirely by the
dress. Shirts and trousers were unknown IN
Greek male dress the latter were Oriental and
appear only on monuments representing bar
bsrians. The voman's chiffon o. peplos DIFF
fered from q mans by being longer: 1t de-
scended to the feet. fitting closely to tho 1g-
ure. and was provided with an opening for
head and arms. The girdle was worn
rather low down. not Immediately under the
breasts. or round the waist. but round the
hips and fell down somewhat In front The
peplos was put on by means OF slit between
the breasts. which often descended as far As
the feet. and was fastened By a large number
OF nbule or hooks. Women also often wore .
second garment covering breast and shout
ders and falling down nearly as far as the
glrde. but how this was connected with the
chiffon Is not clear. There was sometimes a
third overgarmsnt. which, however. must not
be confused with tho himation. The latter
was worn as a cloak. which. both in It's shape
and In the mode OF wearing. corresponded
absolutely to the mantle worn by men. The
only distinction was that the women often
drew up their cloaks SO high as to cover the
back OF tho head. With one form OF the femi-
nine clifton sleeves were worn. but they were
usually half sleeves. with openings fastened
by buttons or hooks. The existence OF .
chemise cannot be proved with certainty. al
though sometimes in vase pictures represent
ing bathing scenes short garments with little
sleeves. which cannot well be anything but
chemises are worn under the chiffon. In more
common use was the band called strophion.
to the modern corset, used
to check the excessive development OF
the breasts. or to hold them up when
the frmness OF youth was gone. About the
color ana pattern Of dressesi little is known.
A general inference may be drawn from the
works OF art that bright color and rich orna-
mentation were most popular In the Oldest
period. aud afterward came into vogue in tho
epoch OF declining taste; the classic period
made but sparinR use OF either. As regards
patterns. It seems that checks and diamonds
were especially popular.
II.
As rule the Greeks wore. as We do. lighter
stuffs In the summer and heavier ones in the
winter. So far as outer garments were con-
csrned. very thin or transparent tissues were
reserved for the hetairR. respectable wo-
men using them only for underclothes. The
stuffs introduced from foreign parts. such as
cotton and muslin. could be worn only By the
rich; silk. even In the AlexAndrine period. was
very rare and expensive. The ordinary citl-
zen. as We have said. wore woollen clothes;
slaves and countrymen wore felt-like materials.
and even skin or leather In Greek antiquity.
coverings for the feet were not so essential an
zrtiela OF clothing as they are at the pres
emit day. 1T all events not for the male por-
ton OF the population, At homo and In sum
mer men, as a rule went barefoot; not oniY
slaves. but artisans and other members o; the
lower classes went barefoot out OF doors also.
a. well a. DAODla who desired TO harden