Ancient Greece
Origins of Costume
What Toga Should I Wear?
Egyptian Headress
100
This is a basic, draped garment worn by both the men and women of Greece. It wrapped around the body, was pinned at the shoulders with brooches and then belted at the waist, often serving as an undergarment (even on into the days of the Roman empire).
What is the chiton?
100
This is the most important reason why people wear clothing.
What is decoration?
100
A successful general would wear this form of the toga in a victory parade through the streets of Rome.
What is the toga picta?
100
This is the combined crown symbolizing the merging of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms.
What is the Pschent crown?
200
The Greek garment that would later inspire similar fashions in Etruria, this large, shawl- or robe-like garment was most often draped over one shoulder and worn by men and women over chitons.
What is the himation?
200
Cave paintings tell us the earliest forms of clothing worn by man were most likely made from these.
What were animal hides/skins/furs/pelts?
200
Bleached or white, this toga's snowy white appearance seems to contrast modern views of the politician who wore it.
What is the toga candida?
200
Nefertiti famously wore this crown along with a fake beard after taking the throne in the wake of her husband's death.
What is the Flat crown?
300
One of two fashions of the chiton; this version involves an extra fold of fabric that hangs down from the shoulders and over the waist.
What is the doric chiton?
300
These two basic forms could describe all type of clothing - both those that are fitted close to the body or those simply wrapped around it.
What are draped and tailored clothing?
300
Darkly colored or black, this toga was worn at funerals and seems aptly named as one might need to tug it up over their face while grieving.
What is the toga pulla?
300
This is the cobra, sometimes accompanied by a vulture, that appears on the front edge of most Egyptian royalty's headdress.
What is the Uraeus?
400
This is the cloak most likely worn by shepherds in the field. It was pinned on one shoulder with a brooch and covered most of the body.
What is the chlamys?
400
To protect their children from being confused with the lower class Roman youth, nobles dressed their sons and daughter in this purple-trimmed toga.
What is the toga praetexta?
400
In the New Kingdom, this small molded-leather crown was worn most often by pharaohs due to the constant military unrest of the times.
What is the blue or war crown?
500
This style of a high, belted waistline taken from later chitons was later utilized in the time of Napoleon's reign to glorify the French Empire and compare it to the greatly admired classic art & culture of Ancient Greece.
What is the empire waistline?
500
The name of this toga is deceiving because although it means something like "clean" or "unchanged," adulteresses were forced to wear it along with normal male citizens.
What is the toga pura/viriles?
500
This is the head scarf depicted in most pharaoh's sarcophagi from the time period. It covered the entire head and hung down over the shoulders.
What is the Nemes Headdress?
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