III. Minoan, Mycenaeans and Ancient Greece Background

The history of Greek fashion extends all the way back to the Bronze Age to the Minoan culture on the island of Crete off the Greek mainland. Evidence for the clothing worn in Minoan Crete comes mainly from the frescoes that decorated the walls of the palaces, and from Minoan statuettes found on the island. The clothes and fabrics of this time period have long since disintegrated with time, although at the site of Mochlos in northeast Crete, a find of linen has been reported from a tomb dating to the Pre-Palatial Period (3500–1900 b.c.e.). It was probably import from Egypt, but it does show that linen was known and used on Crete before the Minoan civilisations burst upon the stage of history at the start of the second millenium b.c.e. Egypt also provides evidence for Minoan fashion.

Minoan dress featured always cut and stitching body hugging garments.

The Mycenaean civilisation , the latest of the so-called Helladic Period of mainland Greece, is also divided by scholars into different periods and works from the Early Helladic Period (c. 3200 - c. 2000 BCE) through the Late Helladic (c. 1550 - c. 1050 BCE) show similar styles as the Minoan.In Classical Greece period, clothings are made of simple elements draped to sophisticated effect and mostly loose fitting and free flowing.

Menswear & Womenwear

Minoan Men :

-showing off their upper bodies

-Breechcloths, loincloths, and kilts were popular, especially when paired with a decorative codpiece

-These garments were multicoloured with yellows, blues, and whites

-also used a feathered, fitted headdress

Minoan Women :

A tightly fitting sleeved bodice, tailored to expose the breasts Tightly cinched waist with a belt

Then, a decorative apron that was often padded

And at last, these bell-shaped skirts constructed of layers of different sorts of fabrics with different designs, sewn together in ruffled tiersThe outfit could be topped with a cloak

The outfit typical for Minoans womenswear really gives the hourglass silhouette

Mycenaean Men :

Kilts, tunics, and cloaks became fashion garments for Mycenaean Men

Battle armour would have been a common feature of the male wardrobe

Their helmets consisted of a leather or felt cap

Mycenaean Women :

I-they occasionally covered their breasts with either an inner garment, a bodice structured to cover the breasts, or (more probably) just a piece of fabric tucked into their tight-fitting, scallop-shaped bodices

-They wore knit shawls or cloaks over their dresses and secured their elaborate, twisted hairstyles with ivory hairpins

Classical Greece Men & Women:

Clothing In classical age was homemade and cut to various lengths of rectangular linen or wool fabric with minimal cutting or sewing

Clothes were quite simple, draped, loose-fitting and free-flowing adaptable to different season

Clothing in ancient Greece included a wide variety of styles but primarily consisted of the Chiton,Peplos,Himaiton,and Chalmys