Fashion worn in Ancient Greece evolved over centuries, but many of its key elements are widely popular today all over the world. Various types of Greek fashion including clothing, shoes, and jewelry are still found today albeit in altered form. Different hairstyles and makeup, although often considered modern inventions, also have roots in Greek fashion.
Greek clothing featured loose, flowing, and draped fabrics, such as the chiton, himation, and peplos, which formed the traditional staples of Greek fashion that are echoed today in numerous styles. A chiton was a form of tunic attached at the shoulder and then draped and belted. This style continues to be popular in forms of dresses and tops, although it has become a style worn typically only by women. The himation, a form of cloak draped and fastened with an intricate brooch, is still commonly worn in modern manifestation of cloaks and capes. Peplos, a folded, tubular style of dress, has influenced the modern styles of pleated column dresses.
Sandals were a typical type of footwear in Greek fashion and also continue to be very popular today. Originally made from animal skin, hide, and leather, they were worn by both men and women. The most common modern form of these sandals are "gladiator" sandals. Commonly worn by women, this footwear often features long laces that are woven up the legs. Like in Greece, these shoes are worn with a variety of different clothing, from shorts to dresses, and are still often made with leather as they were thousands of years before.
Jewelry was another important type of Greek fashion, one indulged in by both men and women. Bracelets, earrings, and necklaces, as well as brooches, pins, and rings, were all typically worn. These were wrought from metal and precious stones and were often ornate and intricately designed. Serving both practical and purely aesthetic purposes, jewelry in all these forms has continued to be popular, and many Greek designs are still relevant today.
In Greek fashion, hair was originally worn loose and flowing, often incorporating curls and braids. These styles were later twisted into elegant buns and updos. All of these styles are still popularly worn today. Headbands have also continued as an item of fashion through the years. A soft, romantic "Greek" style of hair combining curls, braids, and a headband is especially popular for many bridal looks.
Makeup is another type Greek fashion that has endured. The Greeks considered light, fair complexions as the ideal, and women often wore veils to protect their faces from the sun. They also used different skin products to help them enhance this look. Makeup included pigments that were used as eye shadow and to enhance the lips. Although the ingredients have changed through the years, the purpose of this type of fashion has remained the same.