Theatrical Masks

The importance of costume in the theatre cannot be rated too highly, for it is not only an outward and immediately visible medium of expression for the actor himself but it is significant of the dramatic values which he is suppose to portray (Brooke, 1). The colors, texture and shape of a costume can create a feeling of the character that the actor may not be able to portray. There is not any definite information on what exactly the Greeks used for costumes because so much time has elapsed since the original records were taken. Most information is based on the different artifacts that were found, such as paintings and pottery. Sometimes hints of what was worn could be found in the plays themselves.

Traditional Greek dress was never shaped for fitted, but draped over the body and was fairly the same for both men and women. All material came straight from the loom and if it was even sewn, it would be a straight seam and a rectangle shape. There are about four different garments that were used in the dress, all very basic and changed through the years. They are: Doric Chiton, Ionic Chiton, Himation and the chlamys.

The Doric Chiton was a wool fabric, usually patterned, worn around the wearer’s bust. It reached from shoulder to shoulder and usually down to the ground. The fabric was so large that it is pinned up at the shoulders, which created mock sleeves to try and cover the arms, but usually they were uncovered. This garment was often found in the women’s dress.

The Ionic Chiton was also often found in women’s dress. Much like the Doric Chiton, it was once piece of fabric that was draped over the wearer. It was woven out of thin woolen type materials, like a gauzy type material. It was sewn at the top across the shoulders and down the arms, and was usually pleated.

The himation was a rectangle of wool with weighted corners, slung over the left shoulder, leaving the right arm free; or worn, by married women, with the corner over the head like a shawl (cwu). Sometimes this garment was worn as is, with nothing under it. If it covered the whole body it was an appropriate garment to wear. The himation was used even used as a blanket. The colors of this garment was usually natural, brown, black or tan, but sometimes dyed different colors, scarlet, crimson or purple. It even was embroidered around the edges with pattern.

The chlamys was much like the himation but only smaller. It was used by more active men, in order for it to be easier to move around in. It could also be worn alone, and it still would cover the whole body but was not as wide as the himation. On average it was thought that it was about six to seven feet long by three and a half feet wide.

The primitive type of Greek costume worn by men was the rectangle of seamless cloth, forming a tunic when fastened on the left shoulder to leave the right arm free, and belted that the waist (boucher, 108). It was made with wool and served as a blanket. The tunic was tied up with ribbon at the top of the shoulder and draped down the body with and opening at the right thigh. Sometimes men would wear a belt around the waist to hold the fabric closer to them instead of having it flow loosely around the body. A similar, yet longer, garment was worn to ceremonial festivities, usually by musicians and charioteers. It also replaced the shorter tunics in the winter.

Men’s hair was worn long, sometimes in curls and sometimes tied into a knot to the back of their head. It was decorated with ribbons and different pins. When the hair was long enough it was cut off as a sign of mourning and was dedicated to the dead. But by the fifth century shorter hair became popular. Also in the fifth century, clean shaven was the way the younger males were much unlike their elders who grew out their beards but kept them nicely trimmed (barton, 52).

In any ordinary situation men would go barefoot or they would wear a sandal. Sandals were made out of leather, with a strap between the first two toes and a second strap around the heel. In later centuries, a boot was worn for greater comfort and was worn up around the calf with laces or straps in the front.

Just like the male clothing, female clothing was formed by the simple rectangle shape cloth. Mainly they wore the Doric chiton, it could be worn in many different styles, weather it be fastened close to the body or if it was let to flow loosely against the body. To hold the fabric close to the body a girdle would be used. The girdle was sometimes left to be seen or it was hidden among the fabric. Sometimes different fabrics were used for women, instead of the wool used by men. Silks and linen were mostly used for the Doric and usually were semi-transparent. They were usually pinned in multiple places along the arms with pins or brooches.

In the archaic period women’s hair was worn hanging, arranged in carefully set snaky curls usually held in place