Greek Theatre Costumes

Ancient Greek Costumes, Props and Masks:
An overview of the identification, use, inspirations and devices in Greek Theatre Costuming

Often overlooked elements of ancient Greek theatre are the costumes, props and use of masks in the productions. Costuming actors and actresses, in modern times, receives much attention - award shows, large contracts, and entire websites devoted to costume designers. Directors and producers specifically team up with costume designers to create a cohesive vision for their productions. There isn’t any reason to think the playwrights during ancient times were any less thoughtful about presenting a cohesive productions. This literature review will start with a basic overview of what ancient Greeks wore in everyday situations, citing detailed censuses and encyclopedias of costuming. Then we will explore a few analyses of costuming manipulation in several Greek plays, finishing with Greek masks -

by Albert W. Barker, presents an exhaustive census of ancient Greek women’s clothing on vases, grave reliefs and temple sculptures. Along with a drawing of each costume, Barker spells out a description of each piece of clothing: Ionic chiton alone, with no sleeves, true sleeves and pseudo-sleeves; Doric chiton alone, with overfold wanting, overfold short, overfold relatively long with an overgirt and without an overgirt, and an overfold to end of pseudo-sleeves, an overfold not extended to sleeves and an overfold notably short; and finally the Ionic chiton or chitonion with over-dress without sleeves, an over-dress to knees and an over-dress to the feet, and Ionic chitons with over-dress Doric chiton without an overfold, and over-fold Doric chiton with short overfold, and over-dress Doric chiton with long overfold with a girdle wanting, a simple girdle and a