The document summarizes traditional Greek costumes from the 15th-19th centuries. It describes the main elements of men's, women's, and bridal costumes. Men's costumes typically included a short shirt and stockings or trousers. The fustanella skirt became a symbol of Greek nationalism. Women's costumes incorporated Byzantine influences and fell into three categories: those with a sigouni coat, those with a kavadi tunic, and those with a western-style dress. Each region of Greece developed distinctive variations characterized by different fabrics, colors, and embroidery. The document outlines the key pieces of traditional costumes and provides examples from different parts of Greece.

1. Project’s part 5th:” Our folkore
and costums”
Meeting in Kulupenai,
Lithuania
Students of the 7th Junior High
School of Rhodes, (June 2017)
GREEK NATIONAL
COSTUME

2. Introduction
Greek traditional costumes
are the ones Greek
people used to wear
during the period of the
Ottoman Occupation.
(15th -19th c.)
These costumes were still
used after the
foundation of the
modern Greek state
(1830) and later they
were replaced by
western-style clothing.
Pierre Bonirote, “Dance in Pnyka”, Acropolis,
Athens (1842).

3. Men’s costume
 was simple and without many
colors
 The main men's garment was the
short shirt worn with large knit
white stockings or trousers. ( left
pricture)
 On the islands and on the coastal
areas men used to wear the
vraka,(baggy pants), a white
shirt, a sleeveles coat, a sash, a
jacket, a tasseled cap. (right
picture)

4. Men’s costume
The warriors wore the
“fustanella”,a pleated long
skirt. (fusta=skirt)
During the war of
Independance (1821-1830),
this garment spread widely
and later became the men's
national costume.

5. National greek
costume
The corresponding female costume was based
on the european dress, combined with elements
of traditional costume. It was named "costume
of Amalia", according to the name of the first
queen of Greece who established it.
The
kontogouni, the
short, closely
fitted jacket,
was of gold-
embroidered
velvet.
A fez was worn
on the head
(with a taller
version for
married women).
When Greece
became an
independent
state, Otto, the
first king of
Greece
established the
costume with
“foustanella” as
urban costume,
the formal Court
attire (in around
1835).

6. Introduction: Women’s
costume
National greek costume has its origins from the costume of the
Byzantine Empire.
❖ It has nothing to do with ancient greek
garments. The post-Byzantine(after 15th c.)
garments have the length of the tissu as their
length and they are made from stitching many
pieces of cloth , from a narrow, sloping loom.
❖ They are a continuation of Byzantine costume,
but they have been influenced by both the East
and the West. They have also similarities with the
costumes of the neighboring countries.

7. Introduction: Women’s costume
Women's costumes belong essentially in to two
large groups:
1. In those with pure byzantine
influence, which come from the
“dalmatian”/dalmatica, a kind of
tunic, which was worn over the
shirt, closed, with wide sleeves
made of linen or silk (for the rich
people) .
2. and in those, where the byzantine
roots are blended with the attire of
the western Renaissance, like dress
and skirt.
Costume
with dress

8. The parts of a woman’s costume
❖ I. The shirt/The chemise
❖ The main element is the shirt, a
dress with sleeves , long or short,
worn casually.
A bridal shirt
from the island
of Astypalaia
(19th c.)

9. I. Long embroidered
bridal shirt, made of
cotton –Island of
Astypalaia, 19th c.

10. The parts of a traditional women’s costume
II. b) The kavadi/kaftan
Made of a luxurious
imported
fabric,usually brocade.
II.b)or the giourntí, sinkoúni
/Yurdi, syguna
a sort of
sleeveless or
with sleeves
shawl coat/
waistcoat,
woolen
or wrinkled
woven cloth.

11. The parts of a traditional woman’s
costume
❖ IIc). Or The
dress, tunic with or
without waist.
Traditional dresses
● from the island of
Samos
• the island of Creta
and
• from Naoussa
(Macedonia,
northren Greece)

12. An embroidered dress from Creta (17th c.) influenced by the
western tradition (Benaki Museum)

13. Other parts of the women’s costume
❖ The belt
❖ Vests, etc. (types
of short sleeves
or sleeveless
jackets).
.

14. Other parts of the women’s
costume : Aprons
Satin apron in bright crimson
colour, embroidered with
multicoloured silk threads.
An accessory of the festive
female Vlach costume of the
Metsovo region, Ioannina
region, Epirus, Greece
(Lyceum Club of Greek
Women)
Apron from Leukimi,
Corfu, Ionian islands

15. Other parts of the women’s costume : Headbands
and other ornaments-jewelery
❖ Headbands mainly
bridal gowns.
❖ Ornaments-jewelery.
Bridal costume of Attica

16. Each
region
has
its
representative
costumes
Introduction: Costumes

17. Introduction:Women’s
costume
According to the folklorist Angeliki
Hatzimichali, women’s costumes
can be divided into three
categories:
❖ Into the costumes with the
sigouni (a sort of sleeveless or
with sleeves shawl
coat/waistcoat)
❖ Into the costumes with the
kavadi (tunic)
❖ Into the costumes with the dress
(western influence).
Costume with
sigouni (Thessalia)
Costume with
kavadi (Thrace,
Soufli)
Costume with dress
(Ionian islands, Corfu)

18. The traditional greek womens’ costumes can be divided into three
categories:
Attica’s costume (bridal)
1. The costumes with the sigouni
Florina’ s costume (Macedonia,
north)
Sarakatsana’s
costume
Festiv segouni from
Aidipsos (Euboea
island)

19. 2. The costumes with “kavadi”/caftani
Karagouna (Thessalia) Island of Kastelorizo
Bridal or festive costume of Soufli,
Thrace Early 20th century

20. 2. Costumes with “Kavadi”/caftani Sayas/Kavadi From Macedonia,
Pylaia (Thessaloniki)
Kaplamas/Kaftani/ Kavadi from Megara
(Attica)
Urban costume of Ioannina
(Epirus), 19th c.

21. 3. Costumes with dress. (Western influence: mainly in the islands
and the coastal areas)
Bridal dress of
Trikeri in
Thessaly
(Magnesia
region). It is
composed of
three chemises
and four short
pleated dresses
worn one on top
of the other.
Early 20th c.
Collection
Peloponnesian
Folklore
Foundation.
Museum Benaki
Costume from the
island of Skopelos
Island of Corfu, bridal and festiv
dress

22. Folk costumes of the island of Creta

23. Folk costume of the island of Rhodes, (costume of Embona).
❖ The white shirt embroidered
❖ The black cotton sleeveless dress, pleated, with decoration.
❖ The woolen red belt, the colorful stamped haedcoat.

24. S
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Greek dress
2.Museum of the History of the Greek Costume of the Lyceum Club
of Greek Women
3.The history of the greek costume: Student’s book (1st grade of the
J. High School)
4.Pictures from google and Pinterest.
5.Wikipedia: Greek dress (in greek)
Thanks for watching !