In the sixth century B.C.E. a most common style of dress for Greek men and women was a remarkably simple piece of costume called the himation. At the time, in the middle of the historic period called Ancient Greece, when Greece was flourishing in its tradition of poetry and philosophy and entering a new political era, the sophistication of clothing was wrapped entirely in the form of a basic rectangle.

The himation, similar to the equally simple peplos, was a remarkable example of essential elegance. It consisted of an extended strip of fabric, typically 4 to 5 meters long and a little over a meter in width, which would be wrapped around the body (over the left shoulder, under the right arm) and held in place only by the weight of its folds and fall. If it was held together by anything it would have been by a simple brooch or pin or the ends of the fabric would be further weighed down with lead weights at the hem. The himation would have been made of a wool weave and, as examples from pottery remnants and sculpture relay, would have been dyed in bright colors often with further decoration or detailing painted or woven on.

Women would sometimes fasten the himation with a rope, or girdle, at the waist. The extension of the fabric would allow ample cloth for variations in use - it could be pulled over the head and used as an almost entire-body covering for protection against cold or rain.

The arrangements of the pleats in gathering of the cloth would be the only accents to the garment and this simplicity of form has been revived throughout the history of fashion. It was repeated in the Roman toga, maintained in the mantles of the early medieval period, evident in the pleated feature of the medieval houppelande, resurfaced in post-revolutionary France, and in both the 20th century and in our own latest fashion seasons has again been revisted as a fashion staple.

*image - Roman copy of a Hellenistic Greek work. Woman wearing himation. 1/2nd century C.E.
*image - Demosthenes
*Evening gown, 1967–85. Madame Grès. Cream silk jersey.

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