Costumes/ Components

Of the various forms of Greek folk and popular arts, the category of attire presents the most regional differentiation. Traditional Greek costume was self-contained social entity that operated on multiple sociological levels (practical, aesthetic, signifying, symbolic) and could communicate the individual’s socioeconomic standing, along with age and marital status. The way in which a particular garment or accessory was worn, or its colour or ornamentation could interpret collective or personal events, such as the passage from one life stage to another. The enormous diversity of styles that appeared in greater Greece was directly shaped by the specific area’s local customs and social structure. Stylistically speaking, traditional Greek costumes can be divided two categories: island types and mainland types. And these divisions can be subdivided into specific distinctions such as peasant or urban, female or male, everyday or festive and bridal, etc.