Clothing

As an important marker of social status in Byzantium, dress depended on a host of factors, such as the financial standing of the individual, occupation, age and gender.

Members of the middle and lower classes generally wore linen or woolen clothes woven by women in the home. These were shorter in length than the attire of the upper class, so as to afford greater freedom of movement. The upper class dressed in long garments of expensive materials (silk, linen). The clothing worn by the royal family was in a category of its own, made of costly fabrics and richly decorated with embroidery and precious stones.

The basic garment in Byzantine dress was the tunic; it could be worn by both sexes, and was combined with other types of clothing such as trousers, cloaks and overcoats. Men usually wore a short tunic, long knitted socks, a cloak or heavy coat and a cap, while women preferred long, broad, long-sleeved tunics together with shawls, scarves and headdresses, in accordance with prevailing etiquette.

Byzantine garments were classified as first, second or third rate, the best being worn on special occasions and celebrations. More generally, clothes of the time were noted for their rich, brilliant colors and the variety of patterns employed. Colour was the main means of distinguishing rank, as was the case with the purple garments worn exclusively by the emperor.

Although Byzantine fashion evolved rather slowly, a significant change in male dress was seen in the 11^th century. Clothes became closer fitting; when combined with the widespread use of buttons and the appearance of new features such as hats and men’s jackets, this reveals that Western features had entered Byzantine fashion.

1. Coulson, M., Αποκαλύπτοντας τα ενδύματα: Η ένδυση ως θεολογία, 2002

2. Κεκεριοπούλου, Α., Προσεγγίσεις της Ενδυμασίας στο πλαίσιο των μαθημάτων της Οικιακής Οικονομίας στη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση

3. Κουκουλές Φ., Βυζαντινών Βίος και Πολιτισμός, Παπαζήση, Athens, 1954

4. ‘Τα εν οίκω...εν δήμω’ in Ψηφίδες του Βυζαντίου, Athens

5. 4000 Years of Hellenic Costume, http://www.fhw.gr/exhibitions/hellenic_costume/index.html

6. Purple, http://elwikipedia/wiki/πορφύρα-(χρωστική)