Figure 1.-Here we see a young Athens family at the turn of the 20th century. The portrait is undated, but ould have been taken in the late 1890s or very early-1900s. We see mother and her four children. They look to be about a few months to 7 years old. The two boys wear a kilt suit and tunic suit, both with lacy collars. y The little girl wears a baby dress. The studio was D. Spiggos in Athens.

Greece has the longest recorded history in Europe and laid the foundation for moodern Western culture. Greece was part of all the great western empires (Alexander, Roman, the Byzantine, and the Ottoman) in part because it has been the crossroads of so many civilisations. We have begun to collect information on the various historical periods, but have just begun to collect information on clothing trends during these periods. Unlike many ancient civilizations, we know a good bit about Greek clothing even in ancient days. Greek clothing appears to have influenced Roman dress. The Ottoman Turks in 1453 seized Constantinople and by 1460 controlled most of Greece. Thousands of Greeks went into exile in Christain Europe and had an important influence on the European Renaissance. For the next three centuries, the regional Christan powers (Venice, Austria, and Russia) warred intermitently with the Turks and Greece changed hands several times. Turkish rule was confirmed in 1718 under the Trety of Passarowitz. After the fall of Byzantium, Greece became a province of the Ottoman Turks. A Greek readers tells us that he can find some paintings, but unfortunately many artists 'invented' the clothing, rather that did research before painting. After independence in the 19th centurty, European fashions began to have greater influence. We have little information on fashion trends in the 19th century. Nor do we have any information on early 20th century clothing. The 1930s was surprisingly a period of wealth and stability for Greece. It is often mockingly called 'belle epoque'. Sailor suits were very popular for boys at that time. Two things that one must consider when it come to boys clothing in Greece during the 1940s is that climate and economics. The climate was (and still is) very warm especially in the southern part of Greece. Greece was also a very poor country at the time, as it struggled with the Nazi occupation (1941-44) and the bloody civil war with the Communists (1944-49). Boys wore inexpensiv and minimal clothing like short pants and sandals. The same trend of short pants up until 14 years of age was kept during the 1950s. But it was obvious that during these years people could afford some better clothing for their children. In general the clothing was the same but it was better in quality. Big changes occured during the 1960s. In Athens and other big cities, rich and bourgeois families started dressing their boys in clothes that had more joyous colors. The 1970s in Greece were very fashionable for the adults who chose to dress their children equally fashionable.

Ancient Greece

The democratic city state is the concept that most have of ancient Greece. This was, however, only one phase of Greece history. Greeks in the Mycenean age were organized into small, waring kingdoms. This era is not well understood. The Greek kingdoms appear to have collapsed and the populations abandoned urban centers about 1200 and 1100 BC. For a long period of about 400-500 years, Greeks society was based in tribal groups. Some but not all of the tribes shifted to a nomadic lifestyle. Some historians call this era the Greek Dark Age. The Greek tribl grouos by about 700 BC had begun to coalese into larger political groupings. Trade linkiages between these groups increased in inortance. To accoimodate the growing trade, marketplaces began to appear in villages and the evolving political structures came to be called a polis or city state.Greece during the Classical period was composed of independent city-states, the largest and most important was Athens, followed by Sparta and Thebes. Although these city states were relatively small a fierce spirit of independence and desire for freedom enabled the Greeks to defeat the massive Persian armies and navies in some of the most notable battles in human history. The Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, conquered most of the then known world and proceeded to Hellenize large areas of the easter Mediterrean. Greece in 146 BC fell to the Romans. Large numbers of Greeks were enslaved. Many wealthy Greeks used learned Greek slaves to teach their children. The Emperor Constantine in 330 AD moved the Capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople, founding the Eastern Roman Empire which was to become known as the Byzantine Empire or Byzantium. One of Byzantium's many achievements was to transform the linguistic and cultural heritage of Ancient Greece into a vehicle for the new Christian civilization.

Roman Era

Byzantium

The Ottomans

The Ottoman Turks in 1453 seized Constantinople and by 1460 controlled most of Greece. Thousands of Greeks went into exile in Christain Europe and had an important influence on the European Renaissance. For the next three centuries, the regional Christan powers (Venice, Austria, and Russia) warred intermitently with the Turks and Greece changed hands several times. Turkish rule was confirmed in 1718 under the Trety of Passarowitz. After the fall of Byzantium, Greece became a province of the Ottoman Turks. A Greek readers tells us that he can find some paintings, but unfortunately many artists 'invented' the clothing, rather that did research before painting.

The 19th Century

After independence in the 19th centurty, European fashions began to have greater influence. We have little information on fashion trends in the 19th century.

The 20th Century

Nor do we have any information on early 20th century clothing. The 1930s was surprisingly a period of wealth and stability for Greece. It is often mockingly called 'belle epoque'. Sailor suits were very popular for boys at that time. Two things that one must consider when it come to boys clothing in Greece during the 1940s is that climate and economics. The climate was (and still is) very warm especially in the southern part of Greece. Greece was also a very poor country at the time, as it struggled with the Nazi occupation (1941-44) and the bloody civil war with the Communists (1944-49). Boys wore inexpensiv and minimal clothing like short pants and sandals. The same trend of short pants up until 14 years of age was kept during the 1950s. But it was obvious that during these years people could afford some better clothing for their children. In general the clothing was the same but it was better in quality. Big changes occured during the 1960s. In Athens and other big cities, rich and bourgeois families started dressing their boys in clothes that had more joyous colors. The 1970s in Greece were very fashionable for the adults who chose to dress their children equally fashionable. Some boys wore bell bottoms or (fancy) jeams. Also at that time children started to wear more often sneakers and sport socks instead of dress socks. Boys during the 1980s wore a lot cotton sport uniforms, with matched trousers and tops during winter at school or jeans/cotlé trousers in semi-formal occasions. The shoes were most of the time sneakers or other "made in Greece" leather shoes. The socks were mostly sport type. Blue jeans became the most popular item of clothing for boys during the winter and in shorts during summer. As boys become older they tend to abandon shorts in favor of jeans.

21st Century

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Created: April 22, 2001
Last updated: 4:45 PM 10/26/2018