Costume in Greek Classic Drama

At the peak of its perfection in the fifth century B.C., the glory of classical Greek drama was matched by the magnificence of its costumes. Iris Brooke, an international authority on costume history and the author of many lively books on fashion, vividly describes what performers wore in plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Of equal interest are her comments on how the actors' need for effective movement and performance influenced the cut of their costumes. Basing her information on images found on Greek paintings, vases, and sculpture, as well as from jewelry and other ornaments, the author covers such topics as the use of textiles in civil attire; armor; jewelry and insignias of gods and goddesses; dramatic costumes and footwear; masks and headdresses; and costumes for the chorus. Invaluable as a guide for creating theatrical costumes, this book will be essential reading for fashion historians, costume designers, and devotees of classical Greek drama. Book jacket.