Peplos

Pinned rectangular garment of ancient Greek women

The peplos was the fundamental garment of ancient Greek women, created from a single rectangle of cloth fastened at the shoulders with pins (fibulae) without any sewing. Its folded-over top portion, called the apoptygma, varied in length by era and region. The Doric peplos used heavy wool for weighty folds, while the Ionic version employed lighter linen for a flowing silhouette. This elegantly simple unsewn construction, secured only by pins and a waist belt, reflects Greek practical aesthetics and was widespread from the 6th to 4th century BC.