How to Dress As the Greek God Athena
Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, civilization, justice, agriculture and the arts. As the protector of Athens, Athena is one of the most well-known Greek goddesses in Greek mythology. In classical ancient Greek fashion, Athena dressed in a long, flowing peplos and carried a shield or spear in her hand. Females of all ages may want to dress as this regal and iconic goddess for Halloween. You can mimic Athena's look at home by creating your own peplos.
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Things You'll Need
- White fabric
- Measuring tape
- Pen
- Scissors
- Needle
- White thread
- White ribbon
- Straight pins
- 2 gold brooch pins
- White floor-length skirt
- Gold ribbon or rope
- Gold sandals
- Gladiator helmet or gold tiara
- Gold earrings
- Gold bangle bracelets
- Stuffed owl
- Plastic spear or shield
Instructions
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Purchase enough white fabric to cover the length and width of your body. Fold the fabric in half, and cut at the fold to create two pieces of fabric. Place one piece of fabric directly on top of the other.
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Measure the length from your collar bone to mid-thigh, and record the measurement. Measure the recorded length on the fabric. Begin at the top left-hand corner and measure vertically to the opposite end. Mark this spot by drawing a small horizontal line with a pen.
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Measure the width across your shoulders, add 6 inches and record the measurement. Measure the recorded width on the fabric. Begin at the top left-hand corner and measure horizontally to the opposite end. Mark this spot by drawing a small vertical line with a pen.
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Use some type of straight edge to extend each line until the horizontal line meets the vertical line. This creates a large rectangle. Cut the rectangle out. This is the top half of your Athena costume.
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Measure the length from the top of your shoulders to a few inches past your armpit, and record the measurement. Measure the recorded length on each side of the fabric, and mark the spot with a pen. These are the arm holes.
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Sew the two pieces together either by hand or with a sewing machine. Sew along the right and left sides of the rectangle, but do not sew together the section marked for your arm holes.
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Purchase a long length of thin white ribbon. Measure out a length of ribbon that is about eight inches longer than your shoulder-to-shoulder length, and cut the ribbon. Repeat this process with another length of ribbon.
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Place the ribbon over the top edge of the fabric. Fold the fabric over the ribbon. Hold the fabric in place with straight pins. Sew along the edge of the folded over fabric, and remove the straight pins. Flip the fabric over and repeat the process with the back half of the costume. Turn the costume inside out to hide the seams.
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Pull the costume on over your head. Tie the ribbons together over your right and left shoulder. Pin any long leftover pieces of fabric to the back of each shoulder with a gold brooch.
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Wear a white floor-length skirt beneath the tunic. Tie a long gold ribbon or rope around your waist in a criss-cross pattern. Adorn your feet in gold sandals.
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Accessorize the costume with a gladiator helmet or gold tiara, earrings and bangle bracelets. Create an even more authentic look by carrying a stuffed owl, the sacred animal of Athena, in one hand and a plastic spear or shield in the other.
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Tips & Warnings
If you do not have gold sandals, use tan or brown sandals or spray gold spray paint on an old pair.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Athena statue image by nata_rass from Fotolia.com
