Greek Myths Costumes

Characters that work for children

• Athena: a helmet, a shield and a flowing white tunic. A toy owl is a nice extra.
• Hercules: a lion skin style cape, a belt and a toy club or sword. Strong and simple.
• Zeus: a white robe, a long beard and a golden lightning bolt.
• Poseidon: sea colours, a crown and a trident.
• Perseus: a short tunic, a sword, a shield and winged sandals.

Characters that work for adults

• Aphrodite: a draped gown in soft pink or gold, with a gold headband or jewellery.
• Medusa: a green toned dress and a headpiece of snakes. Good for Halloween.
• Hades: dark robes, a pale face and a dark crown. Add a toy three headed dog if you like.
• Artemis: a short tunic, a bow and a quiver, with a crescent moon on the head.
• Apollo: a gold laurel wreath with a lyre or a sun symbol.

The pieces that make each one recognisable

Most Greek costumes start with a tunic or draped robe in white, cream or a single colour. After that, one signature item does the work. It might be a helmet, a trident, a bolt, a snake headdress or a bow. Pick the item people associate with the character and the rest can stay simple.

Finishing touches to make at home

• Laurel wreath: twist green paper or fabric leaves onto a headband or a bent strip of card. Spray or paint them gold if you want.
• Rope or gold belt: tie a cord at the waist to gather a plain sheet or tunic into a Greek style drape.

If you use face paint, do a small skin test first.

Choosing the right size

Check the size chart against a measurement of chest and height rather than age alone. For children, leave a little room for layers or growing.