While there are no surviving historical records explicitly stating the “favorite color” of women in ancient Greece—personal preferences weren’t something people documented at the time—we can still glean some insights. By examining archaeological finds, ancient artwork, literary references, and the cultural symbolism of colors, we get a vivid picture of how ancient Greek women might have used color to express identity, femininity, and status.
Color as Symbol and Statement
In ancient Greece, color was more than aesthetic—it carried meaning. Colors were used in clothing, art, decoration, and religious rituals, often signaling social status, gender roles, or the significance of an occasion.
Women typically wore garments such as chitons, peploi, and himatia, dyed with natural pigments extracted from plants, minerals, or insects. Among these colors, a few stood out for their frequency, symbolism, or prestige.
Purple: The Color of Prestige
Perhaps the most luxurious and coveted of all was purple, made from the costly Murex sea snail. This dye was labor-intensive to produce and, as a result, extremely expensive. It was associated with wealth, power, and nobility.
Upper-class women likely wore purple during special events—such as weddings or religious ceremonies. Homer, in the Iliad, refers to women wearing purple fabrics, indicating its desirability and elite status.
Given its rarity and beauty, it’s likely that purple was considered a desirable color among ancient Greek women.
Red and Saffron: Everyday Beauty and Symbolism
Red, made from plant-based dyes like madder root or saffron, was widely used for festive and everyday garments. It symbolized vitality and femininity. Figurines and frescoes—from places like Santorini and Knossos—depict women wearing garments with red accents.
Particularly notable is the saffron yellow, derived from the crocus plant. It was popular in women's clothing, especially during weddings, symbolizing fertility and prosperity.
According to mythology, Hera wore a saffron-colored veil, and the poet Sappho frequently described saffron and purple fabrics in her verses—linking them to beauty and femininity.
White: Purity and Piety
White, often from naturally bleached fabrics, was associated with purity and religious devotion. Priestesses and women participating in sacred ceremonies often wore white.
In art—such as marble statues of Korai—white is dominant. Though today we see these sculptures as monochrome, archaeological analysis has revealed they were originally painted with vibrant colors, combining white with hues like red and blue.
Blue: Calm and Coastal Connection
Blue, derived from indigo or lapis lazuli, appears in Minoan frescoes and ceramics. It was often used in women’s garments and associated with the sea, tranquility, and harmony—perhaps contributing to its appeal.
Frescoes from Thera (16th century BCE) and the Korai of the Acropolis (6th century BCE) depict women in colorful garments, prominently featuring red, yellow, blue, and white. These vivid colors remind us that ancient statues weren’t pure white, as commonly thought, but richly painted.
Status and Affordability
Vase paintings—especially on red-figure Attic pottery—often show women dressed in purple or saffron garments, hinting at the popularity of these colors. Sappho’s poetry reinforces this, linking luxurious fabrics with elegance and allure.
Homer’s epics also describe iconic women—Helen, Nausicaa—wearing brightly colored clothes, especially in purple and white.
However, access to color was also a matter of class. Women of the middle and lower classes likely favored more affordable hues like white or yellow, while aristocrats used purple to display their wealth. Dyes were expensive and time-consuming to produce, making vibrant fabrics a clear marker of social status.
In summary, while we may never know for certain what the “favorite color” of ancient Greek women was, the cultural evidence points to purple and saffron as highly prized, with red, white, and blue also playing important roles in daily and ceremonial life. Through color, women expressed identity, status, and beauty—leaving us a vibrant legacy that still fascinates today.
