Deciphering their outfits through the ages

We imagine them with helmets adorned with horns, glittering armor, or hand-painted ritual outfits.
But what did the great warriors of history actually wear? What did their battle clothes, armor, and accessories look like?
Far from Hollywood fantasies , historical research reveals elaborate, technical, symbolic styles, where beauty was never separated from strategy.

Put on your helmet (without horns!) and let's explore legendary battle outfits – from medieval Europe to the jungles of South America, from the African steppes to Japanese temples.

The Samurai (Japan, 12th - 19th century)

Deadly elegance and codes of honor in silk and steel

Japanese samurai were aristocratic warriors, bound by the Bushido code – the way of the warrior – which valued honor, loyalty, discipline, and a dignified death . Their appearance reflected this philosophy.

→ The armor: the yoroi or the dō-maru

• Made of strips of leather, iron or lacquer , connected by silk laces (called odoshi ), often colored according to the clan.
• The armor was designed to be flexible and lightweight , allowing for great freedom of movement on horseback.
• The torso was protected by the dō (cuirass), accompanied by sleeves ( kote ), greaves ( suneate ) and shoulder guards ( sode ).

→ The helmet: the kabuto

• Very recognizable, often adorned with crests ( maedate ) representing animals, deities or symbols of the clan.
• The face mask ( menpō or hōmen ) could include a frightening mustache or sharp teeth, intended to intimidate the enemy .

→ Clothing under armor

• A combat kimono called shitagi and a culotte skirt ( hakama ) under the armor.
• The outfits were made of silk or cotton , depending on the samurai's status.

🎴 A striking detail : samurai also wore embroidered family crests , called mon , and carefully chose their colours to assert their prestige.

The Vikings (Scandinavia, 8th - 11th century)

Chainmail, wool tunics, and badassery without horns

Viking warriors are among the most fantasized about – especially because of modern TV series. But archaeological digs and sagas offer us a precise and pragmatic picture.

→ The real armor: simplicity and efficiency

• No horned helmets! The helmets found are made of iron, often conical, with a nasal (central bar) to protect the nose.
• Few complete suits of armor existed: only the wealthiest wore iron mail , reaching to mid-thigh.
• Ordinary warriors wore leather armor, or thick padded clothing ( gambesons ).

→ Basic clothing

• A wool tunic , loose trousers gathered at the ankles , and hand-stitched leather boots .
• The whole thing is often decorated with geometric or plant-based embroidery , depending on local resources.

→ Accessories

• A leather belt for hanging the axe, sword, knife (seax) .
• A wool coat, fastened with a metal brooch (often ornate).

🪓 A striking detail : Vikings loved silver and amber jewelry , worn even in battle – symbols of strength, faith, and status .

The Aztecs (Mexico, 14th - 16th century)

Colorful plumes and cotton breastplates: the aesthetics of ritual warfare

Aztec warriors fought to capture enemies destined for sacrifice. Warfare was tactical, spiritual, and symbolic , and this was reflected in their attire.

→ The armor: the ichcahuipilli

• A cotton armor padded with salt or pumice stone , incredibly resistant to arrows and light to wear.
• Sometimes covered in leather or animal scales.

→ Ritual clothing

• Each military rank (Jaguar, Eagle, Ocelot…) wore a specific outfit made of animal skin , often embroidered with feathers.
• The plumes ( quetzalapanecayotl ) were made from quetzal feathers, which were very rare and precious .

→ The helmet

• Sometimes fashioned in the shape of an eagle's or jaguar's head , to embody the qualities of the totem animal.

🦅 Notable detail : the color of the costume depended on the number of captives taken in battle – the outfit indicated the warrior's rank even before he attacked.

The Zulu Warriors (Southern Africa, 18th - 19th century)

Giant shields and animal skins for striking fast and hard

The Zulus , under the rule of Shaka Zulu, developed an elite military tactic called "the buffalo horn". Their equipment was adapted for rapid movements and brutal assaults .

→ Clothing

• Very few clothes , for maximum freedom of movement.
• The warriors wore loincloths of leather or fabric , often decorated with shells or feathers.
• Chiefs and veterans sometimes wore leopard skins or other wild animal skins , symbols of prestige.

→ Weapons

• The iklwa , a short spear designed by Shaka for close combat.
• The Zulu shield (isihlangu) made of cowhide, very wide (up to 1.5 m), to protect almost the entire body.

🦁 A striking detail : the outfits could include elements intended to frighten the enemy – war paint, headdresses, ritual howls.

The Amazons of Dahomey (Benin, 17th - 19th century)

Warrior women, dressed to kill and rule

The elite army of the Kingdom of Dahomey, the "African Amazons" were warriors feared by European colonists.

→ The outfits

• Lightweight fabric trousers, short tunics, fabric headbands – designed for mobility and discretion .
• Dark colors to blend into the foliage.

→ The equipment

• Firearms at the end of the 18th century, but also machetes, spears, crossbows .
• Lightweight leather shields and protection.

→ Symbolic

• Each female warrior took a vow of celibacy and was considered "wife of the king", but freed from traditional female roles .
• Their attire affirmed this ambiguity: neither feminine nor masculine, but sacred and martial .

The Greek Hoplites (Greece, 7th - 4th century BC)

Bronze, leather and warrior geometry

Hoplites were the heavy infantry of the Greek city-states. Their appearance is well known thanks to archaeological excavations and ancient vases.

→ The armor

• Corinthian bronze helmet , with slits for the eyes and nose, often surmounted by a horsehair crest.
• Bronze cuirass (thoracic leather) or reinforced linen , depending on resources.
• Greaves (cnemides) and large round shield (hoplon) .

→ Clothing

• A short tunic (chitoniskos) and a red or black cloak (chlamys) .
• Leather sandals or bare feet.

🎯 Key detail : the Hoplites fought in phalanxes , and their uniforms allowed them to hold the line with visual cohesion and maximum protection .

Combat outfits that are not just practical

The battle outfits of legendary warriors were not merely practical:
They were conceived as tools for survival, expression, deterrence, and even spiritual seduction .

Each material, each symbol, each cut said something about rank, ethnicity, faith, tactics.
Even in the midst of war, aesthetics mattered : to assert one's identity, to inspire one's troops, or to intimidate the enemy.

So yes, the warriors were badass , but never randomly.
They carried stories, gods, ancestors…
And their clothing was as much symbolic armor as it was a weapon .