The chlaina (χλαίνα) or chlaine (χλαίνη) was a thick overgarment usually mentioned in epic poetry but not exclusively. 

It is often described as large and sizeable but it seems there were two versions, the "simple" (απλή) and the "double" (διπλή). It seems however that it was a large rectangular piece of thick cloth.

Another description of the chlaina is "curly" (ούλη) which is an indication that it was made of goat hair, or if made of sheep's wool, made to look like a long-haired rug. However the chlaina is elsewhere described as made of a black billy goat, although it is not specified if it was woven from its hair or if it was the full skin with the hair on.

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The chlaina was worn on cold weather, accompanied with the epithets ανεμοσκεπής, ανεμόεσα, protecting from the wind. It was secured to the front with a perone, a large pin.

 

Despite its coarse character, it could be a valuable object, one that could be set as a prize according to Herodotus, or that could be dyed purple. Due to its weight it was not worn during vivid action, so that Homeric heroes discarded it to rush to a place.

 

Its use was extended as a bed cover, but Hesichius simply describes it as a winter himation.

 

The identification of the chlaina in ancient art is very problematic. We are not informed of its exact shape or size, or of a specific group of people that wore it, so it is hard to know what to look for in ancient representations. However there is a group of Arcadian bronze statuettes who seem to represent Hermes Kriophoros (ram bearer) as an Arcadian man (shepherd?) They all wear a  pilos usually brimless (Arcadian pilos?) and are covered by a thick garment, some times short, some times long, pinned with a perone at the throat or shoulder.

The identification of a chlaina in these depictions of Hermes is dubious, because Hermes is traditionally wearing a chlamys , which could also be pinned at the throat as well as the shoulder, either with a round brooch or with a perone.

On the other hand, the garment on these statuettes looks very thick, thicker than a chlamys is usually shown, and some times it is too long to be a chlamys, and not worn like a himation. It agrees then with the description of the chlaina, which was thick, pinned with a perone, and could be either "simple" (short?) or double (long?).