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Clothing
Plains tribes tended to wear the same types of clothing, but the styles could be very different.
Men and boys would wear a breechcloth. This is a piece of material that went between their legs and was
held up with a belt, as well as leggings that went up the entire length of their legs and were attached
to the belt. During the 19th century, European trousers would have been adopted, but knee-length
leggings were still worn to protect the pants. Shirts made out of animal hide were also common. A
woman's outfit consisted of a calf-length dress made of hide or trade cloth, as well as knee-length
leggings to protect their legs. Dress styles varied greatly across the Plains. The Northern Plains
tribes wore full dresses made with two to three hides. The dresses did not have traditional sleeves, but
women's arms were covered by the legs of the hide or large yokes made with a third hide. Many Southern
Plains dresses were actually two-pieced ponchos and skirts. Women would wear only the skirts during the
hot summer months, which allowed them to stay cooler.
Breechcloth
This is a boy's breechcloth. It could have been worn alone or with full-length leggings.
Plains
Late 19-Early 20th Century
Vest
The Lakota commonly beaded geometric designs, like squares and triangles. This style also
translated to their painted objects, like parfleche bags.
Dress
Dresses of Southern Plains tribes, like the Kiowa or Comanche, were simply embellished.
Scalloped lines of beadwork along the bottom of dresses were common elements of both tribes, and the
Kiowa would occasionally bead rosettes on the dress body.
Kiowa or Comanche
Late 19th Century
Dress
This dress is a slightly smaller version of the Sioux-Style two-hide dress. Like its
counterpart at the beginning of the exhibit, blue and white play very prominent roles in the background
and border. These were the two most used background colors in Lakota beadwork.
Leggings
This is an example of the full-length leggings that men wore. The leggings attached
to a breechcloth or belt at the hip and hung down the ankle to protect the whole leg.
Oklahoma or Sioux
Late 19th-Early 20th Century
Leggings
: Women's leggings were not full-length, like the men's. They went up to the knee, while the
woman's dress protected the upper part of her legs.
Leggings
White beaded backgrounds are prominent in Plains Indian beadwork. This might have evolved from
the use of white quills. White also stands out against dark backgrounds and beads.
Northern Plains
Late 19th-Early 20th Century
Leggings
White beaded backgrounds are prominent in Plains Indian beadwork. This might have evolved from
the use of white quills. White also stands out against dark backgrounds and beads.
Lakota
Late 19th-Early 20th Century
Leggings
This is a common Cheyenne pattern. Many of their objects from the late 19th century feature
"stepped" triangles with rectangles in the center, also called "tipi doors".
Cheyenne
Late 19th-Early 20th Century
