The Washington times., 1901-10-27
SQUAWS WHO SQUANDER.
Indian Women SPEND Their Moncy
I'm ExtravaEant Dress.

IN EstrayoEant Dress.
1t has just cropped out in social circles
that the Oklahoma Indian women are
among the most extravagant dressers in
America. This fact is worth presenting
to those who look to Paris for their
fashions. There may come a time when
Paris will look to Oklahoma if things so
on in this way. says the San Francisco
Call 1t is a fact, very narrowly known,
that many women of the Kiowa, Conan
che, Arapahoe. and Ponca tribes have
dresses costing from $3.50 to $500 apiece.
They are moi made in what we should
call the latest style; the decorations are
what count
The squaws' money is nearly all 81 mt
in purchasing costly ornaments for their
clothing. These ornaments are in the
shape of jewelry and precious stones elk
teeth. and pearls. 1t is nothing out of the
common to see an Indian girl walking
worth of elk teeth tied to her dress in
decorative style. Again, a two-karat dia-
mond is no curiosity to these dusky bellies.
Most Of the dresses are made from soft
buckskin lined with silk or satin Red
satin is great favorite for dress lining
and shirt waists among the Indian wom-
en-. Yellow silk Is another of their favor
ties, but violet was the prevailing color
this year. Next year the Indian woman
who leads the fashion will decree new
and fiashy color to be the up-tO-date
thing, and, of course, all of the women
will follow her.
Society as We name it is a thing un-
known among the reservation of Indian
women, but they have a certain envy Of
social standing just the same When THY
come to the small towns on trading days
there may be assembled several hundred
of the women from the various parts of
the country, and they gather in the agen-
cy and talk over events among them
selves. gossip upon the scandals. and :ail
against the whites for hours at time.
1t is during this function that they may
be seen in their best dress, and each one
tries to outdo her neighbor in ornaments.
The more elk teeth one has OF ner dress
the more popular she is at these weekly
meetings at the agency buildings. They
examine each others dresses carefully
and freely express to the wearer opinions
upon the quality and cost. Ii the dress
meets with tho disapproval of one she
has no hesitaScy about saying so to the
owner of such dress who retorts as she
sees fit. Sometimes open quarrels ensue
has been too bold in her criticism Be
fore they go home they take vote on the
dresses, and the owner of the best is
crowned leader of fashion for the next
week and all must refrain froNl CRITICS.
ing her dress. During the ensuing week
there is a great race to outshine her gar
ments. and this is generally accomplished.
no matter how hard she may have striv-
en- to hold her place IN the lead. The
squaws do not have to work as hard as is
generally supposed. They do little outside
their houses. the Indians who have an
income from the United States do not
farm. All Of the moi.ey due the women
is paid direct to them, and they spend it
to please their own tastes, which means
for dress E.lf
The swellest gowns are made from
tanned buffalo hides which at this time
are very scarce. The leather is soft and
durable. 1t is made up into comforta-
bly, fitting skirt and loose waist. All
dresses are cut in about the same style.
They. cost very little until the decorations
are added. This is where the eXtrava-
gance begins. Not less than a hundred
elk teeth adorn the bosom of dress and
sometimes 200 are used. They can DC sold
at from IS TO SO apiece. Then 4 row OF
gold braid must go around the bottom of
the skirt, and a string of pearl heads
should adorn every belt. With addition
of elk teeth. pearls and oyster shells the
dress soon beeomes very valuable.
AS the Comanches and their neighbors.
the Kiowas, were great hunters they have
the most elk teeth and buffalo hides;
hence in Indian circles the women of
these two tribes are supposed to be the
best dressed. Not until last Easter did
the squaws introduce the wearing OF hats.
but they spent money freely fer head
pieces when they once began. They all
had their hats trimmed with -cd roses
and violets. Some of the hats were as
large as a bushel basket.
The fashions they follow are very anus
Ing to the white people. but with them IL
is Il sefi-7s business, and tho women are
much interested in their shopping as "A
white woman would be at the counter of
one Of the largest millinery houses in New
York
Civilization is steadily growing with
these people, and the ways of the whites
show in many matters besides those OF
dress. Most of the young married cou
pies of the Kiowa and Comanche tribes
have comfortable houses instead of tee
pees. They are well educated having
been forced to attend the Government
schools. To these new manners OF life
the young men and women take kindly,
but the older class will have none of
them They continue to live in tents. as
do full-bloods of other Southwest tribes.
The young Indian wife of today is
clean a fairly good cook. and tidy with
her house She Is not yet well verSed in
the art of decoration, and red and green
are predomlnating colors in all Of her