The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-10
sQUAw'S COSTLY ATTIRE.
Indian Women Who Wear Suits
Worth n Thousand Dollars.
San Francisco Call.

0NA AAAN-1N NoAA
1t has just cropped out in social circles
that the Oklahoma Indian women are
among the most e-XtraVagant dressers in
America This fact is worth presenting to
those who look to Paris for their fashions.
There may come a time when Paris looks
TO Oklahoma If things go on in this way. 1t
Is a fact, very narrowly known, that many
women or the kiOwa, COmanche. ArapahOe
and POnca tribes have dresses costing from
500 to $3.50 apiece. The are not made in
we should call the latest styles: the
decorations are what count.
The squaws' money is nearly all spent 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
20 see an Indian girl walking around over
her reservation with 500 worth of elk teeth
tied TO her dress in decorative style. Again,
a twO-carat diamond is no curiosity to these
dusky bellies. Most OF the dresses are made
from soft buckskin lined with silk or satin.
Red satin is a great faVOrite for dress lin
Ing and shirtwaists among the Indian wOm-
en-. Yellow silk is another of their favorites,
but violet was the prevailing color this
year Next year the Indian woman who
leads the fashion will decree a new and
fashy color TO be the up-to-date thing, and,
or course, all or the women viii follow her.
Society, as We name il, is a thing I'M
known among the reservation Indian wom-
en-. but they have a certain envy of social
standing Just the same. When they come 10
the small towns on trading days there may
be several hundred of the wom-
en- from various parts of the country, and
they gather in the agency and talk over
events among themselves. gossip upon the
scandals and rail against the whites for
hours at a time.
II is during this function that they may
De seen In their best dress and each one
tries 10 Guido her neighbOr in
The more elk teeth one has on her dress the
more popular she is at these weekly meet
fngs at the agency buildings. They examine
each other dresses carefully and freely
express 10 the wearer opinions up0n the
quality and cost. If the dress meets with
the disapprOval Of one. she has no hesitan-
CO about saying so 10 the owner of such
dress, who retOrts as she sees Mt. Some
times open q~uarrels ensue at these ses-
siOns because some woman has been TOO
bold IN her criticism. Before they go home
they take a vote on the dresses. and the
owner OF the best is crowned leader of
fashion for the next week. and all must re-
frain from criticising her dress. During the
ensuing week there Is "A great race 10 out
shine her garments. and this is generally
accomplished, no matter how hard she NAV
have striven To hold her place in the lead.
The sQuaws do not have TO work as hard as
Is generally supposed. They do little out
side their houses. as the Indians who have
an income from the United States do not
farm. All OF the money due the women is
paid direct 20 them, and they spend IL to
please their own tastes, which means for
dress.
The SWEETEST gowns are made fro;a tanned
buffalo hides, which. AZ this time. are very
scarce The leather Is soft ana durable. II