Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-07
SQUAWS' COSTLY CLOTHES
DRESSES OF INDIAN WOMEN WORTH
A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Animal Skins Lined With SILK and
EmbeIIIshed with Elk Teeth
and Pearls.
From the San Francisco CALI


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 looks
to Oklahoma, IL things go on in this way.
1t is a fact very narrowly known that
many women of the Kiowa. Comanche.
Arapahoe and Ponca tribes have dresses
costing from $50 TO 81 500 apiece. They
are not made IN what 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 COM
mon to 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-karat diamond is no
curiosity to these dushy bellies Most OF
the dresses are made from soft buckskin
lined with silk satin. Red satin is
great favorite for dress lining and shirt
waists among the Indian women. Yellow
silk is another OF their favorltes, but violet
was the prevailing color this year Next
year the Indian woman who leads the fashs
lon Will decree a new and fiashy color TO
be the up-to-date thing, and. of course, all
OF the women will follow her.
squaws as shoppers.
Society as We name it is thing unknown
among the reservation Indian women. but
they have a certain envy of social standing
Just the same When they come to the
small towns on trading days there may be
assembled several hundred OF the women
from various parts of the country and they
gather In the agency and talk over events
among themselves, gossip upon the scam
hours
at time.
1t is during this function that they may
be seen In their best dress, and each one
tries to Guido her neighbor In ornaments.
The more elk teeth one has on her 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 a dress
meets with the disapproval of one, she
has no hesitancy about saying so to the
owner OF such dress, who retorts as she
sees fit. Sometimes open quarrels ensue
at these sessions because some woman has
been too bold in her criticism. Before
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 from criticising
her dress. During the ensuing week there
is a great race to outshine her garments.
and this is generally accomplished, no mat
ter how hard she may have strven to hold
her place in the lead. The squaws do not
posed. They do little outside 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 to
them, and they spend it to please their own
tastes, which means for dress.
Buffalo Skin Gowns.
The SWEETEST gowns made from tam
ned buffalo hides which at this time are
very scarce. The leather is soft and dur
able. 1t is made up into a comfortably
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 extravaganza begins.
Not less than hundred elk teeth adorn
the bosom of dress. and sometimes two
hundred are used. They can be sold at
from So to SO apiece. Then row Of gold
braid must go around the bottom of the
skirt, and a string of pearl beads should
adorn every belt. With addition of elk
teeth, pearls and oyster shells the dress
soon becomes very valuable.
AS the Comanches and their neighbors
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 in
troduce the wearing of hats but they spent
money freely for headpieces when they
once began. They all had their hats trim
med with red roses and violets. Some OF
the hats were as large as bushel basket.
Serious as to Fashion.
The fashions they follow are very anus
ing to the white people. but with them 10
is serious business, and the women are
as much interested in their shopping as a
white woman would be in front of tho
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 couples
of the Kiowa and Comanche tribes have
comfortable houses instead OF tepees. 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 SOUTH
west tribes.
The young Indian wife of today is clean,
q fairly good cook and tidy with her house.
She is not yet well versed in the art OF
decoration, and red and green are predomi-
mating colors in all of her rooms. whether
in harmony not. The house has good
furniture, but it is strangely arranged
The lounge is a favorite piece Of furniture,
and one sees it in every Indian household,
always in the parlor. If the Indians have
a piano or organ 1t goes into the bed room.
The young bucks best saddle also goes into
the parlor, and in many houses IL is hung
upon the wall. Red ribbons are tied TO
everything, even the tail of the cat. for
no Indian household is complete without a
cat and a dog