The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-04-15
DRESS OF THE EsoulMo.
Made by the Women From the Skins of
Northern Animals,

made by the Women From the Skins of
Northern Animals.
American Tailor and Cutter-The chief
material of the clothing of the Esquimo
is the skin of the reindeer, which is used
in various stages or pelage or tanning.
Fine, short-haired summer skins, espe-
cially those of does and fawns. are used
for making dress garments and under
clothes. The heaviest winter skins fur
nish extra warm Jackets for cold wealth
er. The white spotted skins of the tame
Siberian reindeer are especially valued
for full dress jackets. /:
The skins of the white mountain sheep.
white and blue fox, wolf. dog, ermine and
lynx are sometimes made into clothing.
UnderJackets of cider duck skins are often
pressed into service. Sealskin dressed with
the hair on is used only for breeches and
boots, and for those rarely. OF late years
drilling and calico have been introduced
into the makeup of some Of the minor
garments:
The dress of the men consists OF a loose
hooded frock, without opening except at
the neck and wrists. This reaches Just
over the hips. and very rarely to mid
thigh, where 1t IS cut off square and usual
lS confined by a glrdie at the waist. Tn
der this garment is worn q similar one of
lighter skin and sometimes without a
AS1N' AAhS 40 LIN Law II SbAS u "
pairs of tight-1ltting knee breaches. rath-
er loose. but fitted to the shape of the leg.
They are very low in front, but are much
higher behind, sometimes as high as the
small of the back. They are held in place
by a girdle or thong around the waist,
and are usually fastened below the knee,
over the boots, with u draw-String.
On the legs and feet are Worn, first, a
pair of long deerskin stockings with the
hair inside, then slippers of tanned seal
skin, in the bottom of which is spread a
layer of whalebone shavings. and outside
a pair of close-ftting boots. held in place
by q string around the ankle. which
reaches ABOVE the knee anu ends with a
rough edge covered by the breeches. Dress
boots often end in an ornamental border
with draw-string just below the knee. The
boots are of reindeer SKIN, with white
sealskin soles for winter and dry wealth.
er: but in summer waterproof boots of
white whaleskin are worn Overshoes of
the same material, reaching just above
the ankles. are sometimes worn over the
winter boots.
The women wear tight-ftting decrskin
pantaloons with the hair next the skin,
and outside OF these a similar pair, made
of the skins from deer legs, With the hair
out. and having soles of sealskin, but no
ankle strings. TIL women's pantaloons,
like those OF the men, are fastened with
- tiAtAC JoSh llS IlllS. IL dppctI .
that they do not stay up very we'll. as the
women are continually h!tching them up
and tightening their girdles, like some old
sailor.
Until they reach manhoo the boys wear
pantaloons like the women, but their jack
cts are cut just like those OF the men.
The well-to-do Esquimo generally own
several complete suits OF clothes, and pre-
sent a neat appearance when not engaged
in dirty work. The poorer class wear one
suit for all occasions until 1t becomes
shabby. New clothes are seldom put on
till winter. TIL outer frock Is not often
worn in the iglu. or hut home, being
usually taken off before entering the room.
AT present there Is no sucn thing as an
Esquimo tailor. for the women of each
Esquimo household usually make the gar
ments of all the members of the family.
Not only this. but the Esquimo are ex-
tremely conservative in the matter of
changes in the style of their raiment and
respond very slowly to the undermining
influences in this particular which have
reached their ueiglbOrhOOd.