Their costume was made of bison hide or buckskin and consisted of a fringed skirt, poncho-style blouse, leggings, and moccasins for males and a fringed skirt, poncho-style blouse, leggings, and moccasins for women. Buffalo robes offered warmth in chilly temperatures. The Comanches used the bison skin because it was lightweight and durable. They cut the skins into strips about 18 inches (45 cm) wide and sewed them together with sinew to make shirts and skirts. The men also wore pants made of the same material. The women's clothes were only half as long as those worn by men and had a flapping edge at the bottom to show off their feet. Both sexes usually painted their faces black to look more aggressive. The Comanches were very proud of their costumes and often showed off their skills at sewing and dancing with them. Their weapons included guns taken from white soldiers and also blowguns called "poisons" that could shoot balls of buffalo bone or stone. In 1836, American pioneers first came into contact with the Comanches when they invaded present-day Texas looking for land of their own. Although the Comanches and Americans fought each other frequently over water rights and livestock, both sides wanted to avoid war so they kept their differences private.