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Native American clothing is a vital part of American culture and history. Native Americans used techniques such as weaving, beading, feathering, quilling, and much more to embellish and create clothes. ¹

How did Native American's dress traditionally?

Each nation has a different culture and way to dress, depending on their traditions and environment. Below are examples of traditional dress for two Native American Tribes.

In the early 18^the century, Cherokee men wore:²

• cotton trade shirts
• loincloths
• leggings
• front-seam moccasins
• finger-woven or beaded belts
• multiple pierced earrings around the rim of the ear
• and a blanket over one shoulder

At the same time, Cherokee women traditionally wore:²

• mantles of leather or feathers
• skirts of leather or woven mulberry bark
• leggings
• front-seam moccasins
• and earrings pierced through the earlobe only

In the late 18^the century, the Cherokee people dressed very similar to their European counterparts. Traditional dress has evolved in modern times. Indigenous peoples still practice traditional dress, especially during important events and ceremonies.

For example, traditional Navajo women's clothing includes: ³

• a velvet or cotton skirt
• a matching long sleeve velvet blouse
• a shawl
• foot or knee-high deer moccasins
• and a silver concho or sash belt

Navajo men's traditional dress includes:³

• a velvet or cotton shirt
• white pants
• short deer moccasins
• a headband
• and silver or turquoise jewelry

Both genders wear their hair in a tsiiyéél a traditional hairstyle brushed into a bun behind the head and tied with a white sheep wool string. ³

Where can I see modern Native American fashion?

Indigenous Fashion designers today are looking to their cultural past and creating clothing, jewelry, and accessories honoring that history while forwarding it for modern wear. A great place to see Indigenous Fashion is at the Sante Fe Indian Market Fashion Show, which has featured Native American designers such as:

• Lauren Good Day
• Jamie Okuma
• Orlando Dugi
• Bethany Y Yellowtail
• and many more!

Lauren Good Day told Forbes, "Art is the physical manifestation of our cultures, values and stories" ... "contemporary Indigenous fashion is who we are today as historic Indigenous fashion is who my ancestors were then; it all makes a beautiful visual story of Indigeneity which is unique from tribe to tribe and person to person." ⁴

Appropriation vs. Appreciation

According to the Cambridge dictionary, appropriation is "the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect the culture." ⁵ For example, making great personal profit from Native "inspired" designs is appropriation. Does this mean you can't wear Native fashion or decorate your house with Native Home goods? You absolutely can, but please make sure you are purchasing from an actual Native artist — not someone who is using Native designs to make a profit.

Share this page with a friend to help raise awareness of Native American history and culture.

¹ http://indians.org/articles/native-american-clothing.html
²https://cherokeemuseum.com/learn/faq#q3
³ https://www.discovernavajo.com/experience-the-navajo-nation/navajo-culture/ ³ https://www.forbes.com/sites/chaddscott/2021/08/01/indigenous-fashion-show-again-highlighting-swaia-santa-fe-indian-market/ ³ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/cultural-appropriation

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