How to Dress Like an Indian

If you are headed to a costume party or attending a cultural festival, you might be thinking about dressing like an Indian (properly termed Native American). Whether you are looking for a quick outfit or perhaps something a bit more authentic, there are several avenues to take if you want to dress like an Indian. Read on to learn how to dress like an Indian.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Where to Find Your Attire

1. Check the phone book for local costume shops and costume rental stores. Unless it is the Halloween season, you might find it difficult to find a place that sells costumes. There are some places, however, that have rental shops that are open year-round.

2. Look for costume retailers online. These are available any time of year. Best of all, if it is not Halloween season, costumes can be purchased at tremendous discount rates.

3. Shop at specialty leather stores, locally and online. Leather stores that specialize in Native American fare offer things like dresses, war shirts, and moccasins, as well as certain special occasion vestments.

4. Check online auction sites for Native American attire and accessories. Here you can also find contemporary clothing with Native American patterns and accents.

Native American Man

5. Decide on a style of pants. This can be either buckskin trousers with traditional fringe, leather leggings, or the revealing breechcloth (long sections of hide tucked into the front and back of a belt).

6. Pair the bottoms with a decorated war shirt. Weather permitting, you can also omit the shirt and opt for decorative beads. Fringed buckskin shirts are also popular and will go well with buckskin trousers.

7. Find a pair of Native American shoes. Generally they will either be moccasins or mukluks (heavy boots).

8. Accessorize the outfit with a feathered headdress and silver buckles decorated in traditional Native American fashion.

Native American Woman

9. Choose either a skirt with leggings paired with a buckskin shirt or a one-piece animal hide dress. Styles and materials varied with tribes, but nowadays you are most likely to find leather and hide clothing.

10. Wear either moccasins or mukluks with the dress. Shoes worn by Native American men and women were typically the same.

11. Wear necklaces and bracelets made of turquoise and silver.

12. Part your hair in the middle and make two braids. If you have short hair, you can simply purchase a braided wig. Top this off with a delicate feathered headdress.

Tips & Warnings

• While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, you should remember to be respectful of the culture.

Resources

• Great Source for Authentic Native American Jewelry and Accessories

[Lakota99]

on 12/24/2008 lol thats a good comment! yep thats how we dress now..

[acravatt]

on 11/30/2008 I'm a Chickasaw Indian and back in '88 my stepson came home from school saying that his teacher told him to come back the next day dressed like an Indian. I took off my hat put it on his head and said "there you go". The next day he went to school, told his teacher who I was and said "My Dad is an Indian and this is how he dresses".