What Types of Clothing Did the Kiowa Tribe Wear?
The Native American Kiowa tribe wore clothing sourced from their surrounding environment. They used materials made from animal skins and decorated their clothing with paint, beads or fringe.
Men of the Kiowa tribe wore leather legging and breechcloths. Breechcloths are strips of cloth or leather worn between the legs with the ends tucked over a belt on either side of the body. Because breechcloths leave the legs bare, men often protected their legs with leggings. Leggings are tube-like pant legs attached to the breechcloth belt. The pant legs of the leggings are separate, unconnected pieces. When going to war, Kiowa men wore hats made from otter pelts. These head coverings had a turban-like shape.
Women of the Kiowa tribe wore long deerskin dresses. Kiowa tribe women decorated their clothing with green or yellow painted tribal designs. They wore their hair loose or in braids. Many women had tribal tattoos on their faces. Men of the Kiowa tribe also wore their hair in braids, sometimes incorporating a pompadour style or wrapping the braid in fur. During cold weather, the Kiowa tribe wore moccasins and buffalo-hide robes.
For special occasions, the Kiowa tribe painted their faces. They had designs specifically for festive celebrations, religious ceremonies and even war. As the Kiowa tribe confronted European styles of dress, they adapted their clothing. Many Kiowa people wore cloth dresses or vests and decorated them with tribal materials or designs. Modern-day members of the Kiowa tribe only dress in their traditional clothing for special occasions or ceremonies.
