Hi Shelley, From what I have read, the Choctaw buckskin dresses, back before cloth or pre-contact with the europeans, were topless.. <G> The pictures that I have seen, they were short, like knee length, and fringed on the bottom. In the winter time, they wore mantles or capes made out of feathers, like turkey, or deer skin. I have seen some people wearing buckskin dress at the pow wows in south Louisiana where the top is covering only one shoulder. The other shoulder is bare. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be Choctaw or not, as I have never asked. I made me a buckskin dress, and my husband, who was kidding of course, said, why don't you make it "pre-contact"... laughingly I said... I DON'T THINK SOOOOO!!! <g> I'll try and find a picture to scan and put up on the web page also... good idea! Here is the URL for the page on the dresses. I don't know anyone who makes these, but I know they sure are a lot of work. I bought the material for one a while back, but haven't gotten the nerve to start on it yet. That's one of those, when I get a "round-Tuit" things...<G> http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/dress.htm Yakoke! Markie At 05:23 PM 04/02/2000 -0500, you wrote: >Someone once mentioned that had seen a picture of a chahta buckskin dress. >I'd love to see a picture of a buckskin dress that was traditionally chahta, >if such exists. >Also, Markie, I need to know where to find your info on the apron dresses >again. I don't know how I keep loosing it. Does anyone happen to know >someone who makes apron dresses? >Yokoke!! >Shelley (Hishi ohoyo) > > >==== CHOCTAW Mailing List ==== >Check out the Oklahoma's main web site at: >http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgenweb/ >Lots of Native American Links there. > > >

Yokoke Markie!! I think I'll pass on the pre-contact version too. :) Here's a decription I found on the net, based on a picture by Caitlin: "Women in Catlin's pictures are shown wearing mid-calf length buckskin dresses, with sculpted bottoms. These dresses, known as "two-hide" dresses, are very similar to those worn by the Blackfoot, Sioux, and Missouri Indians although the former might be longer than those painted by Catlin. The bottoms, arms and yokes are all fringed and some seem to be decorated with strands of material, beads or hair." I've found some online for sale that might be like what was worn. Thanks again for our help. Shelley