Ginia

I have been dancing women's cloth for 8 years and Buckskin for 3 years, but most of the ladies who I attend pow-wows, gatherings, and other activities with where the northern full beaded top buckskin dresses. What do the southern style dresses look like? Did I remember wrong about the fully beaded tops being northern.

I'm in the south, but most of the ladies here are either from north of the Mason-Dixon Line or west of the Mississippi. They don't know much about Southern styles. I would like to change from the basic buckskin dress into a southern style. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

KC Quapaw

Hi
I too dance southern buckskin. You are correct that northern buckskin is different in the tops are fully beaded. Very beautiful! On a southern style, there is a thinner band of beadwork going down the shoulders. (Mine is a few inches wide) :)
Hope that helps! :)

KC Quapaw

PS:
If you look on this site at the section called Dancing Styles, and look under Buckskin, there is a good picture of a southern dress. However, you may notice that her fringe hits at her elbows. Many people choose to have the fringe go much longer. :)

Coastie

If you look in this section Buckskin Favorites you will find some excellent examples of southern dresses.

Ginia

KC Quapaw and Coastie,

Thanks alot!!!! That will help me to get a start. I've been practicing beading on a loom and am pretty comfortable doing it now. So I can start the shoulder work.

Another question though... should I stick with pucker-toe mocs or switch to another style? Are the mocs beaded extensively or just as a border?

wmc

With southern buckskin, most wear leggins (boots), at least those in southern OK do, the Comanche and Kiowa. They have some lazy stitch bead work, such as around the flap, over the seams and around the toe. The fully beaded mocassins and leggins are usually northern. This is at least what I was taught and have seen. Hope this helps.