Nashoba

I am real new at Cloth dancing. I am teaching myself, b/c I don't have anyone to bring me into the circle. I didn't grow up in a traditional family,(I was adopted, but am full-blood). So, HELP....
Anyways,I wanted to start dancing in the cloth division. So, I made my T-dress with appliques on the sleeves and ribbons hanging from the front and back. My question or problem is I didn't have moccs to wear so I made leggings to match my design on my sleeves and wore aqua shoes to match my leggings. I am now in the process of making moccs. But, can I still wear my leggings with my moccs? Or do I need to get rid of the leggings? b/c they may not be considered traditional...Help Plz, thnx....

Chahta Diamond

I think you should be able to still wear your leggings. I'm going to start dancing cloth this year but I have been dancing fancy shawl and all my leggings are appliqued as well as all my friends too.

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Eagle Plumes

First of all welcome home!!! If you want to wear your leggings you should , I read your Tribes and the Kiowa ladies on here should be able to help you on what to wear in the T-Dress department. I believe they wear high top moc's that means no leggings but as you learn you will know what to wear, and im in no way an expert on Kiowa ways of wearing their outfits k. Im still tring to figure out my Cheyenne ways. And ive always danced, But im sure there is a way for you to contact your people and get some help in whatever area you may feal the need or want.

Emmy

wearing aqua shoes with ur leggins isnt traditional... why didnt u just wear matching cloth moccs instead of the aqua shoes?

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WocusWoman

Yeah, what she said! Make cloth mocs to match.

Eagle Plumes

Another thing I have seen is painted moc's to match leggings Ive talked to various ladies in the past that stated they wore painted canvas tennis shoes "you know the real plain ones?" they would wear those while they were makeing their beaded ones then when they were at a outdoor dance and it was wet or muddy they could wear their painted ones with their designs on them to dance. Just a thought That idea is good for the little ones as well so they can have moc's that look like they have bead-work on them with-out all the work of beading enless your like me and have plenty of kids and family to grow into them ha,ha.

bushy_braids

i've seen many gals wear applique leggings/moccassins and it actually looks really good... you can't even tell if it's beaded or not, esp from a distance.
but anyways... if you're just gettin' started on makin' some moccs... try vinyl... a friend of mine threw some together last min & didn't have leather available so she used tan vinyl for the footpart and believe it or not, it held up! and with it being tan colored it gave the impression that she was using leather soles! that should hold ya over until you are able to sew up some leather moccs.

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kiowakat

I was taught that leggins were a man's thing for the Kiowa's. Kiowa women and some of the southern plains women back in the day wore wader type boots up to the thighs this was for riding horses so their legs didn't get chapped and chafed. Now as time goes on and the need for these type of boots diminished and the length of the boot came down to the shin now these where called women’s boots in the older days they were called high tops. We did not have any separatation of material for footwear it was all connected, I get my information from my Elders and museum pieces. I observed the Northern footwear and they have a separate piece and that’s called leggins. Moccasins were used by Kiowa women heavily when they were located to govt lands and the hunting was no longer a necessity. That’s when they started wearing cloth dresses instead of buckskin more easily to get and more economical.