For Navajo girls, there are two "traditional" outfits. One version is the most commonly seen. The girls will have their hair bound in a bun with white yarn that dangles down the back of the neck. They will be wearing a velvet or velveteen long sleeved open collar tunic that is bound at the waist, usually by a concha belt and a woven sash. The skirt that they wear can be velvet or some other material (I often see fine prints used) and is called a "broomstick" skirt. I can't think of how to explain what this skirt is like but it's rather tiered, narrower at the top and full at the bottom in one layer. A soft boot (mocassin) is worn on the feet. Add bracelets, one or more turquoise necklaces, silver and turquoise earrings and that's one version of Navajo traditional wear. This is the really common one that you can see every day out here, particuliarly on Navajo grandmothers though they may be wearing more orthopedic shoes. The men wear blue jeans, a velvet tunic (same as the woman's tunic in style), mocassin boots, jewelry and have a sash tied around their head. This particuliar "traditional" style is relatively recent and is based on what was available at trading posts. Mattel made a Navajo Princess "barbie" that is actually pretty accurate to the current traditional look, except her shoes.

Here are some various pictures from different sites on the net that show the more recent "traditional style:

[www.ihs.gov]

[www.arigonstarr.com]

And yes, even little girls get heavily decked out. Our daughter, 2, just had her ears pierced. The family had been waiting for us to do it. Most girls get their ears pierced as babies.

Some paintings that are a good example at how even the very young Navajo girls are dressed on special occasions:

[www.larryriley.com]


The second dress is less often seen and is the original "traditional" style. In fact, I've only seen it on very special occasions, ie powwows, parades, and on "Indian Appreciation" day. This outfit is similiar in that again, the hair is bound in a bun with yarn and soft mocassin boots are worn. The dress itself is substantially different. This is a "rug" dress. It's woven and is rather boxy. The arms are bare to almost the shoulders and again, it's bound by a sash and/or concha belt. The bottom of the dress hits at about mid-calf. The pattern is usually Navajo rug patterns, wool woven, and using the three traditional colors of black, red and off-white. Radmilla Cody (former Miss Navajo Nation) is wearing a rather similiar style (current pictures are hard to find) though the pattern and style is more Pueblo than Navajo. Unfortunately, it's the only current picture that I could find on the net of something similiar, lol. I'll have to look through my own photos to see if I can find one as well but Radmilla will have to do for now. You can see the yarn dangling down the back of her neck and she has a blanket on her lap. Blankets and rugs were worn over the shoulders as shawls.

[www.geocities.com]

Older pictures:

[navajo-indian.org]

[www.artline.com]


As you can see, the rug dress was looser and boxier than what Radmilla is wearing. The pattern is substantially different and you can see blankets used as a shawl with mocassins on the feet and wrapped calves. The women's style has changed far more dramatically in the last 100 years than the men's of tunic, pants, sash/concha belt, jewelry and sash bound head. Though, I don't recall seeing many Navajo men wearing earrings as they once did.

Stephanie






In every man there is something wherein I may learn of him, and in that I am his pupil.--Ralph Waldo Emerson