Early Mississippi 

(Several of the paintings mentioned in this articles by George Catlin can be located from the Home Page)

The Choctaw clothes in early days in Mississippi were whatever was available within their region. The early clothes consisted of a blouse and short skirt made from animal hide for the woman. Dear brains were used in tanning the hides. the men wore breechcloth and moccasins. When traveling, they wore pants and shirt. In the winter, they wore outer garments of animal hide and furs with the lower ends of leggings tucked into the moccasin. They wore moccasins when traveling, but often went barefoot at home.

Later, the women invariably wore a blouse and skirt made of cotton material. In the winter, the body was protected by a shawl. They wore moccasins similar to those worn by the men and went barefoot at home. For ornament, they wore wooden beads. Both men and women wore their hair long and plaited or flowing loosely.

The cloths worn after the arrival to their new homeland were similar to those worn by the white settlers. The dress style changed among the women of the white settlers, but the Choctaw women continue to wear the loosely fitted dress with the hemline just above the ankle. She wore an apron and kerchief on her head and went barefoot at home.

During the 1930's the women bean to adopt the dress style of the era and ready made dresses were available for purchase. Today the Choctaw women have accepted and keep abreast of current fashion and no longer are they "set apart by the clothes they wear".