Nez Perce National Historical Park

Dress
c 1890s
This dress, also called a wing dress, because the shoulders and open cape-like sleeves resemble the wings of a bird. Wing dresses became popular with the arrival of manufactured fabric through the trade system. Wool and felt were lighter, more colorful, and easier to work with than animal skins. The dress also has dentalia shells, another popular trade item that came from the Pacific coast.

The dress is made from purple wool felt with red wool felt and green ribbon border trim on sleeves, neckline and bottom hem. The bands are buffalo hide with glass trade beads sewn on with sinew thread. The yoke pieces have glass beads and shells sewn onto purple wool felt cloth and partially onto canvas. The bottom edge of the beaded yoke is finished with a beaded fringe of buckskin.
Wool, shell (Dentalium pretosium), glass beads, buffalo (Bos bison), canvas, sinew.
H 120.0, W 106.0 cm
Nez Perce National Historical Park, NEPE 392



Dress c 1890s This dress, also called a wing dress, because the shoulders and open cape-like sleeves resemble the wings of a bird. Wing dresses became popular with the arrival of manufactured fabric through the trade system. Wool and felt were lighter, more colorful, and easier to work with than animal skins. The dress also has dentalia shells, another popular trade item that came from the Pacific coast. The dress is made from purple wool felt with red wool felt and green ribbon border trim on sleeves, neckline and bottom hem. The bands are buffalo hide with glass trade beads sewn on with sinew thread. The yoke pieces have glass beads and shells sewn onto purple wool felt cloth and partially onto canvas. The bottom edge of the beaded yoke is finished with a beaded fringe of buckskin. Wool, shell (Dentalium pretosium), glass beads, buffalo (Bos bison), canvas, sinew. H 120.0, W 106.0 cm Nez Perce National Historical Park, NEPE 392
Close This Window