Buckskin Dress

Sioux women were known for their signature buckskin dresses with fully beaded yoke. Often the beaded shoulder background was blue, representing a lake reflecting a blue sky. Cross patterns represent either the four directions or the morning star. The U-shaped design positioned at the center of the breast is reminiscent of the tail of an animal. This can also represent the turtle which possessed power associated with a woman’s capacity for childbirth and the natural cycles related to femininity.