Elk’s Tooth Dress

This style of dress is referred to as binary because its two symmetrical halves – front and back – are virtually indistinguishable in design and shape. This particular dress also reflects the influence of commercially made dresses with tailored sleeves and waistline. The dress is decorated with the upper canine teeth of elk and bone fashioned as teeth. “Elk Tooth” dresses were worn by Crow, Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Sioux (Teton Dakota) women and children. The dress would carry a high degree of prestige because of the importance of elk. Only the two upper canine teeth were used, implying that the husband or father was a good hunter or of a certain status within the tribe. In 1852, it was reported that I00 elk teeth would cost as much as a good horse. In addition to blue wool stroud cloth, Crow women also wore elk tooth dresses made from red stroud or tanned buckskins.