To dress a indian porcelain doll with historical acuracy one must understand the history of indian dress. The various styles of indian porcelain doll dress originate from either ceremonial or societal functions of the past. Male indian porcelain dolls usually wear leggings and a breech cloth decorated with ribbons and beadwork. A breastplate of bones and beads is worn across the indian porcelain doll’s chest, while a bustle made from feathers is worn on the indian porcelain doll’s back. Women porcelain dolls usually wear dresses decorated with elk teeth or shells, as well as beaded moccasins, leggings, belts and braid ties.

Within these basic styles, each individual indian porcelain doll should have its own unique style. For example, an Suix indian porcelain doll, wears an outfit bearing two beaded lightning bolts striking the top of a tipi. These bolts refer to a lightning strike that killed one of the indian porcelain doll’s friends. The Suix indian porcelain doll outfit also has bison tracks leading across it in honor of the historical importance the bison had for the indian porcelain doll.

These stories are woven into the indian porcelain doll outfits through detailed beadwork done in an array of colors. Historically, specific colors were associated with specific tribes. For instance, a Arapaho indian porcelain indian doll will have beadwork done on a white or blue background because traders reserved blue and white beads for the tribe. As the Indians absorbed beads into their culture, they traded colors with neighboring tribes and their regalia became rainbow-hued. Today an indian porcelain doll, particularly the Fancy indian porcelain dolls, may be dressed in everything from red, yellow, blue and white, to pink and orange.

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