As a genre of male attire, half-leggings enjoyed widespread distribution. Their origin undoubtedly lies in the Southwest with the similar botas, which were in common use among Hispanic peoples, and Navajo and Pueblo Indians. The legging type possibly extended its range onto the Plains along with the proliferation of horses and horse gear. Botas as well as half-leggings were worn over a pair of trousers. They wrapped around the legs from just below the wearer's knees to the top of the feet, the decorated panel extending down the front. Tie thongs under the flap at the top of each legging secured them in place.

During the second half of the 19th century, half-leggings were in vogue among non-Indians and persons of mixed ancestry across the Plains and northward into Canada. Interestingly, full-blooded Lakota (Western Sioux) men made only infrequent use of them. Indian and mixed-blood (Metis) women were the makers of these garnments. After constructing them, they adorned the half-leggings with porcupine quillwork, cut cloth and/or beads. Stylized floral and foliate motifs commonly adorn the front section of each legging. Typically a profusion of color is seen in the decoration, as with these in which faceted white, purple, pink, green, blue, red, yellow, pumpkin, and black are present in the some 16 shades of color. This pair departs uniquely from the norm in that a triple line of beads demarcates a faux cuff at the top of each. Moreover, the beadwork design on this pair of leggings is simple in style, thus suggesting a relatively early date of manufacture, perhaps, ca. 1870.

See Conn, 1982:75; and Mauer, 1977:133, 149.

Benson L. Lanford
April 26, 2001