Is being a cock of the walk vanity or just pratica
Mar 2, 2011 22:11:27 GMT -7
Post by tumbleweed on Mar 2, 2011 22:11:27 GMT -7
I have often heard from fellow hobbyists and Indian friends. That fancy dress is for ceremony or for special occasions.My view point is that if you have the talent to create beautiful things,why should you hide that talent because others proclaim you as a cock of the walk.Men who headed to St Louie as a gate way to the west.With the intention of becoming a trapper or frontiersman.Arrived from varied social and economical stature backgrounds.Those who had more money,bought fancier trappings than those with less money.After a few months in the wilderness the practicality of the trappings that a beginning trapper brought with him would be found out or worn out.
I hear you say "What is practical about being a cock of the walk").
Well ! my view point is that depending on weather you are horse bound or on foot obviously determines how much you can carry.A man traveling alone on horseback might have one or two packs horses with him,but even so he would be limited in the number of comforts he could pack on to his horse or horses.There would be little room for the weight of extra clothing.Maybe an extra shirt or underwear,or trousers.So if you had the talent to make,or the money to buy a fancy outfit. What other reason could there be for wearing fancier clothing.Well its human nature that first impressions count amongst us and Indians.A mans social stature or prominence is judged at first by his appearance.Thus giving him the possibility of opening a door to communicating from a higher advantage point.
Leather clothing adorned with bead work,might be considered as extravagant,and unpractical,but as above stated it creates an important impression and if used as an accent and not as a blanket covering,its not likely to get worn out too quickly.On that that point,i believe that as a man set out over the prairies he wore on his back his wardrobe and when when he returned to civilization he renewed his warn out wardrobe. Lets look at the buffalo coat for example.In the winter time practical for warmth not so practical if you have to walk too far wearing it.So its better suited to be worn on horse back or worn if you don't intend to walk to far wearing it.And when the spring time comes around it would be discarded and when the next winter came around a new one would be acquired.Not a problem back in the day because of the abundance of the buffalo.
I own a $600 beaver hair hat and have been asked why i wear it so much.It will get dirty and will wear out i hear.Well i believe that an article of clothing has a kind of life.Its made not born.It lives a life with the wearer and eventually wears out.I sure as hell didn't spend that money to see my hat collect dust on a shelf only to be worn on special occasions.
So whats my point.My point is that its ok to be a cock of the walk so long as its practical to your situation.
I hear you say "What is practical about being a cock of the walk").
Well ! my view point is that depending on weather you are horse bound or on foot obviously determines how much you can carry.A man traveling alone on horseback might have one or two packs horses with him,but even so he would be limited in the number of comforts he could pack on to his horse or horses.There would be little room for the weight of extra clothing.Maybe an extra shirt or underwear,or trousers.So if you had the talent to make,or the money to buy a fancy outfit. What other reason could there be for wearing fancier clothing.Well its human nature that first impressions count amongst us and Indians.A mans social stature or prominence is judged at first by his appearance.Thus giving him the possibility of opening a door to communicating from a higher advantage point.
Leather clothing adorned with bead work,might be considered as extravagant,and unpractical,but as above stated it creates an important impression and if used as an accent and not as a blanket covering,its not likely to get worn out too quickly.On that that point,i believe that as a man set out over the prairies he wore on his back his wardrobe and when when he returned to civilization he renewed his warn out wardrobe. Lets look at the buffalo coat for example.In the winter time practical for warmth not so practical if you have to walk too far wearing it.So its better suited to be worn on horse back or worn if you don't intend to walk to far wearing it.And when the spring time comes around it would be discarded and when the next winter came around a new one would be acquired.Not a problem back in the day because of the abundance of the buffalo.
I own a $600 beaver hair hat and have been asked why i wear it so much.It will get dirty and will wear out i hear.Well i believe that an article of clothing has a kind of life.Its made not born.It lives a life with the wearer and eventually wears out.I sure as hell didn't spend that money to see my hat collect dust on a shelf only to be worn on special occasions.
So whats my point.My point is that its ok to be a cock of the walk so long as its practical to your situation.
