The Encyclopedia of American Indian Costume, lavishly illustrated, presents the variety of clothing created by the many tribes and looks at its uses, whether functional or ceremonial. The book is divided into ten cultural regions, with each chapter giving an overview of the regional clothing and its cultural context. Tribal information includes men's and women's basic dress, footwear, outerwear, hairstyles, headgear, accessories, jewelry, armor, special costumes, garment decoration, face and body embellishment, and transitional dress after European contact.

In clear language, accompanied by more than 150 photographs and illustrations, this encyclopedia details the vast creativity, developed over numerous generations of the American Indian cultures who grace this land.