Dels: 

Clothes varied from tribe to tribe. Both men and women wore leather boots. And, both men and women wore dels (also spelled deels.) 

A del is a wrap that looks like a dress tied at the waist. A man's del could be short or long. A woman's del was always long. 

Dels made of cotton fabric kept people cool in the summer. Dels were lined with fur for winter wear, to keep the people warm and toasty. 

There were no pockets in a del. Eating utensils and anything you wished to carry was hung from your belt.

Applique: The Mongols invented appliqué. In the winter months, the women would cut shapes out of colorful felt and sew them onto clothing and wall hangings. Horses and cockerels were two of the most popular shapes. They also embroidered their clothing.

Jewelry:  

Both men and women wore jewelry made of bronze and gold. They liked to wear wide bracelets and necklaces.

Hairstyles: 

To the Mongols, hair was a symbol of honor and strength. 

In BCE times, the Mongols believed that hairstyles should look like the wings of an eagle. Women wore their hair pulled smoothly away from their face. They glued strings of decorated felt to hairbands. The men left a strip of hair down the middle of their head, and shaved their head bald on either side. They left the back hair long and braided it.

Hats: 

The ancient Mongols spent a great deal of time making hats and head-dresses. Hats were important. 

Both men and women wore hats decorated with fur - sable and silver fox especially. In the summer, they wore hats made from colorful fabrics. 

They made other kinds of hats to wear on various occasions. They had top hats, and plush velvet hats with turned up rims. They loved hats.

Museum of Mongolia Clothing

Traditional Costumes (many pictures) 

The Mongols for Kids Index

Free Powerpoints