Clothing Our ancestors’ clothing before the arrival of the Europeans was simple in design yet rich in ornamentation.  The everyday clothing of the Pequots, fashioned from animal skins, had little variation in style. Breechclouts and Skirts These examples of the typical garments worn by adult Pequot men and women prior to the arrival of the Europeans can be seen on the figures in the Pequot Village exhibit. The standard item of attire for men and adolescent boys was a breech clout, or loin cloth, while women and girls of all ages wore a wraparound skirt. Both the breech clout and skirt were ornamented, sometimes elaborately, with painted designs in a variety of colors or with shell.   For much of the year, these two articles of clothing were all that was needed. Boys under the age of 12 needed even less-in summer, at least, they simply went naked. Additional pieces of clothing were added for warmth or protection. A mantle was a loose-fitting robe worn over the shoulder, typically made of a single piece of deer or bear skin, or of numerous small animal pelts sewn together. During the winter, the mantle may have been turned over so that the fur faced the body and shifted to protect the arm that was most exposed to the wind. Leggings of moose or deerskin were worn by both sexes, and moccasins of the same material protected the feet when necessary. Making Clothing Making clothing required skill in a series of tasks, from preparing animal hides to ornamenting the finished garments. Before animal skins could be stitched into garments, they had to be softened and preserved through a lengthy process known as brain tanning. The flesh and sometimes the hair was cleaned from the skin, and then an oily mixture containing deer brain was kneaded into it. Next the hide was rinsed, dried, and rubbed with a tool that broke down its fibers and made the skin softer. In a final step, some hides were smoked over a low fire, which turned them a darker color and helped keep them supple. Preparing hides was usually the work of women.  For sewing, Pequot women used a few simple tools—a sharp implement for cutting the hide to shape, an awl to pierce holes in it, and a needle for stitching. Sinew or thin strips of leather served as thread. A variety of techniques, including painting, quilling, dyeing, and sewing on shell or other materials, were used to decorate clothing.