Khoshut

Origin of the Tribe
The Khoshut tribe used to live in the north of today's Xinjiang. In order to seek refuge from a battle with Zungar forces, in 1677 a branch of this tribe moved to Sira Tala (in today’s Gansu province in Northwest China) and submitted itself to the Qing regime. In 1697, this branch was reorganized into the Alshaa Khoshut Orirat Banner and began to reside in Alshaa area, which is the origin of today’s Khoshut Mongols in Inner Mongolia.

Features of the Clothing
In general, costumes of Khoshut tribe in the Alshaa League are known for their simplicity with few decorative rims. Men’s robes, with slits, are different depending on the season: leather robes in winter, cotton padded robes in spring and autumn, and lined robes in summer. Men match their robes with silk waistbands (knotted on the backs) of various colors, including blue, green, pink and orange. Likewise, they have different choices of hats according to the season: round-brim hats and round hats with red tassels for summers and mink windproof ones for winter, all are attached with six belts in colors of red, yellow and green. Married women wear robes without slits, matched with short waistcoats which are also the routine clothes of men. Women’s headgear is distinct among the tribes for they are mainly in black and silver frontlet decorated with carols and turquoises.

Dressing Customs
Waistcoats are ceremonial clothing for everyone except unmarried girls. Like many other Mongolian tribes, men and women have different routines for wearing their waistbands: men tie their waistbands, matched with embroidered pouches, snuff bottles and silver toothsticks, around hips then lift their robes; women tie their girdles around their waists without lifting the robes. When wearing headgear, women usually put two braids into hair sleeves hanging on both sides.