Costume and History in Highland EcuadorThe traditional costumes worn by people in the Andeswomen's woolen skirts, men's ponchos, woven belts, and white felt hatsinstantly identify them as natives of the region and serve as revealing markers of ethnicity, social class, gender, age, and so on. Because costume expresses so much, scholars study it to learn how the indigenous people of the Andes have identified themselves over time, as well as how others have identified and influenced them.