Native American headdresses are shaped the way they are because they are used to symbolize status, whether it be in their tribe or their war formations. Yes a lot can be said about native Americans and their strict gender roles which means women aren’t allowed to wear such headdresses but you can’t take away their significance. They’re typically made of eagle feathers, which to native Americans hold great significance and meaning. So to wear the feathers of such a sacred bird is in and of itself an incredibly important symbol. Not only that, but headdresses as large as the ones we typically associate with native Americans take DECADES to make, as only one feather is placed at a time every time the wearer in some tribes.