The origin of the jingle dress came from a reservation in North-western Ontario. One day, this little girl's grandfather was very sick and she was sad that she wanted to help her grandfather to get well.

She went outside and prayed to the creator for what she can do to help her grandfather. The creator told her to make this dress out of cloth, ribbons and shells. The creator told her to dance in this dress for one day and one night. The little girl started to make this dress with cloth, ribbons and shells in order for her grandfather to get well. When the dress is finish, she went and danced and prayed for her grandfather to get well.

When her grandfather heard the shells on her dress, he got up and came out to watch his granddaughter dance in this dress.

After she finished dancing, she noticed that her grandfather is well again.

"This story about the jingle dress has been passed on through the generations to many pow-wow dancers. the story is originally from the Whitefish Bay reserve."