Pirate Clothing

Ahoy! With Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, pirates sure have become sassier than ever! This dynamic role was essayed with so much character that it almost made me have a soft spot for pirates! The pirate vocabulary and the pirate clothing is almost like a trend today. Talking like a pirate seems exciting to many as well as dressing up like one; although experts believe that the language or the accent that is used today is definitely different from the way it was spoken earlier. Stories associated with pirates such as the way they punished people – forcing them to walk the gangplank and jump into the water, or having them marooned on an island, does not actually make any pirate really appealing! Despite all the terror that surrounds their image and their sadist attitude, pirates attract the curiosity of many. One of the most interesting things I would like to mention here are the kinds of clothing pirates preferred for their dangerous and long voyages at sea. Johnny Depp’s look was meticulously planned and if you wish to look like a pirate, here’s the lowdown on the kind of clothing and accessories that was most preferred by many pirates since ancient days.

Different types o’ Pirate Clothing:
Pirates also had their own easily distinguishable style of dressing! They even had some interesting reasons behind the use of certain accessories as well! The pirates were ruthless robbers and wore clothing that would also denote their status or the amount of wealth they accumulated, by capturing other ships.

The tricorn hat is one of the first things one easily associates pirates with. Pirates clothing included knitted caps as well. Some of them opted for a simple structured brimmed hat. These were more practical as compared to the tricorn, which was more fashionable in its appeal. Pirates also used a simple cloth to tie it around their head, which is used as a symbol of fashion, today. Many items of pirate clothing have developed over time to suit the convenience of these seamen. The woolen cap was known as the Monmouth cap. This goes way back to the 1500’s.

Pirate clothing did not always fit like a glove, the coats were often loose and this is probably because, pirates even stole clothes from people! Therefore, there was no basic color co-ordination and many times, these were even ripped and tattered due to the tough life they faced while sailing deep seas.

One of the main elements of pirate clothing was the breeches or the trousers worn by men. Breeches were worn initially, which gave way to the trousers. Such trousers were loose and reached only the ankle. Pirates who had enough money hidden away wore flamboyant waistcoats with breeches and a hat to complete the look. Gold jewelry was used to display their status.

The pirate eye patch is another popular item of pirate clothing. If one tries to imagine a pirate, the image would never be complete without an eye patch and a wooden peg. This was more of a necessity to the pirates due to the numerous battles they fought, which caused them to loose an eye or a leg.

Slops were introduced when most men turned to being a pirate in their difficult times. Slops included cotton waistcoats, linen shirts, breeches and shoes. Generally, pirates always preferred fitted clothing so that it would help them to manage their ships without feeling really uncomfortable. Well-fitted clothes helped them to a great extent as pirates often lead a dangerous life; whether it was to control the ship or even during a gruesome battle. Pirates were the lawbreakers as well, therefore they preferred to wear rich colors such red or deep purple. This was solely because such colors always signified the upper class. The common fabrics a pirate was always seen in were canvas, wool, leather or even cotton. But they made it a point to wear exquisite silks, doublets (elaborate coat) and velvets with caps that had a single feather, as way of rebelling against the laws of that period. Coats were often covered with braids and ribbons.

Motley clothing was also another aspect of pirate clothing. Motley clothing simply meant mis-matched clothes. This may have been due to the fact that pirates stole most of their clothing from other ships and these did not co-ordinate well other clothing.

Pirate clothing can never be complete without the mention of hoop earrings in gold. This was worn as a sign of wealth! A sash was sometimes, tied around the waist. This was used to store weapons. Sometimes a belt was worn diagonally for the same purpose. Pirates wore large boots but this did not mean they wore it always at sea. It is believed that pirates preferred to be barefooted at sea to get a better grip whilst sailing. Those pirates that managed to accumulate lot of treasure loved to flaunt it by wearing expensive bracelets and pendants along with their outfit. The symbol of the skull and cross bones is also synonymous with pirates.

However dangerous their life may have been, the pirates were flamboyant in a peculiar way when it came to pirate clothing. This probably explains the eccentric ways of Cap’n Jack Sparrow! Here’s t’ t’ spirit o’ t’ pirates!