Authentic Pirate Costume

When the pirates of Bluebeard's time weren't gathering booty from His or Her Majesty's ships, plundering riches from every nation's fleet, they were flaunting their riches and making merry in Caribbean seaports where other nations dared not intrude. The pirates dressed in a manner reflecting their disdain for the ordinary law-abiding people, making law as they went along, frequently stealing from one another as possible and getting into sword fights, sometimes losing eyes and even legs in these battles. When piracy was finally - for the most part - brought to an ignominious end, over a couple of centuries, the less admirable qualities of pirates faded in memory, to be replaced with a sort of romanticism of colorful, adventurous individuals which still lives on today. Halloween is the perfect occasion on which kids can dress up in an authentic pirate costume.

While in reality, female pirates were scarce, on Halloween, there's plenty of room in the neighborhood for girls in female pirate costumes to share in the romantic thrills.

Pirate Woman Costume

All real pirates were splashy dressers, men and women alike. First, we'll cover the elements that both boy's and girl's authentic pirate costumes have in common: The tri-cornered hat, typically black, always carried the insignia of the crossbones and skull. Men's hats were usually much plainer than the women's, decorated with a long feather - or two, but absent the rows of fancy laces and ribbons with which the women embellished their hats. The ordinary pirate crew members sported scarves and bandannas, instead of hats, deferring to the Captain and his 'officers'.

All you boys and girls need a sword and a pair of swashbuckling boots. Feel free to enhance that plastic sword with a row of jewels, fastened with a little glue. The flashier the better!

Now, for some of the subtler differences between girl's and boy's authentic pirate costumes: boys need an eye patch, demonstrating their experience in battles at sea.

If you're a girl, every authentic pirate costume should show that feminine side - lots of lace, brighter colors, striped off the shoulder tees, fancy jeweled belts and more elaborate hats and jackets, heavy on the lace and decorative accessories. By all means, add plenty of bangles, necklaces and outrageous earrings!

Pirate men generally dressed in a simple tunic shirt, left hanging outside long breeches, with a simply cut vest, affording freedom of movement on the high seas. Female pirates wore more tightly fitting garments, designed to show off a shapely figure. A fitted bodice and vest replaces the man's loose tunic shirt and simply cut vest.

The authentic pirate costume can be a very inexpensive proposition for a great Halloween costume that makes you stand out in the crowd. Shiver me timbers!

Authentic Pirate Costume