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In the 17th and 18th centuries, pirates were notorious beings, ravishing the coasts of the Caribbean with particular fervor. Port Royal was the infamous base of these freewheeling thieves. While legs and eyes were commonly lost in their battles with the law abiding ships on the high seas, pirates have come to be romanticized figures today. Perhaps because of their bad boy reputations, a certain carelessness and rowdy, cavalier behaviors, pirate Halloween costumes are a popular choice for both kids and adults. As with most historical figures, authenticity is key to pulling this one off. Instead of golden doubloons, you get a fine largesse of sweets and treats.
Authentic looking pirate Halloween costumes aren't nearly as difficult to put together as you might think. There are a number of telltale signs, which, properly imitated, make you unmistakably, a fearsome Pirate.
For example, the dyed in the wool pirate has got to be missing a leg. Here's an easy way to follow in Bluebeard's footsteps. Use a couple of sturdy sticks of a length to run from your knee to just above the ground. Wrap a length of cloth around the sticks, top and bottom and secure them with duct tape. Now, wrap a piece of stiff beige or brown felt around the sticks. A glue gun works well to attach the 'wooden' leg to the underlying cloth. A sturdy tennis shoe, covered in felt nicely simulates your one legged appearance.
The macho pirate Halloween costume demands you be one-eyed as well. Eye patches are readily available at cheap prices. Another indispensable prop is your flagon of rum, matey. If you've got a small empty liquor bottle, great. If not, any glass bottle of the approximate shape and size works just as well. Maple syrup bottles often have a little handle, allowing you to take swigs at the twist of a finger. Just fill 'er up with water and add a few drops of red and yellow food coloring for that proper amber tone.
You can find pirate style pants at the Navy surplus stores, as well as the Navy pea coats, which you can embellish with swashbuckling accessories. For a pirate Halloween costume that really walks the talk, Google images of Bluebeard, Captain Hook and other genuine or movie character pirates. Jot down notes on the detailing of shirts, bandanas, gaudy jewelry, knives, guns, sashes and such. Wearing just one tall black boot will enhance the peg leg effect. Add a rag-tag looking wig and you're fit as a fiddle in your imposing pirate Halloween costume!
If you're at a loss for words while trick or treating, you needn't be too articulate. A throaty “Aaaargh, be it a trick or a treat, ye landlubber!” Your booty is, of course, candy!
Summary: Pirate Halloween costumes are very easy to make and can look truly authentic. Small details make the look work, so add a couple of drops of food coloring to water to make your rum, and sport the traditional eye patch. A wooden leg is a nice touch as well as having some fancy buckles on shirts and pants.
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Avast and ahoy, ye landlubbers! Party hardy, in a pirate Halloween costume!
