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This Halloween, assembling the scurviest pirate costume doesn't have to cost a chest full of gold doubloons. With a few basic pieces of clothing and a couple of inexpensive props, you can become the spitting image of Long John Silver or Captain Jack Sparrow in no time.
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How to Make a Pirate Costume Tips
- Decide whether you want to be a pirate captain or a scalawag deck-swabber.
- You don't need to spend a lot of money on a costume; scour thrift stores and consignment shops.
- Don't be afraid to go over the top with a frilly blouse and lots of jewelry---pirates love to show off their bling!
- You can apply fake facial hair with spirit gum or use face paint to draw on a beard and mustache.
- Don't forget to take off your wristwatch and other contemporary jewelry!
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Introduction
There are many different types of pirate, from dapper and dashing to downright disgusting. Bearded bullies stalked the deck alongside women in men's clothing. Decide whether you wish to be a dashing pirate captain or a filthy scalawag of a deck scrubber, or perhaps a famous pirate from history or fiction. Whichever you choose, you'll have a costume that fairly easy and inexpensive to assemble. -
The Pirate Captain
- Pirate captains were often vain and fancy fellows, given to wearing their booty on their sleeves. Here's what you'll need to be as dashing as Captain "Calico" Jack Rackham.
- Blousy white button-down shirt.AskMen.com: How to Dress Like a Pirate If you can find an old tuxedo shirt with a ruffled front, even better. Don't be afraid to express your cut-throat nature in flowing sleeves and frilly cuffs. You want to see clear of form-fitting, tailored shirts for this costume.
- Knee breeches. If you were a really wealthy pirate, you might be wearing velvet, but if you just want to look like one, try squeezing into an undersized pair of sweatpants and pulling them up so the cuffs sit just below your knees.Old York Historical Society: Costume Suggestions: Men and Boys - Breeches Slip on a pair of white women's trouser socks or tall plain white tube socks to complete the look.
- Boots/shoes. Wear tall black or brown leather boots with no lacesAskMen.com: How to Dress Like a Pirate. If you don't have boots, black loafers or Oxfords are a suitable shoe.
- Coat/vest. Long velvet frock coats are super but tough to find. You can make do with a vest in brocade or other rich fabric.AskMen.com: How to Dress Like a Pirate Add a lacy hankie to the pocket if you are feeling especially foppish.
- Weaponry. Swords, cutlasses, and pistols were all popular with pirate captains, the more the better. Wear a sword belt and tuck your pistols into bandoliers cross over your chest.
- Hat. Pirate captains are famous for favoring the tricorn hat, which you can purchase or try making yourself.Squidoo.com: Make a Tri-Corner Pirate Hat
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Scalawag Pirate
- "Filthy," "tattered," and "workworn" are the watchwords for this version of the pirate costume!
- Shirt. Choose a tunic-style shirt or a jersey knit shirt. The latter is best in a pattern of red or blue and white horizontal stripes.Pirates and Privateers: Pirates and Their Clothes If wearing a tunic, be sure to add a wide leather belt or a colorful scarf as a sash around your waist to complete the outfit.Goodwill Industries: Goodwill Is Your Halloween Headquarters!
- Pants. Using black or dark blue pants, cut off several inches from the bottoms so that they come to midshin. You can cut them straight across or in a jagged, shaggy pattern.HowToDoThings.com: How to Create a Pirate Costume
- Shoes. Black loafers or Oxfords, the more scuffed the better. Socks are optional, but plain white tube socks pulled up to the knee are a good choice.
- Hat. Tie a red or black bandanna over your head so that the knot is in the back. Tuck the flap behind the knot.
- Beads and baubles. Fancy brooches, gold watches, fat ascot and hat pins, blinged-out rings, and gaudy strings of beads and baubles: pirates believed in flaunting it if they had it.The Pirate's Life: Pirate Clothes
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Costume Props and Makeup
- Eye patch: Purchase a plastic one or make your own.Instructables.com: Make a Pirate Eye Patch
- Hook: If you're planning to dress up as Peter Pan's infamous nemesis, you'll need one of these!IMDb: Captain Hook (Character) Biography Make it or buy one.Michaels.com: Pirate Hook
- Parrot: If you're the pet-loving type, you might want to slap a Polly on your shoulder. Pick up a feather-covered Styrofoam bird form at a crafts store or a small stuffed animal parrot and safety pin it to your shoulder.
- Telescope: Purchase a plastic toy version of make one. Boardman's Birthday Party Ideas: Pirate Party
- Treasure map: Draw a simple map on a piece of parchment, muslin, or birch bark that has been stained with coffee or tea.YouthworkPractice.com: Simple Craft Ideas for the Pirate Camp or Festival
- Beard/mustache (hair): Facial hair ranging from a false mustache to a straggly, droopy pirate beard can be applied with a bit of spirit gum.MonkeySee: Costume Makeup - Applying a Fake Mustache, MonkeySee: Costume Makeup - Applying Localized Fake Hair
- Beard/mustache (face paint/makeup): You can use dark brown or black face paint to apply a beard and mustache if you don't want to go the fake-hair route.FamilyFun.com: Blackbeard Costume If you want to style yourself less grubby deck-swabber and more Jack Sparrow, use an eyeliner stick and black eyeshadow to draw on a mustache and beard. Family.Go.com: Halloween Face Painting (Pirate)
- Gold hoop earring: Seafaring men and women wore a gold hoop in at least one ear. Purchase one with a clip-on back if you don't have pierced ears.FamilyFun.com: Blackbeard Costume
- Dirty-face makeup: Use eyeshadow in shades of brown and gray or make your own.FamilyCorner.com: Homemade Face Makeup
- Wrinkles and scars: Life at sea is hard on the skin - use nontoxic white school glue to give yourself a windchapped, wrinkled complexion.How to Face Paint: Wrinkles and Bumps
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