Homemade Pirate Costume

The Halloween ship hasn't sailed without you. There's still time to create a homemade pirate costume. This is not a sewing project. It's a pillage and assemble project!

Homemade Pirate Costume: Pirate Tops and Bottoms

Start with the right set of clothes and add the accessories later. The clothes offer the greatest opportunity to vary the costume for a man, woman or child.

Men - Cut the bottoms of a pair of baggy black pants off, just below the knee. The other option is to roll up the bottoms with huge cuffs, if you don't have any old pants you want to cut.For the modern pirate, consider pair of snug and tapered black jeans.

Pull out one of those white dress shirts which has seen better days. Borrow one that is a little too big or pick one up at the local Salvation Army.

Women - Wear leggings, black skinny jeans or a skirt. The skirt should be black, and can be any length. Keep it long for a modest pirate. You could cut the bottom of an old skirt to have tattered edges. Make it interesting and cut it at an angle to make an asymmetrical bottom. If modest is not your style, women consider a Sexy Pirate Costume.

Wear a dress or ruffled white shirt topped with a red or black bustier. Consider lingerie or shapewear as outerwear, on top of the blouse to achieve a sexy pirate look.

Children - Kid pirates can wear any dark pants, skirts or leggings. The key is to keep these child pirates comfortable and warm. Any shirt and vest will do for the child pirate. They will most interested in the sword anyway.

Homemade Pirate Costume: Pirates Love Accessories

Men - Find an old wig and make some messy braids, weave in a few beads and men, you have instant pirate hair. Top with a bandanna. An eye patch is optional, but not necessary. Add a large belt and attach various accessories including a sword, a large fabric sash (made from a piece of fabric, an old tablecloth or a threadbare shirt).

Women - Coin jewelry will elevate your pirate outfit and you'll be queen of the pirates. Make your own coin jewelry by gluing toy coins or coin favors to pipe cleaners. With a small hand drill you could also make holes in the plastic coins and string them onto faux gold chains to make necklaces and jingly belts.

Kids - Kid pirates can use a canvas sack for their pirate booty. Decorate any trick-or-treat bag with a skull and crossbones or write, "pirate booty" on it with White-out.

Homemade Pirate Costume: The Boots

All pirates need big black boots. The don't have to be pirate boots, but you don't really want clompy Frankenstein boots, either. Kids can wear any black shoes or boots, it will probably be dark when they go trick-or-treating.