Pirate Costume and Buccaneer Fashion: What Did Pirates Wear and Why?

Pirates have been part of a long-term Western obsession that's part of the bigger tradition of romanticizing villains and criminals. We've even extended this to monsters, as is evident by stories involving werewolves and vampires as the heroes of many stories. Of course if we look at the average buccaneer, the term for those that plied the trade of piracy in the Caribbean, we have a cultural image to draw on. Members of the crew will likely be barefoot and wearing short pants, with a sash, possibly a vest, with an eye patch and a gold ear ring. The captain will of course have heavy boots, a full captain's coat and a magnificent hat to mark him out among the men. Why, precisely, do we have these particular images of pirate costume dress code?

Well let's start with the idea of the eye patch. A great deal of sailors, not just those that pillaged under the Jolly Roger, wore eye patches. Medicine being what it was at the time it was common for injuries to the face to result in the loss of an eye. It was also not uncommon to go blind from exposure to elements and staring into the sun at the time. Those causes aside, it is thought that many sailors, not just pirates, would wear an eye patch to cut down on the adjustment time necessary for going below decks. Since open flames on wooden ships are never a good idea, the seamen would simply change the patch to the other eye when going below so that the eye already adjusted would be the one looking about in the dark.

Next we can move on to the myth of pirate ear rings. For starters when pirates are depicted wearing ear rings, it's usually around the time it was fashionable to do so for anyone. When it wasn't considered fashionable, such as the golden days of piracy, there doesn't appear to be much evidence of the fashion being worn. Of course pirates, like all sailors, tended to interact with other cultures and to be the first to encounter fashions like tattoos on foreign shores. Beyond these obvious things though, there are many magickal myths about ear rings and the good luck that having precious metal in your ears can bring. It was said that a pierced ear could improve eyesight (something that modern acupuncturists agree can be a short term effect), help avoid sea sickness, provide a mobile source of wealth in case burial was needed, protect the wearer from sea devils and evil spirits, and even prevent drowning for those pirates eager to avoid Davy Jones and his watery locker.

But what about the other myths about pirate costume? Well, excluding things we see from fiction such as "Peter Pan" and "Treasure Island," pirates were essentially a criminal mirror of the more law-abiding sailors. They wore what they wore because it was practical and allowed them to complete their duties. A blue jacket, red vest, scarf that could be worn as a short sash or head covering and a pair of short breeches were the common look for most crew of the time, who would often be barefoot because it was easier to climb rigging and get about that way. The captain adopted the gentleman's dress that a standard ship captain would wear, often complete with the captain's coat and hat as befitted his station. Of course when the pirates captured another ship they might strip members of the other crew that had been killed and add finer clothes to their own, which was why so many pirates looked motley. They were sea scavengers, taking whatever form of booty they could find.

When you get down to it, pirates look the way they do as a combination of culture and practicality. An English pirate who went to Asia would adopt the materials and clothing of the Asian sailor over time because that's just what's available. True it might make him look more exotic, but it was just another day in the life. As long as you could move, haul and fight in it, then you could probably find a pirate wearing it.

"Why Did Pirates Wear Ear Rings?" by Lauren Kuehl at Imponderables
"Pirate FAQ," by Anonymous at Wet Paint
"Pirate Life," by Anonymous at Bon Adventure