What pirates REALLY wore.

[Hawkyns]

ATTN ON DECK-- mod here.

This thread is way off course and has developed into a parallel thread to 'Askin yer Advice'. I'm going to request you post answers to it over there. Sorry and all that, but we only have one section for the real history and we're quite a bit away from that.

Hawkyns

Moderator

[Charity]

Oops, sorry

[Jerry]

What Pyrates really wore,from my information is, that it was no different from what a merchant seaman wore during the same time period. They also took clothes as plunder, I believe crew members who boarded first, took major risk or had special favors got first pick for "a clean change of clothes" from the ship they captured. Some time the Captian wore a "uniform" of that of the rank of Captain. Also Pyrates like to make fun of the nobles, and would ware garmets of the nobles to upset them in Port.

Jerry

[Fox]

The limited amount of pictoral and written evidence regarding pirates' clothing tends to point to them wearing much the same thing as other seamen, and common sense reminds us that when all was said and done the vast majority of pirates were only seamen of one sort or another. The clothing of common seamen has been well discussed (though I'm always up for more), but perhaps a visit here might be useful.

It is unlikely that pirate captains wore any kind of "uniform" for the simple reason that neither naval nor merchant officers did until well after the golden age of piracy. However, before we get complacent about what sea-captains wore and assume it was all cocked hats and justacorps I'd like to draw attention to this portrait of a merchant captain circa 1730.

[Charity]

That's a great portrait :)

I am old fashioned to some, but i love those old oil paintings, the light on this one..wow

[Christine]

On the subject of cleavage, here's mine:

And now on the subject of clothing, did the women really wear bodices like you see at ren faires? Or is this just our modern version of it?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

I hope Patrick Hand doesn't see this Christine.... he won't be able to sleep at night!

But as to your question about bodices...

From an interesting site with history of corsets we get this

After 1630-40 the corset became part of the top fabric bodice as it was mounted on a boned lining. This was actually thought of as tailoring as the stays became one with the bodice gown. This fashion virtually dispensed with stays as an item. Stays only returned in the 1670s when the patterned bodice was worn under the over gown. Then the boned section was once more thought of as stays and considered an undergarment.

So bodice means "pair of bodies" which, by our period (1690-1725) would be known as "Stays".

Here is an example of a proper bodice/stays of the period

There are more examples and general information at http://www.marariley.net

So the bodice/stays of the Golden Age period should be a support garmet (with whalebone) that is kind of a part of the outer clothing.

There are some great resources online for this stuff.

I would first start with The Stay Maker's site She really does give a good overall idea of what we are dealing with. Another priceless part of her site is the Dressing of an 18th Century Lady.

Sally Queen goes into greater detail on stays in an article on mid 18th Century Stays.

It appears that their have been several pairs of Original 18th Century Stays That have sold on e-bay. This link examines a pair in greater detail.

And when you get an itching to make a pair for yourself, you can use this custom corset pattern generator from http://costume.dm.net/

Lastly, another great resource for costuming and 17th/18th century info is The Salacious Historian's Lair this is WELL worth the visit and if you scroll down there is great info on 1680-1690 womens wear.

PS

I would think that Patrick Hand could make you a corset... Although I would imagine that he would require several fittings....

[Christine]

Ah, cool, thankies for the info! And yeah, I'm sure he'll be wishing for my dirty pillows to help him sleep-LOL!

[PyratePhil]

Ah, cool, thankies for the info! And yeah, I'm sure he'll be wishing for my dirty pillows to help him sleep-LOL!

Your pillows are MORE than authentic enough for MY tastes, m'lady...

[Christine]

Just makes ya want to snuggle up and say goodnight! I'm sure many pirates in their day did the same!

[PyratePhil]

A safe cove in a storm? I'm sure...

[Charity]

LOL Yeah i recognized that pic Christine..

Nothing wrong with that "cleavage" i'd say (and i know the men would agree..) but some..

Anyway, poor guys..won't forget that one a while

[Pirate Petee]

I've heard that the pirate captain, although elected, sometimes had to dress a little more proper on certain occasians. For example if they were ever to get boarded by a naval ship or to freely come aboard any other ship. Also as to what they wore. It would only make sense that they had a access to wide variety of clothes that they could acquire due to plunder and all the exotic portys that they may have visited. As for the etchings and portraits of famous captains, they probably had on their sunday best. So most likely they wore what was considered proper during that period like stockings and small heeled buckle shoes instead of slops, leather sandals and seafaring bucket boots.

[Cpt Thorn Ashrow]

my response is that you CAN NEVER, EVER HAVE TOO MUCH CLEAVAGE

trust me I have enough too spare

I am afraid you are going to have to back that up by posting a picture

GoF

See new avatair

[Pirate Petee]

Tis a beautifull picture. Shame its so small though. The picture I mean.

[Hawkyns]

OK, guys- take it to one of the other threads. This is for history.

Hawkyns

Moderator

[Christine]

Even tho other things are mentioned in the same post it's still staying on topic.

Did pirates ever wear cloaks? Was that their thing or not?

[PyratePhil]

Did pirates ever wear cloaks? Was that their thing or not?

Where do ye think they got th' name "Cape of Good Hope"?

Historical, historical - on-topic...

[Fox]

Cloaks were not particularly fashionable during the Golden Age of piracy, and are not very practical garments at sea. That's not to say that no pirate ever wore a cloak (before I get jumped on), but they would have been uncommon.

[blackjohn]

OK, guys- take it to one of the other threads.  This is for  history.

Hawkyns

Moderator

   

And please don't take it to PLUNDER!!!

I've just about given up trying to keep some semblance of history going on over there...

[PyratePhil]

Cloaks were not particularly fashionable during the Golden Age of piracy, and are not very practical garments at sea. That's not to say that no pirate ever wore a cloak (before I get jumped on), but they would have been uncommon.

I'd think they'd be getting in the way of movement...both fighting and regular ship-board duties...

But to hear the stage-combat folks talk about it, cloak-and-sword was an everyday thing...

[Hawkyns]

Cloaks were not particularly fashionable during the Golden Age of piracy, and are not very practical garments at sea. That's not to say that no pirate ever wore a cloak (before I get jumped on), but they would have been uncommon.

Well, I suppose it all depends. For the earlier periods, Elizabethan and Jacobean, the hip length cloak is a fashion item and would have been worn by the gentelemen on board. It dies out in the mid 17th century and is replaced by the Dutch coat and the cassack. Then at the end of the 17th C seems to make a small resurgance as the boat cloak, a heavy waterproof cloak for standing watch. The most famous of these, of course, is Old Grog's- Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, famous for implementing grog as the shipboard drink.

The thing that all these have in common, though, is that the cloak is a for quarterdeck wear. Officers, gentlemen, and masters wore them, not the deck crew, sailing crew, or idlers. Would a pirate wear them in an attempt to ape the gentry? Possibly, though probably only when ashore.

The cloak used as a defence against swords is primarily a rapier style- long, pointy, and thin. It would be effectively useless against the heavy chopping motion of the cutlass or boarding axe.

Hawkyns

[PyratePhil]

The cloak used as a defence against swords is primarily a rapier style- long, pointy, and thin. It would be effectively useless against the heavy chopping motion of the cutlass or boarding axe.

...as several of my castmates have discovered to their dismay...

[capnwilliam]

The clothing of common seamen has been well discussed (though I'm always up for more), but perhaps a visit here might be useful.

Some great pics there, Foxe; well worth the look. :)

Capt. William

[Cut-throat]

I understand that "real" pirates wore shoes with buckles, but has there been any evidence that they wore bucket boots ? Or is this just another one o Hollywood's inventions ?