Realistic Buccanneer Headscarf

[Monterey Jack]

I've just about exhausted my sources looking for a headcovering that would be appropriate for late 1600's to mid 1700's. Something large and in period colour. I've been to standard piratical sites but all they have are the black ones with skulls. I've been to various longhunter, and rev war gear sites and have come up empty. Any help is geatly appreciated.

[Patrick Hand]

eeeer..... a head scarf is just a chunk of cloth,About 32" x 32", folded into a triangle, and then tied on yer head...... you don't even have to hem the edges.... simplest bit of Pyrate garb thar is.......

[hurricane]

Go to a fabric store, pick out a lightweight material that breathes and which can fold nicely. Cut it into a large square and tie it on your head. That's what sailors more than likely would have done anyway. Simple and effective. That's all our crewe has done for head scarfs...

-- Hurricane

[Monterey Jack]

Go to a fabric store, pick out a lightweight material that breathes and which can fold nicely. Cut it into a large square and tie it on your head. That's what sailors more than likely would have done anyway. Simple and effective. That's all our crewe has done for head scarfs...

-- Hurricane

That seems to be the way to go; I was just hoping for somethging pre-cut in a period fabric that was a really large triangle, a bit bigger than yer average headpiece. Also, I'm the lazy-arsed sort when it comes to making anything that isn't leather (I work in a leather shop).

Thank ye!

[Patrick Hand]

You don't want to cut it into a triangle..... (well I guess you could........) but just tear the cloth into a square, fold it into a triangle, and yer set.......

Linen or silk would be period......... cotton is close enough (but it is kinda cheating........) You only need less than a yard, so it's no big deal cost wise......

[Monterey Jack]

Thanks, Patrick,

The linen I'm finding is cut into 35 inch squares so I figure that'll be good enough, though Calicojacks has some hand-painted stamped calico in 40 inch pieces that may be too good to resist. Trouble is, its very new-looking and I'll have to stain it to age it a bit which seems a shame after so much time was put into making it.

[Patrick Hand]

Awh.... jest wear it alla time....... they get "funky" realy fast............

[Hawkyns]

Try this

http://blueheronmercantile.com/

Go to Catalogue of Wares, then down the left side to Scarves

I've been using silk for a number of years. It's great- keeps cool and isn't bulky under the cocked hat.

Hawkyns

[Monterey Jack]

Try this

http://blueheronmercantile.com/

Thank ye, Hawkyns!

I hit that site a week or so ago and didn't pick on up immediately because they didn't have any pics to look at; though if I go that way it'll likely be the brick red silk. I'm assumin it's raw silk, not the flashy shiny type? The rest of my outfit is brown leather and walnut linen, so it'd add a welcome piece of period colour.

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Egad! I hope it isn't the raw silk type!

I think there is a post in here somewhere where we discussed it so search for raw silk and you should find it.

Nutshell

What we think of "raw silk" the stuff with the slubs was not available then as it is more recently popluar.

The shinny stuff, silk in an atlas weave should be fine.

Also,

For the time period we are talking about, hand kerchiefs are fine and those would be perfect.

The hand stamped calico from Calico Jack would be my first choice... Becuase it IS what it is exactly supposed to be. An authentic Hand Kerchief.

My two cents

GoF

[Monterey Jack]

Thank ye, GoF;

I've noticed yer two cents goes a long ways hereabouts!

[Mick MacAnselan]

The hand stamped calico from Calico Jack would be my first choice...  Becuase it IS what it is exactly supposed to be.  An authentic Hand Kerchief.

Does Calico Jack have a web site? I searched but came up empty. TIA.

[Monterey Jack]

http://calicojacks.freehomepage.com/

Its a great site; I get most of my shirts and odd materials from him.

[JoshuaRed]

be appropriate for late 1600's to mid 1700's

At the risk of being a party pooper and stirring up old embers, I must toss in that there is no evidence whatsover of western european sailors wearing headscarves as we know them to be today.

It seems to have been adopted somewhere along the way as "pirate fashion". I'm not saying they weren't worn, as we just don't know for sure. Only that we don't have verifiable period evidence of it as a trend. Me, I'm a big fan of the look, I think it's quite cool.

[Monterey Jack]

be appropriate for late 1600's to mid 1700's

At the risk of being a party pooper and stirring up old embers, I must toss in that there is no evidence whatsover of western european sailors wearing headscarves as we know them to be today. .

No, probably not as we know them today, but laborers throughout history have used a variety of headwraps in their daily routine, so its a close enough equivalent for me. Plus you're right, they look great!

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Josh...

Thanks for Chiming in.

We talked about it in other posts and we went into it in GREAT depth at the Piratebrethren's yahoo group about 8 months ago.

I think that in Johnson’s work, if you go to the Reade Bonny section (if its not there, it is from some victims court testimony against Reade and Bonny) you will find a description of Reade and Bonny while committing acts of piracy...

Wait… its also in Life Among the Pirates (David Cordingly)

pg80

The most graphic description of their appearance was from Dorothy Thomas...

... the two women, prisoners at the bar, were then on board the said sloop, and wore men’s jackets, and long trousers and HANDKERCHIEFS TIED ABOUT THEIR HEADS; and that each of them had a machet and pistol in their hands....

she went on to say that the reason that she (Dorothy) believed Bonny and Reade were women at that time was due to the "largeness of their breast" and NOT any particular clothing items that they had.

Besides the fact that this documents that pirates wore scarves/kerchiefs on their heads its interesting to point out (again) that Bonny and Reade were posing as men... disguising themselves as to not be noticed as women. So their disguise would then be something that would not make them stand out from the rest of the crew. So it would be a good assumption that their choice of clothing would be what a regular pirate/sailor would wear.

I will go further with my not so humble opinions to say that the kerchief was a clothing item with a purpose, not a fashion item statement. It was used to protect the head from the sun and absorb sweat.

So if a pirate was on shore, there was probably no need to be wearing a head scarf unless he was doing “piratey” things on shore (hauling/moving goods, labor, hunting etc.)

If the jolly sailor/pirate was wenching/ going to get drunk, I doubt that they would wear a head scarf to the pub/whore house.

Kind of like I don't expect to see a carpenter at a bar with his tool belt around his waist.

GoF

[Monterey Jack]

I will go further with my not so humble opinions to say that the kerchief was a clothing item with a purpose, not a fashion item statement. It was used to protect the head from the sun and absorb sweat.

I completely agree,

Now, this may result in the conversation moving to another forum, but as far as uses....

James Keating is about to release a video on the "fighting bandana", using it as a blocking/trapping device when all else fails. I've worked out some of his theories and they work great against knife and tomahawk and I may be presenting them at the Boarding Actions Class this coming May. However, aside from some mention in Asian MA I haven't found anything in WMA that historically documents the use of the bandana this way. IMO the sailors wearing these things might think of it in a pinch, but its not something they would have thought to train with.

Any thoughts are always welcome.

[Misery]

i just picked one up at an event every time ive needed aheadscarf (loose em alot)

just about every "gypsy/bellydancer" shop sell sashes. find a one that breathes and is a bit stretchy (helps keep in on your head)

[Scupper]

I get mine at Center Stage Costumes. Tell tabacco Meg i sent ye. She even has the poka Dot pattern for capt Morgan!

Scupper

[Francois]

Hi Jack,

I had the same problem. Although a simple linen is appropriate and easy to come by I wanted something in silk with a pattern. For a year and a half I looked around and had no luck. I came close once when I found some silk scarf's in a museum gift shop but didn't like the colors. Two summers ago I was at Plymouth Mass and walked into a store with goods from India they had at least 40 different types of silk patterned scarf's that you see the Indonesian and Packastanian women wear they are a square shape and slightly bigger than 30 inch square. anyway If you find a store or web site that sells silk scarf's for women of that culture you might find what your looking for.

François

I can post a photo of what I have if you would like

[Monterey Jack]

Thank ye, sir; I look forward to seeing the picture. I'll also look into the types of shops you mentioned.

[Francois]

The photos arnt great. It gives you an idea of what I was talking about.

This is me and my son.

[Monterey Jack]

Looks good!

Good to see ye're startin the young 'un out on the piratical path as well!

[Capt. Morgan]

Wow! Those are great looking headscarves! As Hurricane pointed out in another post, Port Royal in the 17th Century was a major trade port, dealing in many silks, textiles, and other goods from India and the Orient... you could easily argue that (if pirates indeed wore headscarves) these would be historically correct... Nicely done, Francois!

[Francois]

Capt. Morgan

Thank you for the complement. I may go back this spring to pick up more. I also agree with you about the 17th Century trading of goods.

Francois