Special Touches to Make Your Pirate Costume a Hit on the High Seas

July 19th, 2011

Maybe you’re purchasing your pirate costume or creating it for yourself, a few and thoughtful extras will highlight you at your party. If you really want to make a splash this year’s Halloween party remember these valuable little pointers, and people will see what a true buccaneer you really are.

Pirates have never given any thought to hygene. Not surpising when you are living on the high seas fending for your very life . Hygene and health don’t seem to matter very much. It simply is not feasible to squeeze in a bathing session amid swashbuckling times. So here is how to take your pirate costume to the next level and avoid paying out your valuable doubloons and dirtying it up a little. Actual dirt works well. Just pop outside to your garden and grab a handful of soil or mud to smear on your clothes, face and hair.

If you’re simply too well refined to use real dirt, buy some dark face paint at any local costume shop. For a cheaper option, powdered chocolate works well. Just pick up a tin of dried chocolate milk mix at your local grocery store. Dust a some of it over your clothes and face. The powdered chocolate option is great for hair, because it washes out more easily than dirt or oil-based paints. Any of these options are likely to stain your clothes, but a real pirate has more important things to do than laundry, anyway.

Since Pirates don’t care much for showers, think about how they feel going to the dentist. A true captain of the high seas wears his or her gnarly smile with pride. Take a look down the aisles of your local costume retailer for non toxic paint that can be used on your nashers.

Another option are low cost plastic gold teeth caps, (because they are not really gold!!) to be found in the pirate costume section. With these, you can show off your success at pillaging booty. It is not just any pirate that can wear these. Only rich pirate boys and girls have the cash for gold capped teeth.

For an extra special touch, make sure your pirate costume includes the seafarer’s most noble companion: the parrot. Buy an inexpensive stuffed toy one, and fasten it on your shoulder with a hook and loop product maybe like Velcro. You could always stitch it to your costume, but these sorts of fasteners can be bought with adhesive backing. This method requires no sewing skills, and guarantees that you can simply take off the parrot if necessary.

pirate costumes

Ladies’ Night Pirate Costumes

January 27th, 2012

When ladies go out and about on the town, sometimes a theme is in order. One of the more popular is Pirate Night. It’s a fun theme and it gives the ladies a great opportunity to shake some booty and strut their stuff. Fortunately, there is a large variety of costumes and accessories to give everyone an even shot at being original and sexy.

ladies pirate costumes
Here are a few costume ideas that are sure to shiver some timbers:

• Sassy Jack Sparrow Costume – This sassy number comes with a thigh high dress complete with buckles and an attached belt to highlight the waistline. Underneath, a feminine petticoat skirt showcases the coquettish side while the bold black boot covers suggest a lady who may not be a lady in every situation; there’s some naughtiness there. A bandanna completes the image and adds a bit of haughtiness to the naughtiness.

• The Royal Lady Adult Plus Costume – Designed for a plus size lady with lots of pluses to share, it includes a sexy dress with white puffy sleeves and a vest style torso. The teasing bodice is tauntingly fresh with lace that goes from neck to waist. A matching hat jauntily posed atop the lass presents a very alluring package, one that is sure to please.

• Pink and Black Adult Pirate Costume – Yarrrr. The captain will be looking to make the wearer of this adorable costume his first mate. A sweet, off-the-shoulder pink half-shirt proudly shows off your treasure chest of delights in a burst of sauciness that’s sure to bring the captain’s wooden leg to a shiver. A darling black skirt with a laced front from tummy to bodice barely reaches mid-thigh and is sure to catch his one good eye. This hardly prim and proper outfit will accent lovely legs to their maximum exposure. A matching hat with skull and crossbones tops off this scintillating outfit.

However the pirate wench chooses to dress, the pirate style is always an eye-catcher and attention-getter. To really shake up the crow’s nest, bring a parrot! Yarrrr.

Bringing Your Pirate Costumes to Life

December 14th, 2011

These days, larger-than-life characters are all the rage. Pirates, especially, have come back into fashion, and have appeared in a number of popular movies and books in recent years. Both girls and boys can enjoy pirate stories. Given the popularity of pirates, parents may want to consider inviting their children to dress up like pirates for Halloween.


Parents can buy pirate costumes at virtually any party or Halloween supply store, and the costume one buys can vary in complexity and ornateness depending on budget. Dressing up as in pirate costumes for Halloween (or any other themed occasion) can as simple as strapping on an eye patch and a red bandanna, or as detailed as purchasing period clothing and all the accessories that come with it. Some accessories that one may want to purchase when putting together a costume may include, in addition to eye patches and bandannas, hoop earrings, a “hook” to be used as a hand, a peg leg, a ruffled or button-down shirt or a three-corner hat. The infamous “Jolly Roger” pirate flag, a black flag featuring a skull resting above two crossed swords, could also make for a fun accessory. Another common accessory for pirate costumes is a stuffed parrot that rests on the shoulder. The parrot can be as colorful or as lifelike as one wants, and for those looking to achieve authenticity, robot talking parrots can be purchased online.

Dressing up as a pirate, however detailed and true to history, may not be enough, however. When out and about for Halloween or a theme occasion, these “pirates” should stay in character; for many, this is the most fun part about dressing up as a pirate. Try using traditional pirate phrases. Some phrases that pirates are known to say include, “Arr, matey,” “Ahoy” and “Avast ye.”

Making a Pirate Costume Look True to Life

November 15th, 2011

There are many standard costumes on the market today. However, they all have a way of looking the same. To really make your costume stand out from the crowd, try using a basic costume and then adding realistic touches to make yours the best. There are some ways to make a pirate costume look realistic, too.

Embellish the Eye Patch
Don’t settle for a plain, black eye patch like everyone else has. Instead, find ways to make yours unique. Sew on sequins in a pattern for a bit of glamour. Another idea is to hot glue feathers or beads to the patch. You can even use fabric paint to paint your own design onto the eye patch.

Choose Another Fabric
There are no limits to the fabric choices available for the actual costume. In fact, try to make your costume look different just by changing some of the fabrics. For example, use a heavy, black, leather fabric for the pirate’s vest. This will give the costume an edgy feel. Add a wide, black, leather belt to match the vest for a cohesive look. Wear a white, silk shirt underneath the black vest to play up the contrasting colors.

The Shoes
Make your costume even more realistic by choosing to wear long, heavy boots. Skip other shoe designs, and wear boots that come at least midway of the calves. Make sure the pants are tucked into the boots, so the boots can be seen.

Add a Little Make-up
Even males should add a bit of make-up to make them look more realistic. Pirates are rough and tough, and so people dressing up as pirates should try to achieve that same look. Consider wearing thick eye liner and mascara to darken the eyes. Use dark colored eye shadow to create bruises on the face or under the eyes. Red lip liner can be used to make wounds look real and bloody.

Customize the Sword
Almost every pirate has a sword. Customize yours to make it look authentic. Use silver and black spray paint to make the blade look aged and authentic. Paint a custom design on the handle to make your sword unique. Add a few drops of red paint to show your sword has been used in battle.

Anyone can make a pirate costume look realistic by using these simple techniques. The best costumes feature realistic details that make them shine.