Posts Tagged ‘Eye Patch’

Halloween on the high seas

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

With Halloween just around the corner, one costume will be sure to be on every little boys list: a pirate costume. New releases of movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean 4, with Johnny Depp, has brought a renewed interest to an old past time. As with anything, when demand increases, so does the price.

So where can the creative shopper find a great price on a costume for the children’s Halloween fun? Well, if one must look like Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, they are in luck. Just typing in a search on the Internet will bring up more websites than one can count. Most costume packages will include a hat, eye patch, sword, and a hook. The average price for a child’s size costume is around thirty dollars. Other options include a deluxe set with cropped pants, overcoat and a cape. If one has a little girl pirate, the outfits displayed are equipped with a skirt, eye patch, a belt, boots and other decorative accessories. One thing that is not included in these outfits is the parrot; he can be purchased as an extra accessory.

Adults are in luck if they, too, want to be a pirate this Halloween. There are also several websites hosting adult pirate costumes with a price range of $40-$80. These larger versions have basically the same accessories as the children’s but also include a full outfit. There are vast variations of color and one can put together quite a masterpiece by picking and choosing his or her own elements.

Party stores across the nation are ready for this year’s Halloween well in advance. They have already been following the trends and know which costumes are sure to be a sellout. The wise thing would be to get a costume early and avoid the rush. Waiting till the last minute may cause some adults and children alike to have to choose an alternative.
With everyone being so crafty these days and trying to save money, it is important to mention that shoppers can make their own costume. There are several do- it- yourself websites that give a step- by- step guide for creating an original masterpiece. If one is not too handy with a needle and thread, some patterns offer options using felt and a glue gun.

No matter if one chooses to have a homemade costume or purchase one from a reputable dealer, this Halloween is sure to have plenty of pirates saying,” Arrr, maties!”.

Pirate costume and it’s history

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

In 1492 Europeans discovered America and after that date the Spanish often sailed there. The lands that they visited were known as the Spanish main. From these lands they took treasures from the Aztecs, in a land now known as Mexico. They strapped up their vessels and set sail to Spain. Often they would be attacked on their home back by Pirates.

The Queen favourite was Sir Francis Drake. He worked as an explorer and also a privateer.Drake made it his lifetime quest to steal from the Spanish on the high seas, most particularly when England ans Spain were at war in the 1500s. As payment for his efforts he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Three famous Spanish galleons were strapped up with treasure from the Spanish main. These were dutifully attacked by Captain Jean Fleury, who captured two and let one escape. A suprising characteristic of Spanish ships was they rose high in the sea therefore making it easier to unload.

In the Caribbean there were many ships with pirates on board looking to rob the Spanish of their treasure. Pirates who made the island of Hispaniola their home, were known as buccaneers. The name buccaneer is from the Spanish for fire on which their meat was cooked. These Buccaneers started their trade of attacking Spanish vessels in the early 1600′s

Perhaps the most famous was Henry Morgan, who raided ports and towns of Spain in the 1660′s and as a result, became very rich. The King of England went on to appoint him Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.

As we know, these colourful characters of the past gave us traditions and stories which we still celebrate today. The well known and loved pirate costume has adapted with changing fashions into a favorite theme, and movie theaters regularly show the exploits of these old sailors, glamorized in a way to make them heros.

Pirate costumes at charity events ctd:

Monday, October 5th, 2009

If you hold to a particular dress code of pirate costumes, then others are going to get drawn in as well. involved. Even if they are only going to wear a bandana and an eye-patch for the night they to make a small effort. Some of your ‘guests’ at your charity evening are bound to take it all far more seriously. You can be sure that, as long as you advertise the event in plenty of time, some people will go to great lengths to dress in far more realistic pirate costumes.

Perhaps, instead of having a collection bucket, you can use a wooden chest to hold all of the donations. This will stay in keeping with everything else and will look great when it is sat on the bar. It can all go further than just dressing up in pirate costumes for the evening. Why not organise some games and activities for everyone that are ‘buccaneer-orientated’? Don’t make them too serious though, they need to be fun. You should also bear in mind that some of the people wearing pirate costumes will, by now, have perhaps had a few too many… Don’t come up with anything that demands huge amounts of sobriety.

The most important thing to remember is that your charity evening is good fun for everyone who attends. If you manage to make it an event that is enjoyed by all then it may become the first of many. It’s important to get the right balance. You are aiming to make the evening fun but it is also being held for a good cause.

Whatever charity it is that you choose to support could greatly benefit from your group of revellers in their pirate costumes. Have a good time.