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Authentic Pirate Clothing

Kashmira Lad
Are you people intrigued by the dressing styles and the strange ways of life of a pirate? Here we help you know more about the kind of clothing these eccentric people always adorned, on their dangerous voyages at sea.
With Johnny Depp's portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, pirates sure have become sassier than ever. This dynamic role was essayed with so much character that it almost made many have a soft spot for these seamen. Their vocabulary and clothing is almost like a trend today.
Talking and dressing like a pirate seems exciting, although experts believe that the language or the accent that is used today is different from earlier. Stories linked to them such as the way they punished people - forcing them to walk the gangplank and jump into the water, or having them marooned on an island, does not actually make them really appealing.
Despite all the terror that surrounds their image and their sadist attitude, they attract the curiosity of many. The interesting thing is the kind of clothing they wear. Johnny Depp's look was meticulously planned and if you wish to look like a pirate, here is some information on their dressing and accessories that was preferred by them since ancient days.
They had their own distinguishable style of dressing. They had interesting reasons behind the use of accessories. They were ruthless robbers and dressed up such that it would denote their status or the amount of wealth they accumulated, by capturing other ships.
The tricorn hat is one of the first things that one easily associates them with. Furthermore, their dressing included knitted caps as well. Some of them opted for a simple-structured brimmed hat.
Hats were more practical as compared to the tricorn, which was more fashionable in its appeal. They also used a simple cloth to tie around their head, which is used as a symbol of fashion, today. Many items have developed over time to suit the convenience of these seamen. The woolen cap was known as the Monmouth cap. This goes way back to the 1500s.
Their clothes din't always fit like a glove, and the coats they wore were often free and this is probably because, they stole clothes from people. So, there was no basic color coordination and were even ripped/ tattered due to the tough life they had while sailing deep seas.
One of the main elements was the breeches or the pants worn by men. Breeches were worn initially, which gave way to the pants. Such pants were relaxed and reached only the ankle. Those who had enough money hidden away wore flamboyant waistcoats with breeches and a hat to complete the look. Gold jewelry was used to display their status.
The eyepatch is another popular item. If one tries to imagine these seamen, the image would never be complete without an eyepatch and a wooden peg. This was more of a necessity to them due to the numerous battles they fought, which caused them to lose an eye or a leg.
Slops were introduced when most men turned to being a pirate in their difficult times. These slops included cotton waistcoats, linen shirts, breeches, and shoes. Generally, these seamen always preferred fitted clothing so that it would help them to manage their ships without feeling really uncomfortable.
Well-fitted clothes helped them to a great extent as they often lead a dangerous life; whether it was to control the ship or even during a gruesome battle. They were the lawbreakers as well, therefore they preferred to wear rich colors such as red or deep purple. This was solely because such colors always signified the upper class.
The common fabrics they were always seen in were canvas, wool, leather, or even cotton. However, they made it a point to wear exquisite silks, doublets (elaborate coat), and velvets with caps that had a single feather, as way of rebelling against the laws of that period. Coats were often covered with braids and ribbons.
Motley clothing was also another aspect of the attire. It simply meant mismatched clothes. This may have been due to the fact that they stole most of it from other ships and these did not coordinate well with other garments.
Their dressing is never complete without the mention of golden hoop earrings, worn as a sign of wealth. A sash was at times tied around the waist, used to store weapons. Also, a belt was worn diagonally for the same purpose.
They wore large boots but this did not mean that they wore it always at sea. It is believed that they preferred to be barefooted at sea to get a better grip whilst sailing. Those that managed to accumulate lot of treasure loved to flaunt it by wearing expensive bracelets and pendants along with their outfit.
The symbol of the skull and cross bones is also synonymous with them.
However dangerous their life may have been, they were flamboyant in a peculiar way when it came to their dressing.