International Talk Like a Pirate Day: Pirates and Fashion

Arrr! Today, as every September 19th since 1995, we celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day. A day when we can all (and should) express ourselves as if we were authentic buccaneers, where phrases like “Freshwater sailor,” “Bring that bottle of rum,” or “All hands to starboard” will become the main pieces of our vocabulary. That’s why, at Waixo, we’ve decided to approach the pirate world from a different perspective: its incursion into the world of fashion. Has pirate aesthetics affected our clothing? Perhaps the prints we wear? And the fabrics? We analyze it all in this post.

PIRATE AND NAUTICAL INSPIRED PRINTS

The sea and those who sail it have brought us prints that we frequently see on our journeys: anchors, white and blue stripes, parrots, skulls, or islands and palm trees. Don’t believe it? Here are some examples, matey.

 

 

GARMENTS THAT REMIND US OF PIRATES

Let’s board a ship and make ’em walk the plank. But before that, let’s look at some of the pirate garments and accessories we still wear today: headscarves, shirts with laces and ruffles, pirate trousers and baggy trousers, or musketeer-style boots. Not to mention the pirate attire we don for carnivals.

BUT HOW DID REAL PIRATES DRESS?

Pirates primarily thought about battle and their sea voyages, so they used comfortable, loose-fitting clothing even when raiding a ship full of jewels and silk garments. Furthermore, we can say that the hook, eye patch, and wooden leg are accessories for cripples that were actually rarely used by pirates, as they hindered movement in combat. So, although they were used, they were not as common as cinematography has led us to believe.