Creating a Swashbuckling Pirate Outfit

Coats and Vests for Pirates

Once you have your top and bottom picked out, then you can move on to outerwear. Wearing layers was common at the time, and pirate captains were no exception. Coats and vests or waistcoats were pieces commonly worn by pirates. This is also a great place in your historical pirate costume for you to choose how fancy or not you want to be.

While some pirates such as Anne Bonny came from more humble roots, other pirates or privateers were far wealthier. Privateers were sailors given permission from their respective crown to take down enemy ships during wartime. For example, if the English were at war with only Spain, then an English privateer could take as many Spanish ships as they wanted but they couldn’t take any French or Dutch ones.

Many pirates were originally privateers, and Henry Morgan was one such privateer. Henry, through a series of events, would eventually become Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. If you want to take inspiration from this famous pirate turned politician, then a more noble or wealthier look would be ideal. Also, red or crimson was a popular color for some pirates, while a brown, grey, or black coat would also make sense. The General History of the Pirates would describe Bartholomew Roberts as wearing a rich crimson damask waistcoat and breeches. Red was definitely his color.