Pirate costumes for boys and girls
Kids from an early age love dressing up as pirates. It is a great way to raise their confidence and develop their own unique personalities in a fun and creative way.
Whether it’s to recreate the classic Johnny Depp look from Pirates of the Caribbean, a fearsome Captain Hook or your standard eye-patch wearing cut-throat then there’s an immediate decision to make. Do you buy a costume, hire a costume or make your own?
Great tips for creating your pirate costume:
The clothes are by far the most important aspect of your pirate costume! First let’s go through the items you will need to get and then we will explore where to find the clothes for pirate costumes.
Trousers - The trousers will preferably be black, although grey and brown are also options. Old school trousers or jeans are ideal. Cut them off just below the knee and make a zig-zag pattern around the hem with a pair of scissors, so they look old and worn out.Skirts – For girls, use an old school skirt worn with dark coloured tights. Again, created a raggedy effect along the hem of the skirt.
Stripy t-shirt or shirt – Use a white long sleeved button-up shirt, not too dressy or smart. The baggier the better, and you will want to leave a few buttons undone at the top. Remember that pirates weren’t always the cleanest of people either so feel free to try and stain it up a little bit, or even tear it in certain areas. If you want to go the extra mile, you could sew ruffs around the collars using pieces bought from a clothing materials shop. Alternatively, a stripy t-shirt will work well.
Pirate Costume Accessories:
Boots – the more beaten up the better: and don’t do those shoelaces up perfectly either!
Bandanna – A bright coloured scarf will make a great bandana.
Hat & braids-For extra effect purchase an inexpensive pirate tricorn hat with braids attached.
Belt or Sash - There are two things you can do for this. You can find a belt, which should be a very wide belt with a bigger buckle preferably, and should be black or brown, depending on the colors of the rest of your costume. You can also choose to wear a sash. This should be red usually, but black will work as well. The best thing to use is a red long scarf to tie around your waist.
Eye patch- ou can make one with a segment of an egg box, some elastic and some black paint. Simply cut round the egg box to create the perfect shape. Then get some child friendly paint and cover the card. When dry, create two small holes, either side and thread the elastic through. Secure the elastic in place and make sure that it is neither too tight nor too loose.
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Sword – Simply cut a sword shape out of silver or grey cardboard or cover with kitchen foil.
As well as plundering your own home, you should trawl local charity shops, boot sales and material shops. You’ll soon discover it’s a great way to save money and a lot of fun.
Buying a costume
There’s a vast range of outlets that will sell you pirate costumes and accessories. Most of the major costume and novelty wholesalers, supermarkets, toy stores and party supply businesses offer a similar range of polyester-made outfits. You’ll find much the same choice available on the stores’ own online sites or through Amazon and eBay. Again, we’ve listed a selection of suitable products from Amazon below. If you want something a little more sophisticated you can contact a local dressmaker to provide a tailor-made costume.
Hiring a costume
Not necessarily the cheapest or option for a kids’ pirate party, you will at least save time and be able to try the outfit on before parting with your cash. In addition, most local fancy dress businesses both hire out or sell a range of pirate-themed costumes. Google ‘fancy dress shops’ to find your local stores. Remember, half the fun for kids is to get nice and messy at parties so bear this in mind when visualizing that return trip to the hire shop!