Pirate News

Pirates Shirts of the Golden Age

Havin' a good shirt is all part o' assemblin' the best pirate outfit! Arrr shirtsbe authentic to the 15th Century-18th Century. Prior to the Napoleonic Era, many shirts did not feature prominent collars, n' consistently they were long sleeved regardless o' the climate ye foundyarself in.


They were also baggy n' loose. We still make'em this way to give ye the most authentic outfit. There were other drastically different fashion styles from this time period, it was normalfer men to have their own wigs n' heeled footwear. Heelsfer example helped ye ride a horse, n' even if ye didn't have a horse it was in style partiallyfer that reason. Shirts would have as many ruffles as possible! To guarantee accuracy we have a large rack o' ruffly shirtsferyar outfit.

As far as shirts go, itbecustom at Pirate Fashions to pick a Piratical Style- Rough or Fancy. We don't recommend goin'fer somethin' in between as the outfit pieces begin to clash.  The Rough lookbe goodfer the piratewhose been lost at sea or down on his luck, while the Fancy Pirate wears their wealth n' consorts with governors. Ruffled shirts would be part o' the Fancy Pirate's Garb.

All ofarrr clothing has its own washing instructions! Have a care when ye browse Arrr stock!

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Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Trailers

Well shiver me timbers, the first three trailers fer the next Pirates of the Caribbean Movies, Dead Men Tell No Tales have come out! 

The first one be the introduction of the new villain, Captain Salazar, played by Javier Bardem, as ghost pirate.  It sets up the start of the movie, but not what it’s about, plus there be no sight of Cap'n Jack Sparrow. Maybe Disney is still mad at John Depp fer bringin' that illegal monkey to Australia, as well as getting hurt and stopping productions fer a couple of months. 

The second trailer aired during the Super Bowl. This one you don’t see until the very end and he is completely covered with mud. We do get to see Captain Barbossa, Will Turner and the new heroine, played by Kaya Scodelario in the preview. It shows lots of tiny scenes, but still no overall story, other than lots of ghostly pirates.

I have no idea why they decided to set the trailer to Johnny Cash’s “Ain’t No Grave” song as the soundtrack to the trailer, it has a cowboy feel to it.  Why they didn’t use a Keith Richards song instead? I have no idea!

The third trailer came out on March 2nd, n’ it finally tells a bit of the story, instead of just a teaser that doesn’t say anything other than a movie is coming out. It tells the backstory of how he destroyed Captain Salazar n’ why he is after Jack n' all the other pirates. It shows a number o' interactions between Jack and the two new major characters, Henry, a stubborn young sailor n' Carina Smyth, a gifted astronomer. They help Jack find the legendary Trident of Poseidon to battle Captain Salazar.

What we believe to be the Official Spanish theatrical movie poster came out n’ I like it! We finally get a good view of some of the new outfits from the Movie! Jack n' Barbosa sport the same outfits as the last movie, but ye can see the two new character in standard period garb of the Golden Age. Captain Salazar is wearing a Napoleonic Era uniform, which be almost an entire century too early.

They say that this is supposed to be more like the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie with zombie pirates n' it will reboot the series. But I swear they said the same thing fer the last one as well! Maties, we can always hope fer the best n’ plan fer the worst!

POTC5 is due to be release on May 26, 2017 during Labor Day Weekend, so we will see the movie in 3 months time, arrrgh!

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Francois l'Olonais, The Bane of Spain

Some pirates have a reputation for malevolence and savagery, but none have warranted the reputation more than the legendary scallywag known as Francois l'Olonnais, the Scourge of the Spanish! Much of Arrr Information about l'Olonnais (Pronounced Low-Low-Nay) is gathered from Alexander Exquemlin's Accounts n' can be taken with a hefty grain of salt, yet there is such detail!

For much of his life, l'Olonnais was an indentured servant when he arrived in the Caribbean sometime in the 1650's. Indentured Servants were one step above slaves in the New World, being bound to harsh working conditions by a binding contract. People in Europe could be kidnapped and sold into Indentured Servitude. The major difference would be that there was a theoretical end to the contract with a reward upon conclusion. It was banned by the United Nations alongside Slavery in 1948.

l'Olonais completed his contract by 1660 n' promptly made way to Haiti where he became a Buccaneer. A few years into his career he and his mates shipwrecked off the coast of Campeche, Mexico where they were massacred by the Spanish Army. l'Olonnais only survived by hiding among the dead. With the help of Spanish slaves he escaped to Tortuga, only to return later with a thirst for vengeance.

He and his crew promptly took settlements hostage, to which the Spanish responded with military force. l'Ollonais beheaded all but one of the men sentagainst him, whom he told to spread a message, "I shall never henceforward give quarter to any Spaniard whatsoever."


In 1666, he sailed toMaracaibo, Venezuela with a crew of 440 Pirates to sack the city with great success. To gather information about hidden valuables, l'Olonais flayed his victims, burned them alive, or squeezed them to death by strapping them tightly to a mast.

After several years of increasingly larger feats of piracy, l'Olonais wrecked his ship on an expedition to Honduras, only to allegedly be devoured by cannibalistic natives! http://bit.ly/2lRL7nb

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How to Dress Like a Pirate

Whether ye be a seasonedpirate, or a first-time adventurer. Allarrr Adventurers should learn about Arrr Pirate Fashions Tier System!

The first Tier befer First Time Pirates n' Wenches! Itbe an affordable outfit n' a good foundationfer yarpiratey endeavors! Both male n' female variations come with the basics: a top, a bottom n' a midriff piece such as a bodice or sash! These outfits run from $100-$200 typically.

The second Tier be an intermediate outfit! Ferarrr pirates n' wenches lookin'fer an upgrade from the first Tier ye will find awaist coat,footgear, leather goods, skirts, hats n' basic weapons. Thisbe the Officer Tier when ye begin to establishyar clout as an adventurer, n' it typically runs at $200-$600.

The third n' final Tier befer the Captains o' the Ship! This be the tierfer elaborate Frock Coats, Corsets, Boots n' a greater stash o' weapons! Though itbe an advanced tier, there be no reason ye can't add ontoyar Officer's Outfit! Sailors spend between $400-$1200 on a Captain's Outfit.

To make it even easierfer ye to find the outfit ye be lookin'fer we have two distinctive styles. A Gentleman can be Fancyfer a day ashore or Rough like the seas! Both fit neatly into the Tier System but establish a distinct aesthetic. Ye could have a Poor Rough Captain n' a Fancy Seaman.

Fer Arrr Ladies o' Fortune we have a Proper Look or a Sexy Lookfer Tavern Hopping or attendin' the Governor's Ball! Regardless ye will be drawing the attention of many a rogue, friend or foe! Pickin' a style will help ye find what ye are lookin'fer more quickly in an easy to understand manner.

Usin' the Categories n' Style System ye are well onyar way toyar first pirate outfit or upgradin' yourself for a new adventure!

What ye see here isarrr "outfits" and not costumes. Instead of going with a cheap Halloween costume for one night ye have chosen the garb of a movie star or a high seasadventurerhttp://bit.ly/2jm8FuP

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Pirate Fashions: Blackpowder Firearms

For Arrr Rogues who be interested in Fully Functioning Blackpowder Weapons, Pirate Fashions has the quality n' authenticity that ye want! Many of Arrr weapons be designed in-house n' proof tested to ensure reliability. Some of these Pirate Fashions Designs result in Firearms ye will not find anywhere else on the Seven Seas!

They also have alife-time warranty as long as ye do not fire them by using a black powder substitute (trust us mateys, it matters.) Any breakage or failure due to manufacturers defect will be repaired at no cost.

For mostmerchants if ye were to fire the weapon at all ye would voidyar warranty, think about that when you're looking foryar ideal pistol or rifle! Because of the Flintlock n' Pre-Flintlock FiringSystems they are defined as Antique Weapons by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco n' Firearms.

This makes black powder firearms easyfer us to ship within the U.S. with the exceptions of New York City, New Jersey n' Illinois. We will not ship Black Powder Firearms outside the U.S. Purchasing a black powder weapon is also very simple as it does not require a background check. Powder be a different story, as itbe classified as an explosive! Foryar powderneeds we recommendarrr mates over at Powder Inc.

Though theybe easy to purchase, we advise ye that polite society will still regulate where ye be carryingyar weapon as it is not a toy!

Learn more about Black Powder Firearms onarrr website n' of course, please use responsibly me hearties! http://bit.ly/2n0d7m8

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Pirate Fashions: Non-Firing Replica Firearms

E'ery Pirate worth his salt has a pistol! Many Crews in the Caribbean would expect ye to have at least one before even letting you join their ranks. As professional pirates wearrrselves have made functioning n' non-firing replica flintlock pistols n' rifles, knowin' full well ye may not need to storm the deck of Spanish Galleon with live ammunition!

Non-Firing Replicas be a permitted weapon prop among folk at Pirate Conventions n' Festivals, or any festivities ye may be attendin'. They alsobe available in a variety o' materials that be more cost-effective such as plastics n' light woods, or more authentic n' rugged with heavier metals n' woods.


The Flintlock system came into use in the early 17th Century after evolving from the Wheellock n' Matchlock mechanisms. The basic principle o' the Flintlock revolves around a piece o' flint clasped in the "Hammer" striking a tiny steel plate called the "Frizzen" to create a spark. The spark would then ignite black powder n' fire the round in the gun's barrel.

Pistols themselves would see common usage among the military n' civilians alike, n' came in a variety o' shapes n' sizes. The smallest bein' 6 inches and the larger measurin' up to 20 inches to compensate!

Blackpowder weapons were obviously a great tool to have, but they were also tricky to use. Moisture or worn pieces of flint frequently lead to misfires. Even with preventative measures in place if ye were in humid regions ye were screwed! On the other end of the spectrum a pistol could be triggered easily n' a pirate could spontaneously shoot offa round!


To fire the weapon ye would also fully cock the mechanism by pulling the hammer all the way back, ahalf-cocked pistol was considered a safety measure while also being prepared for action. The only problem with that was that the hammer could still drop n' fire the weapon, Causin' a pirate to "go offhalf-cocked." Today that be the popular expression to express goin' off prematurely! http://bit.ly/2nk0iT6

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The Irish Pirate Queen, Grace O'Malley

 

Happy St. Paddy's Day to all Arrr Irish Mates out there! In honor o' St. Patrick's Day we be ready to tell ye about a Legendary Irish Pirate, Grace O'Malley!

Grace O'Malley was a wildly successful Irish Clan Chieftain n' Pirate Captain. In some history books she be known as the Sea Queen of Connacht. Grace inherited both her penchant for Piracy n' her Chieftain status from her father upon his death. Her family held a swath o' territory on the west coast of Ireland, n' they were able to build several castles to protect their shores n' the fishermen that they taxed.

O'er time she also had several husbands n' lovers, most of whom met their end in battle. Grace was a warrior herself howe'er. She fell for a shipwrecked sailor who was 15 years younger than her after her first husband was killed. When another clan killed her new man, she went to their abode at Doona Castle during "Blacksod May" n' killed the guilty party. After the attack, people called her the "Dark Lady of Doona'. She had four legitimate children o'er her lifetime, though rumor suggests there was at least one out of wedlock.

Grace's piratical career frequently revolved around "taxing" merchants for protection, n' resistance was met with violence n' murder. She was able to do this by commandin' the loyalty of her clan as well as her first husband's clan upon his death. Additionally she was able to recruit Irish n' Scottish Mercenaries to raid the West Coast o' Scotland. All of her piratical pursuits were accomplished while supporting Ireland in its many rebellions against the English Royalty. 


She was infamous enough that she got an audience with Queen Elizabeth I to negotiate the release of her sons, though she would not kneel. Both made promises during the negotiation, but broke them all later. Including that Grace would cease pirate activities!

Among Pirates, Grace was a rarity in that she was able to retire n' die peacefully around 1603, the same year as Elizabeth I. 

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The History of Port Royal



The History of Port Royal!

Contrary to what ye may have seen in Pirates of the Caribbean, Port Royal, Jamaica was a very hospitable town to Pirates. Being slightly more like what ye saw in the movie's Tortuga! It was fairly normal for port towns in the 17th Century n' very early 18th Century to welcome pirates for the simple reason that they had lots o' money to spend from their latest raid on a Spanish Treasure Fleet or Merchant Vessel.

From the Community's perspective the pirates were a driving force in Port Royal's economy, they would go ashore with a fortune n' spend most of their earnins on food, drink n' luxury goods. In the 1660's there was One Drinking House per Ten 10 Residents because of the effect the sailors had. Barter n' Trade was still fairly normal in this time period among common folk, but allegedly Port Royal ran on the exchange of coinage it had done so well.

The pirates enjoyed Port Royal because it was strategically placed along multiple trading routes they could prey on. As long as they paid their dues to the local governors they also had a safe haven to fall back to, early British Governors would welcome successful pirate crews personally. Pirates could even compose the local garrison to defend the town against attacks. It was such a famous town among pirates that they would travel from as far as Madagascar to enjoy what had become the "Sodom of the New World."

Port Royal itself was ravaged by an earthquake in 1692, n' most of the region's economic activity was moved to nearby Kingston, Jamaica. Soon thereafter the British cracked down on piracy n' made the settlement the primary location to hang n' execute unsanctioned pirates! http://bit.ly/2mUb2aE

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Pirate Fashions Treasure Belt System



Pirate Fashions Treasure Belt System

Here be an Exclusive Pirate Fashions Innovation! We developed the Treasure Belt Systems fer arrr customers on account of authentic pirate outfits bein' light on pockets (which would make them less authentic.)

Using a Badass system of straps, belts, holsters, n' loops ye will have everything ye need to carry yar drinks, phones, beads n' treasures. Each piece comes with the necessary clasps and hooks to add onto yar Treasure Belt so that ye can fit every possible bit o' treasure ye desire. All of it be made with real leather n' uses brass or nickel.

Of particular note is the Treasure Shell Phone Case which is made with study leather n' can be latched shut- perfect for protecting yar phone n' blending in with yar garb!

All of the pieces in yar Treasure Belt be interchangeable, even when yer shit-faced!

http://bit.ly/2lHztrO

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The Pirate Fashions Flogger

The Pirate Fashions Flogger

To ensure discipline on-board a ship, the British Royal Navy would frequently use a Flogger to literally whip the lads into shape! Floggers utilized multiple strips o' knotted leather to flay flesh from bone as a form o' punishment. Naturally freedom lovin' pirates scorned such tools as most had been on the receivin' end of such brutality.

Also naturally, there be a certain kinky quality to a good ol' flogging with the right materials! We created Arrr own floggers made with softened strips o' leather that be perfect for yar own fantasies n' bedroom antics! Pirate Fashion's Floggers be both safe, fun n' accessible for beginners or the most seasoned scourges o' backs n' booties!

Learn how to use such tools from Cap'n Tiger Lee himself! https://youtu.be/zoZqPXXxVJg

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