How to Create a Pirate Costume

Avast ye, matey! So you want to dress like a pirate, eh? Well pirating is serious business, so pirates have to look good while they sail the seven seas. Luckily, making a pirate costume is as easy as finding salt in the ocean, so pay attention to a few simple steps, and you'll be looking like a scurvy-ridden sea dog in no time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Tear, rip and shred. A pirate's life is a rough one, which is why pirates' clothes are full of holes, fringes and tears. Take an old pair of pants and rip a few nice tears into them, particularly near the legs. Do the same with a shirt to give off the impression that you're a tough pirate.

2. Go with stripes. For some reasons, maybe because so many pirates were ex-cons, pirates display a great love for stripes. No garment says "pirate" like a black-and-white striped shirt with a wide neck. If you don't have black-and-white stripes, though, pretty much any stripes will do, as pirates aren't that picky. Use a pair of sharp scissors to snip away at the collar to make a wider neck.

3. Accessorize. Pirates love to display their booty as much as they love to plunder it, so stack your arms with bangles and bracelets and your neck with pearly-looking beads. Find as many cheap rings as you can and load them onto your fingers. And finally, for the coup de grace, buy a cheap eye patch or make one from a strip of black cloth to complete the accessories.

4. Put something on your head. For all their bad manners, pirates rarely go out of the house bareheaded, so get yourself an old fashioned hat to top off your costume. A three-cornered hat, a Napoleon-styled hat or a raggedy bandanna will do the trick. No matter what kind of hat you find or make, be sure to cock it off to one side to complete the effect.