Review: Plumed Tricorn Hat

Rating: ★★★★★
Center Stage Costumes
www.centerstagecostumes.com

I’ve stated before my belief that a pirate needs a hat – it’s just a matter of which kind. Some hats, such as the red knit cap, were meant for cabin boys – simple and plain. And other hats are meant for rough’n’tumble, working-class pirates who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, a ‘la Jack Sparrow’s crumpled tricorn. But that’s not you – you’re a SUCCESSFUL pirate, lounging about your galleon oozing contempt for Spaniard and commoner alike. And you’d never even think of ruining your manicure by working – if treasure needs to be buried, well, that’s what crewmen are for (you can always slaughter them afterwards, aye?) Continue reading

Review: Drawstring Pirate Breeches, Sash, Bandana

Rating: ★★★☆☆
Center Stage Costumes
www.centerstagecostumes.com

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve window shopped at the Center Stage website – they have probably the best variety of your pirate “basics” around – several styles of breeches and slops, along with a whole line of pirate sashes and socks. And that says nothing of their absolutely gorgeous hat collection.

The first thing (aside from their online catalogue) that impressed me about Center Stage was their willingness to answer customer questions. I know that sounds like a gimme, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve emailed a vendor basic questions (Do you have more photos of that product? Can you give me a better description of the size of that item? etc.) only to have it fall on deaf ears – or to receive a reply that only addresses half my questions. No such concerns with Center Stage, they were more than happy to answer my questions, both via email and by phone.

What I ordered was the start of a basic pirate outfit – a pair of drawstring breeches, a sash, and a bandana. All arrived in a very timely manner, and all seemed very well made. Continue reading