Review: Ashaki Skirt, Barbarossa Blouse

Rating: ★★½☆☆
To Be A Pirate.com
www.tobeapirate.com

Always on the lookout for more clothing options for the pirate ladies (still the underserved segment of our population), I was excited to check out this blouse and skirt combo from To Be A Pirate.com. The skirt is their Ashaki, being a basic skirt with a jagged hem and widely adjustable waist (via drawstring.) To enhance the classy roughness of the bottom, it’s actually a double-layered skirt, allowing for a flowing, random look. The top is the Barbarossa blouse, with plunging, ruffled neckline and elastic cuffs.

Both items are made of a crinkly, flowy rayon – not the ideal choice for sailors or reenactors, but more than suited for pirate partiers or fashionistas. With some creative accessorization, this skirt/blouse combination can make for an excellent entry level outfit – decent quality, and very affordably priced. The key, of course, is finding a way to make it your own (with the further assistance of To Be A Pirate.com, perhaps, who offer belts, jewlry, and more skirts for additional layering.)

Review: Anne Bonney Outfit

Rating: ★★★★☆
Silhouettes
www.topnotchcostumes.com

Those who’ve seen the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 preview will likely remember Jack Sparrow’s comments to Elizabeth Swann, “Elizabeth, this outfit doesn’t suit you at all. In my opinion it should be a dress or nothing. I happen to have ‘no dress’ in my cabin.” And while many blokes will agree with the sentiment behind Jack’s words, the practicality of wearing a dress into armed combat is highly questionable (and wearing nothing at all leads to no end of trouble.)

Female pirates remain an underserved segment of our community, with “tavern wench” and “girl in guys clothing” remaining the two most frequent options for dress (“sexy pirate tramp in polyester costume-from-a-bag” is a close third). There are few vendors breaking this mould, but Silhouettes has bravely taken the helm on this unfortunate issue. With their new “Anne Bonney” outfit, they’ve taken the standard seafarer’s attire, sized it to feminine proportions, dyed it lovely lady-like colors, and yet left the practical functionality in place for climbing rigging and – yes – skewering spaniards. Continue reading

Review: Crochet Beads & Coins Huge Triangle Hip Tie

Rating: ★★★☆☆
Dress Like a Pirate.com
www.dresslikeapirate.com

There’s just not much out there for the girl pirate. I suppose that’s natural, since, historically speaking, those few female pirates that did exist likely dressed in men’s clothes. But what fun is that? And as for the tavern wench look – well, that’s fine if you’re content with serving drinks, but what of the more adventurous ladies?

Dress Like a Pirate has taken some initial steps to help our y-chromosome-challenged shipmates add a feminine touch to what may otherwise be bland or boyish outfits – among these is their offering of a rather splendid (and jingly) hip wrap. Made from a large triangle of shear fabric, this wrap is adorned with tiny metallic beads and an absolute ton (seems like hundreds) of metal coins which create a perpetual jingle that, while quite pleasant to the ear, will spoil any chance of being sneaky Continue reading