How to Act Like a Pirate
Wear a waistcoat., Choose an oversized shirt., Wear black pants., Add a vest., Choose tall boots., Wear a hat., Add an eye patch., Get a hook or a peg leg., Use a low, gravelly voice., Mutter or slur your words., Learn the lingo., Drop your gs and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wear a waistcoat.
Adding a waistcoat to your look says you’re the captain of the pirates! Choose one with brass buttons or detailing.
You can often find these in vintage stores or costume shops.
If not, look online. -
Step 2: Choose an oversized shirt.
Your shirt should be baggy, so pick one a few sizes larger than you normally would.
Choose white or beige, in any fabric.
You can choose a blouse or a shirt with ruffles, or a common dress shirt.
Tuck it into your pants, let the collar lie flat, and leave the cuffs unbuttoned.You can also add a sash or scarf in a bright or contrasting color to your waist. , Long, loose trousers are ideal, but any pair of black pants will do, as long as they aren’t denim.
You will want to tuck the pants into your boots to achieve true pirate style.You can also cut off the bottoms of your pants for a ragged look.
Women can opt for pants or for a long, flowing, poofy skirt., Choose a red, navy, or black vest to wear over your shirt.
A fabric like velvet is perfect for pirates.
You can choose to leave the buttons undone or to button the vest.For women, add a corset or bodice over your shirt., Pick a pair of boots that are tall and slip on, rather than lace up.
Choose black or brown.
True Buccaneer boots go to the mid-calf and have a large fold-over flap.
For women, choose boots or shoes with buckles.Pirates often go barefoot as well, so that is also an option. , No pirate is complete without their hat! Opt for the tricorne (three-point) style.
Choose a simple black hat, or go all out with feather details.You can tie a scarf around your head under your hat as well.
Alternatively, wear a bandana. , Choose a black eye patch, or one decorated with the jolly roger.
Keep in mind that wearing an eye patch will weaken your eye, so if you want to wear one, switch it from eye to eye every day. , Many pirates have lost limbs in ferocious sea battles! “Replace” your hand with a fake hook, or your leg with a wooden peg leg for an authentic pirate look. , To sound like a pirate, add a bit of rasp to your voice.
A parched, gravelly voice is what you should aim for, since pirates often yell at their shipmates and are at sea for long stretches, where clean drinking water can be scarce.
Argh! , Pirates are often drunk and are never concerned with pronunciation.
Run your words together, such as “lookit’tha lass” rather than “look at the lass.” Mutter under your breath, saying words like “scallywags” and “lily-livered.” , Add some nautical terms to your vocabulary, such as “land ahoy,” “on the starboard side.” Pirates also like to say “keep to the code.” You should use words like booty, pillage, buried treasure, matey, plank, buccaneer, landlubber, plunder, lass, scurvy, grog, and savvy.
Do an online search or use an app to learn even more pirate words. , Use a more casual style, and change “being” to “bein,” “sailing” to “sailin,” “over” to “o’er,” and “never” to “ne’er.”, Instead of “we are sailing,” say “we be sailin’.” Another example is “we be swashbucklin’!”, Examples include “what ye be doin’ boy?” “yar gonna miss the ship,” and “ye better be ready to walk the plank!”, Instead of saying “my parrot” say “me parrot.” Or, tell someone to “take your hands off me booty” rather than “take your hands off my booty.” Another example is “make sail, me hearty!”, Pirates like to exaggerate, so add extra adjectives to your descriptions.
Instead of saying “a big ship,” say “a great, grand ship!” Talk about the “no good, lily-livered sailors” rather than the “bad sailors.”, Pirates aren’t happy, peppy people.
They look and sound mean and nasty, so get a bit cranky to act like a true pirate., Gesture with your hand when talking and occasionally slam your hands on a table or other surface.
Pirates are very emotional, so ramp up your attitude a couple notches. , A real or fake parrot will do! Perch it on your shoulder and feed it bits of cracker.
A parrot that “talks” is your best bet. , Choose fake weapons so you don’t get into any trouble! Pirates carry a cutlass (sword) and also sometimes a flintlock pistol., Add one or two hoops to your ears if they are pierced.
You can also choose earrings with wooden beads., A proper pirate needs a telescope for spotting ships that can be plundered.
You can make one out of a cardboard tube., Add a pirate-like swagger in your step.
Be confident and a bit sassy too. , Round up some friends and turn them into pirates too.
If possible, get a ship (maybe a raft), sail together, make maps, and even bury treasure! , If you’re of legal drinking age, make rum your drink of choice.
Choose a dark, spiced variety rather than the clear liquor. -
Step 3: Wear black pants.
-
Step 4: Add a vest.
-
Step 5: Choose tall boots.
-
Step 6: Wear a hat.
-
Step 7: Add an eye patch.
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Step 8: Get a hook or a peg leg.
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Step 9: Use a low
-
Step 10: gravelly voice.
-
Step 11: Mutter or slur your words.
-
Step 12: Learn the lingo.
-
Step 13: Drop your gs and vs. Pirates aren’t worried about pronouncing their words correctly.
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Step 14: Use “be” instead of “am/are.” Pirates be bad with grammar!
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Step 15: Avoid saying “you” and “you’re.” Pirates say “ye” rather than “you
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Step 16: ” and “yar” rather than “you are” or “you’re.” Switching out these simple words will have you sounding like a pirate in no time.
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Step 17: Use “me” instead of first-person possessives.
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Step 18: Double up on your adjectives.
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Step 19: Growl and scowl.
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Step 20: Gesture a lot.
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Step 21: Get a parrot.
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Step 22: Carry weapons.
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Step 23: Wear hoop earrings.
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Step 24: Get a telescope.
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Step 25: Walk like a pirate.
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Step 26: Assemble a pirate crew!
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Step 27: Drink rum.
Detailed Guide
Adding a waistcoat to your look says you’re the captain of the pirates! Choose one with brass buttons or detailing.
You can often find these in vintage stores or costume shops.
If not, look online.
Your shirt should be baggy, so pick one a few sizes larger than you normally would.
Choose white or beige, in any fabric.
You can choose a blouse or a shirt with ruffles, or a common dress shirt.
Tuck it into your pants, let the collar lie flat, and leave the cuffs unbuttoned.You can also add a sash or scarf in a bright or contrasting color to your waist. , Long, loose trousers are ideal, but any pair of black pants will do, as long as they aren’t denim.
You will want to tuck the pants into your boots to achieve true pirate style.You can also cut off the bottoms of your pants for a ragged look.
Women can opt for pants or for a long, flowing, poofy skirt., Choose a red, navy, or black vest to wear over your shirt.
A fabric like velvet is perfect for pirates.
You can choose to leave the buttons undone or to button the vest.For women, add a corset or bodice over your shirt., Pick a pair of boots that are tall and slip on, rather than lace up.
Choose black or brown.
True Buccaneer boots go to the mid-calf and have a large fold-over flap.
For women, choose boots or shoes with buckles.Pirates often go barefoot as well, so that is also an option. , No pirate is complete without their hat! Opt for the tricorne (three-point) style.
Choose a simple black hat, or go all out with feather details.You can tie a scarf around your head under your hat as well.
Alternatively, wear a bandana. , Choose a black eye patch, or one decorated with the jolly roger.
Keep in mind that wearing an eye patch will weaken your eye, so if you want to wear one, switch it from eye to eye every day. , Many pirates have lost limbs in ferocious sea battles! “Replace” your hand with a fake hook, or your leg with a wooden peg leg for an authentic pirate look. , To sound like a pirate, add a bit of rasp to your voice.
A parched, gravelly voice is what you should aim for, since pirates often yell at their shipmates and are at sea for long stretches, where clean drinking water can be scarce.
Argh! , Pirates are often drunk and are never concerned with pronunciation.
Run your words together, such as “lookit’tha lass” rather than “look at the lass.” Mutter under your breath, saying words like “scallywags” and “lily-livered.” , Add some nautical terms to your vocabulary, such as “land ahoy,” “on the starboard side.” Pirates also like to say “keep to the code.” You should use words like booty, pillage, buried treasure, matey, plank, buccaneer, landlubber, plunder, lass, scurvy, grog, and savvy.
Do an online search or use an app to learn even more pirate words. , Use a more casual style, and change “being” to “bein,” “sailing” to “sailin,” “over” to “o’er,” and “never” to “ne’er.”, Instead of “we are sailing,” say “we be sailin’.” Another example is “we be swashbucklin’!”, Examples include “what ye be doin’ boy?” “yar gonna miss the ship,” and “ye better be ready to walk the plank!”, Instead of saying “my parrot” say “me parrot.” Or, tell someone to “take your hands off me booty” rather than “take your hands off my booty.” Another example is “make sail, me hearty!”, Pirates like to exaggerate, so add extra adjectives to your descriptions.
Instead of saying “a big ship,” say “a great, grand ship!” Talk about the “no good, lily-livered sailors” rather than the “bad sailors.”, Pirates aren’t happy, peppy people.
They look and sound mean and nasty, so get a bit cranky to act like a true pirate., Gesture with your hand when talking and occasionally slam your hands on a table or other surface.
Pirates are very emotional, so ramp up your attitude a couple notches. , A real or fake parrot will do! Perch it on your shoulder and feed it bits of cracker.
A parrot that “talks” is your best bet. , Choose fake weapons so you don’t get into any trouble! Pirates carry a cutlass (sword) and also sometimes a flintlock pistol., Add one or two hoops to your ears if they are pierced.
You can also choose earrings with wooden beads., A proper pirate needs a telescope for spotting ships that can be plundered.
You can make one out of a cardboard tube., Add a pirate-like swagger in your step.
Be confident and a bit sassy too. , Round up some friends and turn them into pirates too.
If possible, get a ship (maybe a raft), sail together, make maps, and even bury treasure! , If you’re of legal drinking age, make rum your drink of choice.
Choose a dark, spiced variety rather than the clear liquor.
About the Author
Theresa Hart
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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