Pirate costumes for Halloween

Pirates have been sailing our seas since around 1200 BC. The adventures and exploits of pirates of old fascinate us because of the codes of honour among thieves - bad as pirates could be, there were always stories of friendship, bravery, and even possibilities for romance. And, of course, treasure.

The Golden Age of Piracy took place in the 1700s CE, most notably around the Caribbean region where ships carrying goods from Europe and Africa were docking. Around this time, Britain laid off a great proportion of its naval seamen following the signing of peace treaties that made their employment redundant. Many of them had training in military tactics and sabotage, and these men turned their skills to profiteering.

Clothing for wannabe pirates

The basics of a pirate costume you will need...

• White oversized linen shirt, add ruffles to the cuffs if you wish
• Loose drawstring trousers in brown or beige
• Long-length tunic waistcoat
  Or a corset worn over the linen shirt
  Or a well-worn leather jacket
  Or find a worn military-style or other long-length coat in a vintage store or opportunity shop (add some gold trim if you like)
• Wide leather belt to belt over your tunic, waistcoat, or shirt

Pirate gear for the guys

Make your own pirate boots

If you don't have a suitable pair of long boots, select a pair of your own shoes that could pass as the "feet" of a pair of boots, and make your own boot extensions.

Measure around the widest part of your calf and measure the desired length from ankle to knee or thigh. Note the amount of fake leather you will need, and try to match the colour of your shoes.

Cut your "boot-legs" out of the fake leather, making sure that you have enough extra along the back to glue the leg into a tube-shape, while still being able to fit your foot and leg into the tube.

Slip on your gaiters before you put on your shoes and tuck your trousers into your boot-legs, or just wear a long-length tunic and show a bit of thigh!

Notorious historical pirates of the Caribbean

• Blackbeard
• Black Bart
• Calico Jack
• Anne Bonney
• Mary Read

Pirate gear for the ladies

Movie Masks

Movie Masks - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

There are many Movie Masks whose looks say as much about the characters as if we had seen the performers' whole faces. A mask can hide the hero's secret identity, it can enhance the menace of the villain and sometimes movie masks are just plain scary.


Masked Heros

Although they wear masks, these characters tend to be thought of as good guys. The romantic anti-heros who do bad things to right wrongs are listed here too.

• Batman, BATMAN
• Peyton Westlake/Darkman - DARKMAN
• Phillipe, THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK
• Stanley Ipkiss/the Mask, THE MASK
• The Phantom/Kit Walker - THE PHANTOM
• Eric/the Phantom, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
• Spiderman, SPIDERMAN
• V, V FOR VENDETTA
• Zorro, ZORRO

Batman

Starting in the pages of a comic book and now a revived movie franchise is the famous cowl of the Caped Crusader, Batman.

Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney or Christian Bale: which one is Batman to you? (the Batman shown here is Christian Bale from "Batman Begins").

The cowl has changed shape a bit over the years, sometimes the ears are more pointy, sometimes they are are a bit shorter. Batman always has to have a strong jaw, as that's the only part of his face that really shows.

The Mask

Part special effects, part makeup, part Jim Carrey's own elastic-expressioned face

A bumbling nerd finds a mysterious mask that transforms him into a part-cartoon hero when he puts it on.

The MASK persona was created with a combination of specialty makeup applied to actor Jim Carrey and CGI effects done with computers.

Last Day Mask from LOGAN'S RUN

In the movie LOGAN'S RUN, people who reached their "last day," which was their 30th birthday, were forced to take part in an elaborate ritual that really was a cover for euthanasia.

The lifeclocks embedded in their hands would go from red to blinking red-black, and that's how they knew it was Last Day. Most of the city would turn out to watch "Carousel" as the ritual was called. The participants were all dressed in red and white outfits with white robes and these masks. As you can see, it's a very stylized skeleton-type face.

V from V FOR VENDETTA

V, the main character in V FOR VENDETTA, wears a mask of the notorious British traitor/terrorist Guy Fawkes.

There is a whole lens where you can read more about
V's Mask and Costume.

Darth Vader

Darth Vader is one of the most striking masked characters in recent movie history. A tragic villian, he is a hero fallen from grace, hidden behind a mask that is necessary for him to breathe and live.

His physical presence was portrayed by British bodybuilder David Prowse, and his voice came from well-known American actor James Earl Jones.

Jack Lint's "working" Mask from BRAZIL

Michael Palin took a rare and wonderful turn as the torturous Jack Lint in Terry Gilliam's film BRAZIL. When Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) finds himself in Lint's inner office, it turns out to be a torture chamber. As Lint says, lowering the mask in place after berating Sam for putting him in such a tough position, "ours is to be a *professional* relationship."

Jigsaw, from SAW

If a creepy game player is your thing, then you're sure to love Jigsaw. He's the evil genius behind all the mayhem of the SAW movies, and you can catch his latest adventures this Halloween.

He likes to set up situations that challenge and test people, often with the results that if they panic and don't think things out, they get killed. He'll make you live out your worst nightmare and then make you feel like it's your own fault.

Jason, from FRIDAY THE 13TH

Jason was one of the first serial teen killers. His mother thought he drowned when he was a kid, but really, he just sort of came back from the dead. A hockey mask and a big machete are his two main trademarks.

He's killed a lot of folks a lot of different ways over the years, but his hockey mask has stayed the same. Occasionally it slips, and you get to see worm-ridden flesh and gore like that, but even when he battled Freddy Krueger, the mask holds its own.

V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta : V's Mask and Costume

The mask and costume worn by the character V in V FOR VENDETTA are dramatic and distinctive.

This blog will show you the mask and clothing of V, provide information and links to the history behind it, compare the graphic novel and film versions, and help you dress up in a V costume for a Bonfire Night or Halloween party. You can also get the DVD, soundtrack and related books here.

Whose Face Is That Anyway?

The face that V has chosen to wear is that of Guy Fawkes, the man who was found with 36 barrels of gunpowder in the basement of Britian's Parliment, early in the morning of November 5th, 1605.

Remember, remember the fifth of November The gunpowder treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot. Guy Fawkes, twas his intent To blow up king and parliament. Three score barrels were laid below To prove old England's overthrow. By God's mercy he was catched With a dark lantern and lighted match. Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring Holler boys, holler boys, God save the King."

The Movie Version of V

Or What Hugo Weaving Had To Put Up With

"The only verdict is vengeance, a vendetta, held as a votive not in vain."

As you can see, the translation from illustration to three dimensions came off without any major changes. By working the camera angles on the mask, shooting partial shots and using the shadow from the hat brim, it's possible to make the mask seem to have a range of different emotions.

The hat is a bit more rigid and the silhouette is a bit off from 1605, but both changes make a more graphic-looking and physically-stiffer hat, something which functions better in a movie. The choice of fabric in the movie lends a military uniform feeling to V's clothing, but obviously one of his own making.

One interesting note is that the role of V did NOT start out with actor Hugo Weaving, but rather with James Purefoy. After some weeks of shooting, he was replaced. Supposedly he found he had too much trouble breathing behind the mask. Given the masked performance, the audience has no way of knowing if there actually is or isn't any of Mr. Purefoy's performance in the movie V.

Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

V's personal motto, which is the title of this module and is translated above, is often credited on the internet as the personal motto which Aleister Crowley formulated for himself. In the graphic novel, V tells Evey it was first said by a man she's probably not heard of, a German gentleman by the name of Dr. John Faust.

Here is V as he originated, in graphic novel form. His mask and costume live here in still frames. Be sure to look at how line weight, shading, coloring all vary subtly in V's mask as he moves through the story. You'll see him be michevious, sad, angry, thoughtful and stone-faced, as well as many more expressions.

You can get all ten of the V FOR VENDETTA issues as a bound collection. Click here for more info or to buy V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

Why is this costume so popular?

This is a great sexy costume that is seductive, but doesn't show too much skin. The St. Pauli Girl costume is very popular among the "college" set. Don't forget to add the short lace petticoat for underneath the dress. This really adds fullness and completes this costume look