Pirates and earrings

[Capt. William Drake]

Ahoy me hearties!
   I am putting the finishing touches to my pirate garb and I was wondering do gold earrings really make a pirate look good or goofy?  I don't have pierced ears so I would have to use a clip on version if I choose to get one.  Thank you again mates for any and all help.

Yours in service
Capt. William Drake

[isabelladangelo]

The whole earring thing is mostly a Hollywood invention, like most things when it comes to Renn Faires.  If you want to go with the whole Hollywood look, that's fine -but be aware that that's what it is.   

In my experience, clip on earrings tend to be clunky and probably would not be the best look for you if you don't want to look like a goofball.   Or like you stole Grandma's jewelry box, again. 

Remember, a true pirate would have off loaded most of his stolen goods and any blood money he got at the nearest port.   He wouldn't really be wearing his treasure on him.  Why have gold on you when you can spend it for more rum?

[Lady Kett]

At History, Customs & Manners "class" at Scarborough, the Captain of a ship explained one day that he wore a gold earring because that would pay for his funeral.

HCM is an entertaining history class giving visitors some information on the time period (1533) and put on by the cast. The Captain is Latimer Fairfield and I believe he is also a Baron. The cast goes to great lengths to provide accurate historical information in an entertaining format.

I've never tried to research this tidbit, or anything else really, but I do remember it because I immediately thought "Pirate!".

Use this snippet of info in any fashion you see fit!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

As everyone else has said, go with what you think will finish your pirate look. Many renditions show Pirates with hoops in their ears. Men have been wearing earrings for thousands of years. It was fashionable for Upper Class Noblemen to wear earrings, aprticularly in the left ear.

If you want, get your left ear pierced at least 6 weeks prior to dressing up or have a nice stud put in so that you can turn it and keep it clean, so that later, you can put a fashionable hoop in it.

Just a thought.

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

As everyone else has said, go with what you think will finish your pirate look. Many renditions show Pirates with hoops in their ears. Men have been wearing earrings for thousands of years. It was fashionable for Upper Class Noblemen to wear earrings, aprticularly in the left ear.

If you want, get your left ear pierced at least 6 weeks prior to dressing up or have a nice stud put in so that you can turn it and keep it clean, so that later, you can put a fashionable hoop in it.

Just a thought.

Were the earrings worn moslty studs or hoops or what?

[Lady Rebecca]

I had heard the same thing as Lady Kett, so I decided to do a quick google search, and this is what I came up with:

http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/why-did-pirates-wear-earrings--1434/
http://www.bonaventure.org.uk/ed/earrings.htm

Interesting!

[DonaCatalina]

Huh, a lot I had never heard before. Well I guess to dangle bits of wax they would almost have to be hoops.

[ArielCallista]

If you do pierce an ear make sure it is your left one...You don't want people giving you a hard time for piercing the "wrong" one...lol

[gem]

As Lady K mentioned, very fashionable for men to wear earrings in period, particularly into the 17th c.:

Pietro Novelli, "Young Man with Earring," 1607



Portraits of King Charles 1:

 

And Charles's actual earring:


More here at this fascinating blog.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Fashiobale men of the 16th Century sporting an earring.


Sir Walter Raliegh


William Shakespeare

[Syrilla]

I don't know if it was mentioned but as an interesting tidbit... From a Dr. that Loved tidbits of history and also studies alternative healing methods.  Having an ear pierced was thought to help fight sea sickness.  Whether one was better than the other, I don't remember.
Now, I have used pressure point beads on my ear for this reason, and it worked.  So?

[groomporter]

I don't know if it was mentioned but as an interesting tidbit... From a Dr. that Loved tidbits of history and also studies alternative healing methods.  Having an ear pierced was thought to help fight sea sickness.  Whether one was better than the other, I don't remember.
Now, I have used pressure point beads on my ear for this reason, and it worked.  So?

There's also a old wives tale that it supposedly helped your eye sight something like an acupuncture point -important to be able to site land/whales/enemy ships...
http://www.imponderables.com/why_did_pirates.php

[Lady L]

Several years ago, when I was doing some research for Capt. R's pirate garb, I found something about pirates that I thought was interesting. It said when a pirate crossed the equator, he got a gold earring. I dont' know if that's a myth or not, but R said when he was in the navy, they said the same thing. Don't have the links, but you could do a search.

[Dinobabe]

I know a lot of cruise ships have a line-crossing party when they cross the equator.  I've heard similar ceremony type things throughout history so it has to have SOME truth in it!

[isabelladangelo]

Several years ago, when I was doing some research for Capt. R's pirate garb, I found something about pirates that I thought was interesting. It said when a pirate crossed the equator, he got a gold earring. I dont' know if that's a myth or not, but R said when he was in the navy, they said the same thing. Don't have the links, but you could do a search.

If you read the link already posted: http://www.bonaventure.org.uk/ed/earrings.htm  -it shows that it's an old wives tale as well.  During the golden age of Piracy -the early 18th Century- earrings weren't fashionable.