Pirate outfit advice

[Pryncess of Indigo]

Good Day to you!

I need pieces for a pirate outfit. I am afraid I am going to sound silly so bear with me...

So I have some pieces but not very many. I do have a corset, wahoo! and a broom skirt with alot of sequins that I am sure could be used for a gypsy look at one point or another. But that is where I sit. I have no shift or chemise or anything ( but I have a belt!). I have wanted to dress up but not alone and have not fully convinced DH to follow my love of all things historical.

Well we are headed to Disneyworld for late October and my little wants to be a pirate for the Halloween party they throw there (plus Octoberfest and Food and Wine, yummo!) Its PERFECT timing to get DH all garbed up. He agreed! So now I am in need of help to create a pirate look without buying a complete set. I have to use the corset I have. 

So here is my question or need of help. I know I need a chemise or at least something to go under my corset (its over the bust, very pretty, black w/ gold thread, kinda sweetheart shaped)... but would a long shift be better so it can be under a skirt and add some color ( I was kinda thinking red)? Because then I could probably get a black skirt over the red shift. And then later put a hoop skirt under it for another look all together. Or is it better to get two skirts, maybe one ruffled and then the other a basic skirt? Then a chemise maybe a short sleeve one. We live in Houston and its always hot. I have looked and they have these juxtaposition skirts of two layers but they are short and I am a big girl (and short!) that does not like to show legs but would that type of skirt look OK OVER a basic skirt?

I have tried to visualize this but after a weekend of looking around and even trying to draw it out I cannot picture it. All in all the pieces need to be able to be used for other styles or layered for a more grand pirate look later on.

Any advice and/or comments are most welcome.

[Trillium]

Do you have your heart set on skirts?  You could just do bloomers or pants with a short chemise.  Or a split front skirt with bloomers.

[isabelladangelo]

An extremely light weight (tissue) linen with long sleeves is probably your best bet.  it sound counter intuitive except that, with the can barely feel it's there linen - it will help to keep the sun off your skin and, therefore, help to keep you cooler (not to mention not sunburnt!).  Some people will argue cotton gauze rather than tissue linen - but I'd suggest the linen simply because it seems to hold up better over the years.  Also, white.  Not just from an h/a point of view - which sounds like you aren't going for anyway- but because it will help to reflect some of that sun and keep you cooler overall.

I like the bloomers idea as well.   They really aren't terribly difficult to make but a chemise is stupidly simple to make.  My first few were two big rectangles for the body and two smaller rectangles for the sleeves.  I now add gussets (squares folded along the bias) to the underarms and that's it.   With a joanns 50% off coupon, you can make your own out of 50/50 cotton/linen blend tissue weight fabric for $25.   

[Pryncess of Indigo]

An extremely light weight (tissue) linen with long sleeves is probably your best bet.  it sound counter intuitive except that, with the can barely feel it's there linen - it will help to keep the sun off your skin and, therefore, help to keep you cooler (not to mention not sunburnt!).  Some people will argue cotton gauze rather than tissue linen - but I'd suggest the linen simply because it seems to hold up better over the years.  Also, white.  Not just from an h/a point of view - which sounds like you aren't going for anyway- but because it will help to reflect some of that sun and keep you cooler overall.

I like the bloomers idea as well.   They really aren't terribly difficult to make but a chemise is stupidly simple to make.  My first few were two big rectangles for the body and two smaller rectangles for the sleeves.  I now add gussets (squares folded along the bias) to the underarms and that's it.   With a joanns 50% off coupon, you can make your own out of 50/50 cotton/linen blend tissue weight fabric for $25.   

Can I just buy aone? I have no talent at sweing. I even sew buttons on wrong...

[isabelladangelo]

Yes, you can buy a long sleeved chemise but they tend to be a bit pricey anymore.  I've seen cotton gauze ones go around the $60 rate and linen - you are talking triple digits normally.   They really are a good beginner project if you want to save money and learn to sew but they can be bought as well. 

[genyferbelle]

Hi Pryncess!

Great questions, and not a hopeless situation.

1. I'm a big gal myself, and I would have to agree on wearing pants.Even under a skirt. You will be more comfortable in the long run.Plus my dad worked for Disney for 10 years, and I can tell you that Halloween in FL has a tendency to be a cold night. Not always, but you might be glad for the extra layer. And if there is a late October storm you might be glad to be able to take off the skirt, but still have the pants as a back up.

For my Pirate costume, I found leggings at Torrid. They have several different colors, are thin enough to let air breath, and are a great foundation piece to add on a bunched up skirt. Plus they are long enough to get tucked down into any boots.

I wear black for my Pirate costume, and Brown for my more woodsy characters.

2. For a chemise here is a link.Go down to Garb Files and it will automatically start to download in excel. It is a very basic concept, just like isabelladangelo mentioned.
http://guild.org.ohio-state.edu/index2.htm

You will definitely want something between you and the corset/bodice. Otherwise walking all day at Disney could cause sores and welts.
I would also recommend white, because of the reflection, but also because it is easier to match with other costume pieces for later characters.I typically go to Joann's and grab a few yards of broadcloth (cotton) because it is relatively cheap and comes in every color. But Batiste (also cotton) is much lighter, but also a few bicks more per yard. And the cheapest of them all is muslin. it is the most basic of fabirc. can be thinner or heavier depending on what you grab, and comes in natural beige, or bleached white.


I usually just wear a long chemise with my pants.That way I don't need the extra weight of the skirt, and all those layers do not make bathroom trips easy...

If you're not comfortable with sewing, any peasant style blouse should work.

But most importantly, you will still want to wear sunblock, UNDER your shirt. The concrete at Disney can and will still reflect the sun and you can get burned THROUGH your clothes. 10 years of Disney experience...just trust me.

3. Accessories are the key to an amazing pirate costume. Obviously Disney will not admit anything really over the top for health and safety reasons for you and other guests. As well as for the ride safety (I was the little girl who dropped her cowgirl hat one year in the Haunted Mansion.....I didn't live that one down for quite some time). Don't be surprised if they won't admit any fake weapons, even tho they sell them at the Pirates ride.

But think about a seashell necklace (check out Joanns beading department or even over in floral dept.). A tricorn hat.Some old keys hanging from your belt, and of course some kind of scarf of color to add a pop of interest.

4.Skirt- If you are determined to wear a skirt, the fuller and more circular you can find, the better. sequins aren't historically accurate, but if you aren't concerned with that, I'd say go for it. Burlington Coat factory typically has some cute, light weight, long length, and billowy skirts.
But that link also has a skirt pattern.

Use a shoestring, or bias tape, and you can tie that sucker up for a cuter/sexier pirate skirt.

Here's a link to some pics of my costume sketch,pieces, etc. But if you do a flickr search for pirate costumes, you will find amazing ideas!
Best of luck!!!
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