Pirate Costumes

How to choose a pirate costume

Start with the event. A quick office party or World Book Day only needs the classics: a striped or ruffled shirt, a headscarf or hat, and an eye patch. A themed birthday or Halloween night is worth a fuller set with a waistcoat, sash, boot covers and a belt.

Multi-piece sets (often five to ten pieces) look like great value, but check what’s actually counted. An eye patch, an earring and a bandana each count as a piece, so the core outfit might just be a shirt and trousers. Read the listing photos carefully.

Pirate fancy dress for men, women and kids

Men’s pirate costumes

Most men’s fancy dress pirate sets lean towards the Caribbean captain look: loose shirt, long coat or waistcoat and a wide sash. Coats add the most drama but get warm indoors, so a waistcoat is the smarter pick for a busy pub.

Women’s pirate costumes

Women’s options range from ruffled dresses to corset-style tops with skirts or trousers. Pirate wench styles can be short, so check the length if that matters to you. Browse more in our women’s fancy dress range.

Kids’ pirate costumes

Kids’ sets are usually simple tunics with a hat and eye patch. They’re cheap and cheerful, which is exactly what you want for a costume that’ll be worn twice and grown out of. Our kids’ fancy dress section has more ideas.

Pirate accessories that finish the look

The hat does most of the work. A tricorn instantly says pirate, and you’ll find more styles in our fancy dress hats. Add a toy cutlass or sword from our fancy dress props, and a long scruffy wig from the fancy dress wigs range if you’re going full Jack Sparrow. For a scar or a bit of stubble, a little face paint goes a long way.

• Eye patch: cheap, but swap sides now and then so you don’t trip over things.
• Boot covers: great for photos, rubbish on wet floors.
• Gold hoops and rings: clip-on versions save your ears.

Sizing and fabric tips

Pirate costumes tend to come in a few broad sizes, and many adult sets are one size. If you’re between sizes, go up, because loose shirts look more authentic than tight ones anyway. Our costume size guide explains how chest and waist measurements usually map to fancy dress sizes.

Budget sets use thin polyester that can look shiny in photos. Licensed film-style costumes cost more but have better detail. For a group, see our shop by theme page for crew ideas.