If the revival of centuries-old aesthetics and hyper-accessorization is any indication, a pirate fashion resurgence is imminent. During Coachella 2024, Filipino internet personality Bretman Rock donned a billowy white blouse, an underbust corset, paired with shiny sea-themed accessories. “It’s giving Jack Sparrow’s gay son,” Rock writes on Ins tagram , alluding to the lead character of the film franchise “Pirates of the Carribean.
” Around Metro Manila and beyond, various vintage markets open every weekend selling various forms of loot: secondhand clothing and accessories, ephemera, and even vintage devices. You might consider them akin to the trading docks of yore, where merchants also provide services such as tattoos and piercings. As this heatwave endures, so does a growing interest in personalization and the acquisition of miscellaneous trinkets to adorn body and clothing.
A question then forms on the horizon: will pirates soon be fashion’s next big trend? There’s a romanticized version of a pirate that is conjured up whenever one thinks of pirate fashion. Its strong presence in popular culture can be attributed to stories such as Treasure Island, Peter Pan, and the Pirates of the Carribean film series, where these adventure-loving buccaneers are often clad in steampunk-esque outfits: long, velvet frock coats, tall hats, parrots on their shoulders, and an assortment of weaponry, including swords, cutlasses, pistols, and daggers which are not just functional.
