Questionable Clichés

On this page I list some clichés that are questionable. These are clichés commonly exhibited by people portraying pirates, which are probably fictitious, because there is no solid historical evidence for them, but do not look as tacky as the clichés that I listed on my Clichés to Avoid page. If you want to look completely authentic, these should be avoided. However, if you do not mind looking a little stereotypical, these often look practical and do not otherwise detract from a pirate’s appearance.

Bandana

Illustrations in pirate fiction occasionally show buccaneers wearing brightly colored headbands. ... Contemporary documents and historians, such as Exquemelin, do not mention any such headgear (Rogozinski, Bandanna/Head Scarf).

Gypsy Hoops

Caribbean pirates sometimes are shown wearing one or two brass or gold “Gypsy” hoops. In real life, European men wore earrings – but not hoops – only during the 16th century (Rogozinski, Earrings).

Treasure Map

There is little evidence to support the tales of pirate buried treasure. Few real “finds” have ever been reported (Encyclopedia Americana, Pirate).

Since pirates did not bury their treasure, they did not need maps to find it (Rogozinski, Maps, Treasure).