What Are Pirate Boots Called?

Ever wondered what the pirates would have to wear to survive the many months at sea without moisture damage to the feet and for them to last a long time in the sea? Here, we’ll take a look at some of the things you need to know about the pirate boots.

So, what are pirate boots called?

Pirate boots are also known as cavalier boots, and they are associated with the highwaymen, as well as the pirates. The cavalier boots are tall boots highly prized by the naval officers and the helmsmen. The boots offered a substantial amount of protection from spray and the rain. The cavalier boots were worn with the oilskins and the Sou’wester, and they remained in use among the fishermen, well into the 20th century. The cavalier boots were then replaced with the rubber waders and the wellington boots.

The cavalier boots were made of tough riding boots that are solid and hardwearing. The boots also feature a reinforced heel, with a hardened design on the toe, for durability and extra comfort.

Some other cavalier pirate boots will, however, be made of soft and stylish materials from genuine black leather. These boots feature a large, fold-over cuff that allows you to wear the cuffs up and down. The boots also have a rubber, non-slip sole, as well as heels.

That said, most of the pirates loved to walk barefoot while on the ships, and the ones who wore shoes opted for simpler shoes at the shore. The pirate captains, on the other hand, are the ones who wore boots. The high-level members of the crew and the pirate captains wore the boots as well.

History of pirates

The first pirates were known as the privateers, and these were professionals and individuals hired by governments to plunder and attach the enemy ships ad to wage economic terror. One of the most famous privateers dates to the 16th century, when Sir Francis Drake, commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I to attack/ plunder the Spanish galleons. From this time, piracy became a whole new thing. While the plundering and the attacks went on, the one thing that really stands out from the pirate or privateer’s lives is their clothing.

For starters, everything they wore was loose, from the breeches to the doublets. They wore Calico shirts, lots of silk plundered from the vessels coming from Indian. They also wore the pirate sash, which is ubiquitous among the pirate world – the sash helped their lower backs and abdomen, and the sashes also symbolized class, where only the ruling classes wore them, specifically, the ship captains.

The cavalier boots date back to the 17th century when the previous versions of the boots were molded into the softer and closer-fitting jockey-style boots featuring the top-folded down under-the-knee design to ensure mobility. It was a style far more English riding style, but it made its way to the bigger Anglomania of the 18th Century.