We Will Never Escape the Pirate Jacket
What do pirates, hussars, circus ringmasters, marching bands, My Chemical Romance, Napoleon, and “The Nutcracker” all have in common? They all wear the same jacket. As will you, if it’s up to the leading luxury labels.
Will pirate jackets actually become, say, the new barn coats? Of course not. Far more important than answering that question though, is what has led to asking it in the first place. There’s no doubt that pirate jackets are everywhere: Jonathan Anderson presented iterations at both his men’s and women’s Dior shows; Greta Lee wore one on the November cover of American Vogue; Seán McGirr’s latest for McQueen featured them as a wink at the late namesake founder’s archives; at Ann Demeulemeester, Stefano Gallici paired their rigid, uniform-like bulkiness with billowy pussy-bow shirts; and TikTok is ablaze with recs on where to buy it and how to pull it off.
The more important question is: Why this jacket, and why now?
The barn jacket, of course, is an emblem of practical restraint. Everyone from The Row to Uniqlo has created their own version with clean lines, creamy neutrals, and corduroy collars. The pirate jacket, meanwhile, represents a total 180 — a penchant for the dramatic that borders on camp. Rather than the barn/chore/field coat’s unisex form-follows-function approach, the pirate jacket indulges in theatrically masculine and feminine elements such as its boxy-to-cinched or cropped shape, sumptuous fabrics, and heavy golden embroidery. These purposefully mirror the decorative military attire of 17th and 18th century Europe, where it originated. Today, they’re often worn over simple garments such as a T-shirt, jeans, or Jenna Ortega’s mini-skirt.
This isn’t the first modern instance of Captain Hook’s finest claiming the fashion spotlight. Notable past attempts include pieces by John Galliano and Hedi Slimane. Both designers, considered rebels in their own eras, did their finest pirating at Dior at a time when fashion was transitioning out of dictatorial ’90s minimalism into the grimier, quirkier noughties. Years later, Jonathan Anderson would enter the house at what feels like a tipping point, too, and lean on his predecessors to weather the transition. Slimane’s outfitting of The Libertines specifically encouraged this particular style of coat to proliferate in menswear, with reappearances in the indie sleaze wave and with multiple cohorts of Hedi Boys, despite and because of the pirate jacket’s costumey guise.
This particular revival feels at odds with where we’re at today, culturally and politically. Ultimately, the pirate jacket is beholden to its colonial and military roots. Which means that while they look flashy, they’re not quite as escapist or fantastical as they may seem at first.
To be fair, this issue could be raised for many more sartorial period rehashes. And in conjunction with the return of other seafarer motifs — slouchy leather over-knees, tricorn-esque headdresses, or even Chanel’s recent fishing-net poncho and shell-like jewelry — the evidence could point to an overarching nautical comeback over an epochally accurate one. Still, there’s a strange aftertaste to this trend at this specific moment. It’s one of many instances where fashion, with all its accompanying wealth, fame, and excess, can be credibly accused of being out of touch with reality.
Ultimately, navigating the choppy waters of discourse is up to the individual shopper or designer. It doesn’t take two eyes to tell, however, that the pirate jacket is everything that its wearable, functional, evergreen contemporary is not. It’s ridiculous and wholly impractical, its unruly charm doubling as its fatal flaw.
Fun? Sure. An antidote to “quiet luxury” and the industry’s relentless fawning over blue-collar utility clothing? Probably. Whether you’re more of a mind to maroon Sergeant Pepper’s epaulettes, jabots, and tailcoats on a desert island (a.k.a. the depths of Vestiare) or the type who feels intrigued enough to play along, we as a society can at least depend on the pirate jacket to always provoke a strong reaction.
Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.
