Ye Pirate Brethren

I was hoping to find some patterns I would not have to pay for.

The clothing of sailors has remained much the same since the beginning of the 18th century and is similar no matter what nationality. Runaway advertisements provide descriptions of this clothing:

Ran-awayfrom their Master, Capt. Joseph Swadell, Commander of the Lake Frigot, now in Boston, two Servant Men viz David Rose a North Britain, aged about ]8years, of a short stature, speaks broken English, short black Hair, Sailors Habit, viz speckled Shirt, dark Jacket and Breeches, he Ran away the 21 st Currant.
And the other Servant an Apprentice, named Joseph Riddell, a South Britain; Ran-away the 23rd Currant, aged about 19 years, a tall man, pretty much pock broken, short black Hair, a black Wigg: with Sailoes Habit, and speckled Handkerchief and divers sorts of Cloaths... (Boston News-Letter 28 Apr. 1712)

IN 1729 A RUNAWAY APPRENTICE FROM THE SHIP Mary that was in Philadelphia had on "a light colored jacket with canvas patches on the shoulders, canvas trousers, light grey stockings and a hat" (Pennsylvania Gazette 21 Jan. 1729). In 1749 a servant who ran away in New York "Had on when he went away, a Castor Hat, almost new, a Brown Cloth Coat, Oznabrigs Shirt, petticoat Trowsers, yam Stockings, Calf Skin Shoes with Buckles in them . . ." The N. B. states that he had deserted previously and during that time had "followed boating to and from New York" (New-York Weekly Post-Boy 1 1 Sept. 1749). A 1742 runaway in Dorchester is listed with classic sailor's clothing. He "[w]ears cap, felt hat, dark Peajacket, breeches of same color, pair of large Trowsers, strip'd under Jacket, speckled cotton and wool shirt, freckled face" (Boston News-Letter 25 Nov. 1742).
The British Navy established the "slop chest" or ship's store in 1623 (Copeland 6). Sailors are issued clothing from the slop chest. A noticeable exception are the poor men who are impressed. Since they are only required to serve to the end of the war, it is considered a waste of money to issue them clothing. The term slops is of interest. In 1601 Wright wrote in his Passions of the Mind, "I have seen Tarlton [a famous clown] play the clowne and use no other breeches than such sloppes or slivings as now many gentlemen weare; they are almost capable of (holding) a bushell of wheate . . ." (Murray, "Breeches" 18). By the 1736 dictionary of Mr. Bailey, slops are defined thus: "Slops (from slabbe, Dutch), a sort of wide-kneed breeches worn by seamen." The word slops is also used to describe all types of ready-made clothing, "slopwork" that is sold in "slop shops." According to a 1747 description in the London Tradesman, slopwork is "all kind of Shirts, Jackets, Trousers and other wearing Apparel belonging to Sailors, ready made" (Ashelford 196).

Sailors wear jackets, waistcoats, shirts, neck handkerchiefs, a variety of caps and hats, and various slops, trousers and breeches. As stated earlier slops are a type of wide-kneed breeches that I will consider to end slightly below the knee. Trousers are longer pants with straight legs ending at the ankle or above. Some trousers are quite full in the leg. Breeches are just that-breeches like most other men wear. And for my purposes, petticoat trousers or petticoat breeches are a garment worn over other breeches to protect them.
Slops are often made of canvas or heavy linen and are sometimes of striped or checked cloth. Of necessity they need to be made from sturdy cloth, as they receive heavy use out at sea with climbing the riggings and the sailor's various other duties. I will enclose a pattern and directions for this interesting garment later in this letter. Sailor's breeches and trousers are cut in the same manner as those worn by other men. Although, as late as 1776, a deserter from the brig Liberty of the Virginia State Navy had trousers fastened with two buttons on the waistband and two buttons on the straight fly front (Copeland 7). One would have expected a small drop front on these trousers. Conversely, in a 1748 picture of a master's mate in the Royal Navy the slops have a narrow fall front (Copeland 10).

PETTICOAT TROUSERS ARE A garment designed to be worn over other clothing as protection.
These are made without a fly or drop front, as there is no need for closure other than on the waistband. The corpse of a man found drowned at the mouth of Roxbury Creek had on "a red shag great coat, a grey jacket, striped trousers and breeches underneath" (Boston NewsLetter 16 August 1739). In John Singleton Copley's painting Watson and the Shark (National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.), you can clearly see petticoat trousers worn over other breeches and fastened only at the waistband. In a 1688 definition, they are described thus: "The Petticoat Breeches, are short and wide Coats with waist bands, having no petition, or sowing up between the Legs: but all open like a short Petticoat, from whence they are named" (Murray, "Breeches" 20). Those worn in Watson and the Shark have legs, so they are not exactly like a short petticoat, but the ones in the satirical prints of the Boston Tea Party by Philip Dawe look like they could indeed be a short petticoat.
Trousers are made of various fabrics. Descriptions include canvas, ticklenburg, oznabrig, linen, tow, feamaught, flannel and bays. Colors include white, blue, brown, cloth-colored, striped, check and even red. Trousers are most often described as long trousers. They are sometimes described as full or narrow as well. Trousers always end at or above the ankle.