When season two of Our Flag Means Death premiered earlier this month, I finally hopped on the bandwagon and binged the pirate-centered Max series in a matter of two days. Due to its stellar reviews and strong fanbase, my quick obsession with the show didn't come as a total surprise. However, my love for the fashion sure did.
In case you've never seen it, the swashbuckling rom-com feels like Ted Lasso combined with Pirates of the Caribbean, as it follows a group of (mostly) men in what is typically perceived as a hypermasculine, toxic environment: a pirate ship. But in this world, the buccaneers are actually quite sensitive and supportive of one another, and they're led by a stylish, aristocratic gentleman named Stede Bonnet (a real-life pirate from the late 1600s who loosely inspired the series).
Our Flag Means Death has plenty of things to love, from an iconic Taika Waititi performance as Blackbeard to loads of celebrity cameos. But for me, I spent the whole first episode fixating on the fashion. Where can I get those shoes?!, I thought to myself as Stede (played by Rhys Darby) strutted around his ship sporting a pair of period oxfords adorned with a white bow on top. Suddenly, I found myself noticing all kinds of eye-popping ensembles. The frills, the colors, the stitches—I couldn't look away! Plus, the show embraces its sartorial side, like in one episode where Stede won't get rid of a coat, even though the rest of his crew believes it to be haunted.
