Earning the Red Pants
There’s a lot to be said of what is gained at the end of a transatlantic passage - that sense of accomplishment, a feeling of pride, a whale of a tale, and for some, a sense of relief. However, what I didn’t know was that I would be gaining the right to augment my fashion choices by the addition of one particular item of clothing. Quite the juxtaposition when you consider how narrow and repetitive my wardrobe choices are during this passage: do I wear the shirt I wore yesterday or the one that’s been worn three times already? Enter the sniff test.
During an early morning discussion with the more seasoned of our crew, I learned of the tradition that entitles anyone who completes a transatlantic passage the right to wear red pants! Great news for me as red is my favorite color! None of us are sure from where this tradition originated. Another quick Google search assist from sister Stacy revealed that Breton sailors used to treat sails with tannins to arrest rotting. The tannins turned the sails red and once the sails were old, sailors used them to make pants. Is any of this in any way involved in the evolution of the tradition of the red pants? Unclear. Yet I find myself inspired to get a pair. After all, what other piece of clothing would I ever be able to say I “earned”?
So then and there, the male crew and I decided to shop for red pants in Saint Lucia. I may be the only one who actually buys them, but who knows? Maybe they’ll surprise me.
As to the tradition itself, if anyone knows where the tradition comes from, I’d love to hear it. So come find me! I’ll be the one in Rodney Bay Marina wearing a pair of new red pants.
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