How To Tie & Wear Sarongs

Sarongs are woven from cotton, rayon or silk, and can be tied into a wide variety of clothing very easily. One bright rectangle of cloth can be a short skirt, a long skirt, a dress, a top or a jacket! Worn by both women and men throughout the South Pacific and Indonesia, they make great summer wear and are fun for relaxing at home.

For summertime wear, a sarong is one of the most versatile options. It can be a beach cover-up, or it can be the whole outfit itself. If you go to the beach, or take a vacation to a warm locale, this is one of easiest clothing items you can pack, in fact, it's often a good idea to bring two or three along so you can mix and match.

finding sarongs around the world just takes knowing the right word

The word "sarong" comes from the Malay word meaning "sheath." It's a large piece of fabric that can be formed into many clothing variations just by tying, although sometimes you will find it sewn into a tube. Most often it's cotton and is decorated with a batik (wax-resist) design, but really modern sarongs can be painted or dyed using any method of textile decoration. Very similar forms of clothing exist in many cultures around the world.

- Kain sarung (Indonesia)

- Dhoti (India)

- Kanga (Africa)

- Lava-lava (Samoa)

- Malong (Philippines)

- Pareo (Hawaii, Mauritius)

- Suhrong (Cambodia)

In some cultures, a sarong is tied or worn specific ways if you are a man versus if you are a woman, so if you wear sarongs while traveling, you might wish to check with local custom. The other major concern when wearing a sarong is whether or not to wear something under it. Use your own sense of modesty and best judgement. Accidentally "flashing" your in-laws on vacation is probably something both you and they would prefer to avoid.

One of the coolest things I ever found for helping tie a sarong is a small, carved bit of coconut shell called a "sarong buckle" or "sarong tie." It allows you gather and fasten without knotting, or adds stability and security when you do knot.

If you're going to be really active when wearing a sarong, one of these little babies can really help you tie a garment that then stays right where you want it, without any slipping loose or coming untied!

Get some sarong tying help by following along with these videos. With just a bit of practice, wearing sarongs becomes very easy!