Get it on, bang the gong - Top 5 ways to wear a sarong!

Unless you've planned a trip to a sunny resort somewhere far, far away from London, you probably won't get much of a chance to show off the sarong skills I'm about to teach you. But if you do happen to be in the middle of packing your suitcase for a beach holiday, the single most important accessory is a sarong. 

Depending on your style, you can get a traditional batik sarong from Indonesia, a Tahitian pareo with bright flower patterns, an eye-catching kanga from Africa or an extra large scarf with a tie-dye or animal print. Here’s how to fold, wrap and tie this versatile garment so that you’ll look stylish during your beach holidays!

 

Beach skirt

The nonchalant beach wrap is probably the most famous way to wear a pareo. An elegant way to achieve this look is to fold the fabric into a triangle, place it around your waist and tie the long ends together above one hip. If you prefer an ankle length straight skirt, don’t fold the pareo before you wrap it around your body.

Maxi dress

You can easily turn your sarong into a sexy maxi dress. Tie two adjacent corners of the sarong behind your neck so that it drapes in front of you like a cowl neck. Grasp the edges of the sarong at hip height behind your back, forming two small bunches of fabric. Pull them to one side and double-knot the bunches so that the sarong is wrapped tightly around your hips.

Wrap Dress

This flattering knee-length dress looks good on every woman. To create a wrap dress, hold the sarong behind your back horizontally like a towel. Bring the left top corner in front of your body and hang it over your right shoulder. Wrap the right side of the sarong underneath your bust, around your back and to the right shoulder, where you tie it to the other end.

Bandeau or bandeau dress

If you fold the sarong into a wide strip, you can wrap it around your chest and tie it behind your back. If you prefer a bandeau dress, extend your pareo behind your back and tie the edges together against the bust so that the extra fabric cascades down.

Halter dress

This sophisticated cocktail dress is surprisingly simple to create. Start with extending the pareo behind your back just below you shoulder blades. Bring the top corners forward below your arms, cross the ends over your chest and tie them behind your neck. 

The options are endless. Just keep playing around until you've found a method that hides your weaknesses while emphasizing your best bits.