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.

6 Cheap, Simple & Quick Beauty Tips for the Heat

Looking splendid in the sweltering heat – and in all your summer snapshots! – is easy this year. You don’t have to spend valuable beach time in front of the mirror and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. Just follow these simple make-up, hair and fashion tips and let the sun be your limelight!

1. Make-up:  less is more
The best way to avoid a make-up meltdown is to let your skin breathe. Steer clear of heavy foundation, concealer and powder. All you need is a lightweight moisturizer that will block UV rays and absorb oil. If you’re feeling a bit pale without make-up, you can use tinted sunscreen (the only one that doesn't give me spots is Vichy 50+ Capital Soleil Face Cream) or self-tanning moisturizer to give your skin a sun-kissed glow. Keep your lips natural or use a shiny gloss or balm with UV-filter.

2. Sunglasses: the wow-factor
Buy yourself a glamorous pair of sunglasses that really suit your face. This accessory should both make you look fabulous and protect your eyes by absorbing all UV rays and most HEV rays. If you have a heart-shaped or an oval face (like me), all frames will look good on you except for oversized ones such as aviator shades. Sunglasses with sculpted angles look best on people with round faces. Make sure the frame is at least the same width as your face. Oval and cat-eye frames tend to work best for people with an angular jaw (not me!) because the rounded edges soften the angular planes of your face. Personally, I swear by my Adidas Evil Eye glasses - great for skiing as well. 


3.  Eyes: go waterproof
Keep your eyes simple – after all, you will be wearing sunglasses most of the time! If you really want to use eye shadow, go for a neutral, soft shimmery product. Dark, smoky eyes can look extremely harsh in the summer and are more likely to smudge. To enhance your natural glow, you only need to emphasize your lashes. Waterproof mascara is a must at the beach, but it can dry out your lashes. Look for a moisturizing, stay-put mascara to prevent brittle lashes.

4.  Skin: wear self-tanning lotion and sunscreen
The most important summer skincare product is sunscreen. The higher the SPF, the better. Honestly, you don’t want your skin to age prematurely as the result of too much exposure to the sun. It’s much safer to get a tan from a bottle! Choose a quick-drying, streak-free tanning-lotion. Exfoliate your body and us a sheer moisturizer on dry areas such as your ankles, wrists, knees and elbows before you apply the tanning lotion.


5. Let your hair down, literally
The key to good summer hair is: don't try too hard. Wet it every morning, apply some leave-in conditioner and let it air-dry. Blow-driers, curling irons, straighteners and other styling products will only damage your sun-stressed hair. You’re ready to leave the house in a lot less time than usual and you’ll look amazing. If your hair is dyed blonde or has artificial highlights, you should protect it against and chlorine in swimming pools with a swimming cap (you don't have to go down the rubbery, sporty route, there are plenty of cute vintage options as well!) and against sunlight with a pretty hat.

6. Clothes: trust your instinct
Find a flattering bikini or swimming costume. If you are a bit self-conscious about your stomach, go for a one-piece swimsuit with tummy-control. Those who think they have short legs should avoid hipster bottoms and skirted bikinis. Instead, go for high-cut thighs. This cut will make your legs look longer. Don’t worry if this look draws attention to your hindquarters: the curvier your hips are, the smaller your waist looks.It’s also worth investing in a sarong or pareo, as it can easily be transformed into an elegant beach dress, nonchalant skirt or sexy top. For different ways to wrap, fold and knot your sarong or pareo, watch this space!

Topsy-Turkey

The new year is so cold, that I can't help but think back to my summer holiday in Antayla, the fourth largest city in Turkey. It's the greatest city at the Turquoise Coasts of the Mediterranean and features a picturesque historic city centre that curves down to a Roman harbour, amazing archeological treasures, beautiful beaches, haute cuisine from all over the world and overwhelming views of the sea and mountains.The mere memory of it warms my cockles.


Our hotel was on a sweeping shingle beach called Konyaalti, where I bumped into a group of warm locals who were there enjoy the sunset. They took me to a terrace bar in a five-star hotel, where we had some brilliant cocktails, fresh seafood and a whale of a time on the dance floor. The next morning (aka 12 o'clock), I indulged in what a doner kebab ought to be like: fresh, tasty, big and ridiculously cheap. After that I felt for a swim, so I went to Aqualand, a nearby water park with spectacular slides. Apparently, there's an even better park near Lara Plaji, which even has dolphin shows, but I never managed to fit it into my busy holiday.


That night, I met up with my new friends and went for a pint down at the harbour front in Kaleici, the historic centre where the night life takes place. We ended up dancing and drinking the night away in Club Arma (Kaleiçi Yacht Marina).


The next morning, my mates went to the Bridge Canyon National Park for a hike. I decided to go with them, but what I didn't know was that they were planning to go white-water rafting. I had no intend of going home on crutches, and regretted coming along. Fortunately, one of the guys offered to show me the overwhelming Mediterranean scenery. We visited the Temple of Zeus and explored the ruins of the city walls. Raoul and I got to know each other a lot better while he showed me the classical clock tower, the triumphant Hadrian's Gate and the famous Kesik Minare Camii, a 5th century Byzantine church that was ruined and later converted to a mosque. That night he took me out for dinner by candlelight in a secret garden at the Gizli Bahçe (Selçuk Mahallesi).


The next morning we all met up again and took a bus to the golden beaches of Phaselis, an ancient port in a national park. It was absolutely gorgeous, but I started to realize that my holiday was almost over and I hadn't even explored Antayla properly yet. I decided to rise early the next morning and make up for that. The hill in Kaleici is very steep and the narrow streets are lined with restored Roman and Ottoman mansions which now serve as houses, designer boutiques, jewellers, cheap fashion shops, carpet emporia, inns and restaurants. I bought so many nice things that I had to book in an extra suitcase on my way back!


On my last day, Raoul and his friends took me on a day excursion to Olimpos. I remember the magical mix of forests, secluded beach resorts and ancient ruins clearly. It was almost like walking through a fairy tale. That night, he wanted to take me out for dinner again but, because it was my last night in Antayla, I insisted that we all went to Ally's (a club on 40-46 Selçuk Mah) together.


"Do you like ballet and opera?" Raoul asked. It was getting light already when he took me back to my hotel on Konyaalti beach, and I was afraid I'd still be drunk on the plane back to England. "If you do, you should come back next year in June or July," he said. "There's a festival in the Aspendos Roman theatre every year. Please come back next year."
Raoul and I haven't been in touch since but I'm starting to warm up to the idea of going back for some ballet. Flights to Antayla are extremely popular that time of the year, though, so I'll have to book my ticket early.