by Staff Writer
A sarong is a versatile piece of clothing, and when you know how to tie a sarong a few different ways, you'll love having a few sarongs to wear to the beach or the pool as a swimsuit cover-up, on vacation as an outfit or just around town on a casual summer day. A sarong can be worn as a dress, wrapped around your waist as a long skirt or doubled over to create a short skirt.
To create a dress:
1. Hold the sarong so that it is behind you and the top of the sarong lies flat against the top of your back. The center of the sarong should be in the center of your back.
2. Wrap one of the ends around your body and draw the corner of the sarong across your chest and up along the opposite side of your neck.
3. Repeat the same action with the second side of the sarong so that the front of your body is fully wrapped in the sarong.
4. Tie the corners of the sarong in a knot behind your neck.
5. Safety pins may be used to secure an edge of the sarong; this is a good idea on a windy day.
To create a full length skirt, also known as a pareo:
1. Hold the sarong behind you at just above your waist. The center of the sarong should be placed so that each half of the sarong is of equal length.
2. Pull each end of the sarong around your waist, wrapping the ends around your waist until they meet at a point where they can be tied together neatly without too much of the ends left dangling.
3. Tie the ends in a secure knot. If your sarong is decorated with beads or fringe, you should let the beaded edge hang down. The unadorned edge of the sarong should be the edge that is wrapped at waist level.
For a shorter skirt:
1. Fold the sarong in half lengthwise. If the sarong is beaded or edged with fringe, that edge should be left slightly longer so that the flat edge does not cover the decoration when folded.
2. Place the sarong behind you so that the folded edge is just above your waist.
3. Bring the ends of the sarong around your body.
4. Wrap the ends around your waist.
5. Tie the ends to secure the sarong. Again, safety pins may be used to secure a sarong on a windy day.
Try wearing your sarong as a shawl on a breezy summer night.
Accessorize your sarong with beaded jewelry and a pretty pair of sandals.
A sarong can even be home decor. Hang one on the wall as a tapestry or drape it over a decorative curtain rod for a casual window treatment.
The sarongs that you'll find in the Worldstock Fair Trade store on Overstock.com have been handcrafted by artisans from all over the world. Add something exotic to your wardrobe and save when you shop for handmade women's clothing on Overstock.com.
