Sarongs

Sarong- the comfy common wear!

Wondering what this unfamiliar term implies? Well, it a long sheet of fabric worn by people as a casual home wear or beach wears. This garment is often wrapped around the waist and worn as a skirt by men and women alike. Mainly donned by the citizens of south East Asia, parts of Africa and pacific islands, especially in Malay & Indonesia, this brightly colored fabric has intricate patterns portraying animals or plants printed on it. It also has checkered or geometric patterns and are quite surprisingly used as wall hangings or even baby carriers.

Commonly used as a casual home wear by men and women, a sarong is often teemed with a blouse, the kebaya for formal occasions. Sarongs for men come in checkered patterns where as for women it is usually done in bright shades with flower motifs printed on them. Apart from Malaya and south East Asia, Sarongs are also widely in use in some Indian states too. However, there a sarong has numerous regional variations. A version of sarong known as the mundu is commonly used by men in the south Indian state of kerala and also in Tamil nadu where it is known by the name sarem. The fabric is also widely used in srilanka. The European version of sarong features decorative fringing and is quite light as it is made of the soft rayon material. American and European women also use this garment as a cover up over swim wear.

Just like its numerous regional variations, a sarong also has equally good number of tying methods to hold it on to the wearer's body. Certain sarongs are tied with ties and some others use pins to hold it in place. Another method of wearing is to tuck it under itself in layers leaving the corners knotted. Sarong is originally a Malay word that means sheath and commonly refers to a fabric that is one yard wide and two and a half yards long.

Nowadays a whole lot of high quality sarongs are available in the market at great prices. Coming in great designs and embellished with beautiful prints, these fabrics brag of exquisite quality and appearance. Sarongs in soft rayon crepe done in bright flamboyant colors with pretty floral designs or batik prints are sure to catch the attention of all. This versatile and comfortable garment can be tied in a variety of ways making it a smart piece of outfit to try out.