How to Style a Sarong at the Beach

Kaftan cover-up. Rash guard. Sarong? If you’re not familiar with a sarong, it’s another accessory you can wear at the beach over your swimsuit. Sarongs are made of a large length of fabric, meaning you can style them in various ways. Standard sarongs measure approximately 66” x 44”, but some come in narrower shapes of about 66” x 24”. Sarongs are like huge rectangular scarves and come in various designs and prints. There are plenty of ways you can style them—use our list of instructions for support. We’ve broken your options down to four major categories, but these sections feature even more options for you.

Style It as a Skirt

A skirt style is one of the most common ways to use a sarong. You can easily tie your sarong at the side and go about your adventures. However, consider the various skirt styles you can try.

A long or short wrap skirt is an easy way to style your sarong:

Style It as a Dress

There are plenty of dress styles you can accomplish with long sarongs, so have fun styling! Remember to consider the length of the fabric depending on how long you want the final dress.

To create a strapless style:

Hold it open across the back of your body. Then, wrap the sarong around to the front of your body, pulling it up under your armpits.
Tie the fabric at the center, above the bust. As for the ends, leave them hanging, tie them into a bow, or tuck them in.

To create a one-shoulder style:

First, hold the sarong vertically under one arm. Then, bring the two corners of the fabric up to the opposite side of your body and tie them into a knot on top of your shoulder.
For more coverage and to avoid your fabric flying, cinch it at the waist by gathering some of the fabric and tying a knot on the same side as the shoulder knot.

To create a halter style:

First, hold your sarong open and vertical in front of your body. Then, level the top edge of the fabric at your collar bone and tie the ends together, so they secure at the back of your neck.

To create a Brazilian style:

To style your sarong this way, hold it horizontally at the front of your body. Then, take both the ends of the fabric and pull it to the back.
Tie the ends at the nape of your neck, and then gather the ends of the fabric at your waist level and pull the sarong up. Take both the ends of the dress and tie them at the back of your body.

Style It as a Kimono

Try a new look by styling your sarong as a kimono. To do this, follow these steps:

First, spread the sarong around your body like a shawl and hold the end of the fabric in both your hands.
Next, tie both the ends at the side near the wrist to create faux sleeves on both hands.

Style It as a Cardigan

This style is like the kimono—but without faux sleeves. To turn your sarong into a cardigan, follow these steps:

To style, start by holding the sarong horizontally behind you. Then, bring the sarong up under your arms and tie the ends into a knot in the center, right above the bust.
Once in position, pull the knot over your head so that the tied part rests at the back of your neck.

Other Ways to Style Your Sarong

There are other ways to style your sarong. If wearing your sarong like a dress or cardigan, you can tie a belt around your waist for a tighter fit. You can also add embellishments, such as beads. Consider twisting the halter if wearing this style. As for additional accessories, pick a ready-for-any-adventure hat to match your one or two-piece swimsuit and sarong. That way, you can have more protection from the sun as you kick back and sip a mimosa. Match your hat with designer sunglasses, too. Plus, don’t forget to rock a stylish custom beach bag that can hold all the personalized beach towels and other essentials you’ll need to enjoy your day.