Difference Between Sarongs & Pareos
A sarong is a 4- to 5-foot length of fabric, traditionally worn as a loose-fitting men's kilt or women's skirt in the Malay Archipelago. The pareo is similar in appearance and wear, but developed independently in Tahiti.
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Sarong Origin
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The word sarong comes from the Malay "sarung," meaning sheath or covering. The Indonesian sarong stems from the tradition of batik fabric, made with a labor-intensive dying method.
Pareo Origin
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The pareo is Tahitian, and developed when islanders adapted their traditional colors and designs to Western fabric introduced by European explorers in the 1700s, according to Black Pearl Designs, a company dedicated to Polynesian art and fashion.
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Fabrics
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Modern-day wrap-arounds are available in many different fabrics and patterns, often a tropical floral print. The fabric may be sheer, for wearing over a bathing suit, or heavy and opaque for a more formal look.
How to Wear
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The wrap can be worn as a skirt, or wrapped just under the shoulders or over one shoulder to give it the look of a full-length dress.
Names
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In areas such as Hawaii and the Caribbean, the difference between the sarong and pareo is blurred and the names may be used interchangeably. Sarong-style garments include the pakome of Thailand, the kain of Indonesia, and the Samoan lava lava.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Steve Jurvetson
