Sarong Colors Guide

How to Pick a Sarong Color

A sarong is a simple rectangle of fabric, and color is what gives it its mood. The same wrap can look bright and playful in yellow, calm and classic in blue, or smart and understated in black. There is no right color and no wrong color. The best color is the one you will reach for again and again, the one that fits the place you are going and the clothes you already own.

AllSarongs has made handmade sarongs in Bali since 2005. Every sarong on this site is unisex, and everybody can wear them. Trust your own eye. If a color makes you smile when you open the parcel, it was the right pick.

Start With Three Simple Questions

1. Where will you wear it most? A sarong for the beach, the pool, and hot days calls for a different color than a sarong for dinner, a party, or an evening out. Bright colors and light prints stand out in strong sun. Dark, solid colors look neat and calm after dark. If you want one sarong to do both jobs, look at a mid tone blue, a deep green, or a classic batik print in two or three colors.

2. What do you already own? Look at your swimwear, your plain tops, your sandals, and your beach bag. A sarong that picks up one color you already wear a lot will match more outfits with less effort. A solid black, white, or navy sarong goes with almost any print. A bright pink or yellow sarong works best when the rest of your outfit is plain, so the sarong can be the focus.

3. Do you want solid or print? Solid colors are easy to match and easy to dress up. Prints add pattern and interest, and they hide creases and sand better than a plain light color. Batik prints are a good middle ground. They have a clear base color, often blue, pink, or green, with a white or pale pattern on top, so they read as a color first and a print second. If you are not sure, a batik print in your favorite color is a safe first pick.

Beach Colors: Bright, Light, and Easy

At the beach, color can be bold. Sunlight lifts bright colors, so this is the place to enjoy color without holding back. Yellow is the brightest choice, sunny and cheerful, and it pairs well with white, denim blue, and plain black swimwear. Pink ranges from soft pale pink to strong hot pink. Pale pink looks fresh in the morning sun, while strong pink stands out against sand and sea. Pink batik prints soften the color with white flowers.

Blue is the most useful beach color. Light blue feels cool and fresh. Mid blue and turquoise sit close to the color of the sea. Dark blue still works in the sun, and it can also work later in the day. Green is fresh and natural, from bright lime green to deep leaf green. Bright green is lively, deep green is calmer and pairs well with white, cream, and tan.

White is the lightest beach option, clean and simple with any swimwear color. White sarongs are often sheer polyester, so they work well as a light layer over swimwear.

Evening Colors: Dark, Rich, and Dressed Up

In the evening, dark and rich colors look smart, they match evening clothes, and they let a sarong work as a skirt or a dress rather than just a beach cover up. Black is the most versatile evening color. A solid black sarong can be worn as a wrap skirt with a plain top, or styled as a dress for dinner or a night out. Black goes with every other color, it looks neat in low light, and it hides marks well. If you want one sarong that can go from the beach to the evening, black is the practical pick.

Red is warm and bold in the evening, and it pairs well with black, white, and gold toned accessories. Red batik prints are softer, with the red broken up by a pale pattern. Purple ranges from soft lilac to deep plum. Soft purple is gentle, deep purple looks rich and calm. Dark blue and dark green also work well after dark. They read as dark colors in low light, but they keep a hint of color that black does not have. For more ideas, see our Evening Styling guide and our guide on how to wear a sarong as a dress.

Matching Prints and Colors

Matching a sarong to a print is easier than it looks. Pick one color from the print, then match the sarong to that color. If your swimwear has blue flowers, a solid blue sarong will match. If your top has pink and green, a pink sarong or a green sarong will both work. You do not need to match every color, just one.

When both pieces have a print, keep one print small and one print large. Two large bold prints in different colors will fight each other, so pick prints that share a base color, such as blue and white, or pink and white. Batik prints are easy to match, because most AllSarongs batik sarongs have a clear base color and a white or pale pattern. To learn how the pattern is made, read What Is Batik.

Plain tops are the best partner for a printed sarong. White, black, cream, and navy tops let the print stand out. A plain top in the same color as the sarong base also works. If your sarong is solid, you have more freedom, because the solid color acts as a calm base for a printed or striped top.

The Color Collections

Every color below has its own collection on AllSarongs, with solid colors and batik prints in that color.

• Black: Black sarongs - solid black and black prints, the most versatile color, for beach and evening.
• Blue: Blue sarongs - light blue, turquoise, navy, and blue batik with white hibiscus prints.
• Pink: Pink sarongs - soft pink, hot pink, and pink batik prints.
• Purple: Purple sarongs - lilac, violet, and deep plum, in solids and prints.
• Green: Green sarongs - bright green, leaf green, and green batik prints.
• Red: Red sarongs - solid red and red batik prints, warm and bold.
• White: White sarongs - solid white and white based prints, light and clean.
• Yellow: Yellow sarongs - sunny yellow solids and prints, the brightest in the range.

If you cannot decide, think about when you will wear the sarong most. Beach and daytime lean bright. Evening leans dark. Travel leans versatile, so black, navy blue, or a mid tone batik print will pack best. For a small set that covers most trips, pick one dark solid, one bright solid, and one print.

Sizes, Fabric, and Care

AllSarongs sarongs come in three sizes. Regular is 66" x 44". Plus is 84" x 44". Half is 66" x 22". Regular suits most people as a wrap skirt. Plus gives extra wrap and length, and it is useful for a dress style or for a fuller wrap. Half is a shorter wrap, useful as a hip wrap or a light layer.

Most AllSarongs sarongs are rayon, with some sheer polyester styles. Rayon is soft, it drapes well, and it holds color well, which is why batik prints look so clear on rayon. There is no cotton or silk in the current range. A sheer polyester sarong in a pale color will look light and airy.

Care is the same for all colors, and it helps the color stay bright. Hand wash cold with mild detergent. Do not bleach. Do not wring or twist. Line dry or hang dry in shade. Do not use a tumble dryer. Iron on low heat inside out if needed.

Quick Picks

For a first sarong, pick blue batik or a solid color you already wear a lot. For the beach, pick yellow, pink, bright green, or light blue. For the evening, pick black, red, deep purple, or dark blue. For travel, pick black plus one bright color plus one print. For a gift, pick a color the person already wears, or pick black, blue, or a batik print.

Every sarong is $18.95 retail. Wholesale is up to 50% off, and custom sarongs are available with a minimum of 200 per design. Orders ship from San Diego, CA. If you need help choosing, contact us at sarongs@gmail.com and we will help. Start with the color you love, check the size and fabric, and wear it your way.