Men's sarong

[Baron Kurtz]

I'm sure most people's first idea is the picture of David Beckham from the late 1990s. But the mens sarong is the basic clothing for an astonishing number of men in southeast Asia.

My first visit to Malaysia, I went "native" (of course, the few remaining native Malaysians are held in isolation camps, so this is actualy a story of going "Indonesian"). I was captured by the comfort and design of the Indonesian men's sarong that is essentially ubiquitous in the Bali-derived populous of Malaysia (and Thailand, Burma, and of course in Indonesia. I've never been to Vietnam, but I believe it's quite common up there too). I bought a pile of them and they're pretty much all I wear around the house.

A plain cotton tube in various designs and patterns, the Indonesian men's sarong is the perfect garment for hot humid climates and perfectly combined with sandals or flip flops and a loose fitting lightweight shirt.

I get enough abuse from my neighbours just for wearing sarongs around the yacht that I don't have the guts to wear it in public here in HK, or in the UK. Should I ever end up in non-Chinese Tropical southeast Asia, however, the sarong will undoubtedly become my everyday clothing.

bk

 

[Chasseur]

Though I'm from the Pacific I'm not a huge sarong fan... However, I hear you about comfort in hot weather. Because I spend a fair bit of time in South Asia I personally like wearing a kurta when I want to "go native" in hot humid weather.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yeah, that's another good option.

I like the airflow offered by loose garments in this kind of heat - it's already hitting 25-30 degrees every day.

bk

 

[Shangas]

My dad (Chinese-Malaysian) used to wear a sarong when he was younger. I haven't seen him put one on for several years now, though.

 

[Two Types]

It always makes me laugh to see photographs of members of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) when they wore sarongs. The combination of T56 assault rifle, full webbing, rocket launcher worn with sarong and flip-flops always seemed somewhat incongruous.

Sarongs or not, they knew how to fight.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

for those who might be interested, this is the sarong style I'm talking about

I did not have the visceral reaction that many had to this effort. I think he looks very well turned out, in fact.

 

[Cobden]

I always thought Pacific islands sulu va taga (I believe it's called) is a rather nice combination of traditional and the western. Often worn in the same manner as a suit (western style jacket shirt and tie, with a "sarong" that matches the jacket), or other traditional combinations of the west...just that instead of trousers, they were the sulu

It is even seen in cashmere stripes as part of morning dress:

 

[O2BSwank]

I had a buddy that used to wear one occasionally. We might have made comments among ourselves but not to him. He was a 6'5'' 350 lb. Samoan former college football player.
He "owned it!"