Sarong or So Wrong?

[herminator]

I have many longyis - "Burma style sarongs". I wear them daily at home, mostly casual, but when I entertain guests of for holidays I like to wear the silk ones! ;-)

It is part of my history having lived in Myanmar for some years as a child and being in love with that country.

Questions? --> PM!

Shalom
Hermann

[Bugbear]

You let your nuts get bound up, Ted! Whatever makes you happy!

Just for the record, I have taken up wearing a canvas kilt ever so often because it is an American garment, and the word "kilt" has been used to describe garments from non-Scots cultures starting long ago, even by Scots. I am not required to feel shame.

Personally, I don't think the sarong looks any less manly than a kilt. It's a mans garment, just like a kilt. I say go for it. I would, but I don't know how to wrap one.

Sarongs are fine, but I don't have the cultural right to wear one. Maybe when they come up with an Americasrong wrap, or something like that...

[Meggers]

Haha...the only sarongs I have are definitely "so wrong" and I'm a woman! I got one as a gift and it is bright blue with dolphins all over it.....hmm....

But have fun wearing yours! Who cares what you wear when you're just chilling anyway? Just dont wear it out or you might end up here: peopleofwalmart.com

[ForresterModern]

Not sure I could get into the sarong per se, but during college I did sew up a cotton calf length kaftan to wear around the dorm in lieu of pants and shirts all the time. Much more comfortable than PJs and a robe too, but appropriate for just kicking around the house, dorm, pool, etc... Still have it somewhere in storage and I bet it would still fit. Now you have me thinking that maybe I need to get it out and start wearing it again.

[Tobus]

Sarongs are fine, but I don't have the cultural right to wear one. Maybe when they come up with an Americasrong wrap, or something like that...

Utilisarong?!

I'm the same way. It would feel weird wearing an Asian/islander garment, being of purely Scottish and English breeding.

But I have been known to hang around the house in a bath towel wrapped around my waist! No pleats to sweep.

[Joshua]

This thread
back from the dead!

I still wear the sarong on occasion. Mostly because I now work from home 2 days a week, and if I sit on pleats for 8 hours my cheeks hurt, as well as the pleats get mashed. For some reason kilting has never been a problem, yet I just cannot sleep in the buff - so the sarong makes a nice unbifuricated pajama as well.

Now that its a bit colder the kilt is coming out again, regardless of pleats. I no longer even earn a second look amongst my apartment complex for wearing it. They just expect it.

I'm the same way. It would feel weird wearing an Asian/islander garment, being of purely Scottish and English breeding.

I find this comment odd, frankly garments don't really care what your genetics are. Using the same argument for kilts has caused much of a major stir on this site.

Not Scottish = Kilt OK?
Not Asian/Islander = Sarong NO?

[Tobus]

I know the garment doesn't care, but I would feel weird. It's the same reason I don't wear a kimono, non quai thao, ushanka, or other ethnic clothing that I have absolutely no ties to. I would feel like an impostor. Not saying I take issue with anyone else doing it, but it would just make me personally feel like I'm trying to be something I'm not. Especially without a "when in Rome" excuse.

[James Hood]

There ARE American variants on the sarong:

American Samoa is a part of the USA and the lava-lava (even sometimes in near-canvas weight as military uniform bottom) is a man's form of unpleated kilt.

In addition, the Hawaiian men's pareo is a legitimate American variant of unbifurcated tropical garment.

[Bugbear]

There ARE American variants on the sarong:

American Samoa is a part of the USA and the lava-lava (even sometimes in near-canvas weight as military uniform bottom) is a man's form of unpleated kilt.

In addition, the Hawaiian men's pareo is a legitimate American variant of unbifurcated tropical garment.

I've worn a Hawaiian shirt, canvas khaki kilt, sandals and a straw hat a bit in that spirit. I wear the Hawaiian shirt open and over a T-shirt.

[CDNSushi]

Just dont wear it out or you might end up here: peopleofwalmart.com

Baloney! I wear mine out all the time and everywhere. If some prepubescent nitwit wants to snap a photo of me and post it somewhere because he's got nothing better to do, I don't care. I don't dress for anyone but myself and will wear whatever I please when I go out.

Sarongs are fine, but I don't have the cultural right to wear one.

What does that even mean? Are you saying that an American baby adopted into a Burmese family wouldn't have the cultural right to wear one either? Having befriended enough Burmese and Sri Lankans over the years gives me the cultural right as it demonstrates that I have respect and appreciation for their traditional garments.

I also do wear kimono, including "tabi" socks, "fundoshi" underwear, and "geta" sandals. I also cook Japanese food in my kitchen, speak Japanese with my non-Japanese and very Canadian wife, and it doesn't bother me one bit that I have no Japanese blood in me.

I think people get way too caught up in what they feel entitled to do based on their culture, upbringing, or geographical location. We have no choice about when/where/to whom we are born. As such, to a certain extent I think that excessive pride and association with something that I had no choice in is a little silly. I feel that I am a citizen of the world and have the freedom to express myself with a corresponding level of freedom.