How to tie a pareo - Tehani

Our model Kamalei, is wearing a Mahana Pareo demonstrating one of our most requested pareo tying style - Tehani.

One of our more ambitious pareo tying styles, the Tehani is our nod to the popular and visually distinct bias cut. It's a wrap that can be adjusted to show a little or a lot. Start by wrapping the pareo vertically around your body. Hold the top two ends and tie above shoulder. Now comes the twist. Start pulling gently around your body from the hip. Adjust for coverage and tie at hip. Note, this will not be at a corner of the pareo, rather an approximation of where it fits best to your body.

If you have a longer pareo than the usual 72", this might work well to give you a longer dressier look. Using a gauzy or rayon pareo will probably work best on this style but as always, these pareo tying styles are creative creations and will fit differently on every body type.

New Mahana Pareo color

As if we didn't have enough already to work on. We just added a new color - Rehu Ash Gray. It features honu (turtle) and our signature Hawaiian salt effect. The dyes react and are absorbed by the Hawaiian salt creating a natural variation in hue. With our model Poehere, we couldn't help but think this is one of our best yet. I admit, I'm a little bias. I love the silver/gray look.

But you can't help feel that the gray look in combination with a black top, Black Pearl necklace and earrings and the finishing touch of our new Tehani Tiare black pearl shell belt is a classic casual elegant look. If you want to dress up knowing that it will be on the warm side, this Mahana Pareo can be tied as a skirt. Tie off on your preferred side and tie the belt over to help secure. Add a tiare flower in your hair (right side if you are available, left side if you are involved or taken). After this, you'll all be wearing your flower on your left. Add a strappy pair of shoes and you're set for an elegant and casual evening.

Creating a Mahana Pareo

There's more to pareo than just color. Back in the early 1980's there were a few Tahitians in Hawaii who were looking for new ways to make a living. They cherished their native culture and wanted to find a new way to share their culture. Lo and behold the idea was wrapped around them the whole time.

The Tahitian pareo has been around for a very long time. From its modest and practical origins, the pareo evolved from Tahitian tapa which adorned and clothed the islanders before European contact. A tiputa poncho, pareu and maro were the forerunners of post-European dress in the islands. The history and origins of the modern day pareo has gone through changes throughout the ages. It progressed from manual printing, block printing and modern textile printing. Yet the art and creativity still remains the core.

Auntie Ura has kept this art alive and well. She is one of the few who have continued this artform. It's an art she is most proud of and enjoys making and knowing that others enjoy her work as much as she does. Originally from Tahiti, she has spent a large part of her life in Hawaii. She has made pareos for almost 30 years. We're blessed to be able to have her create her "Mahana" pareos for us here at Black Pearl Designs.

With a creative flair, Auntie Ura prewashes the fabric and dyes the pareos in photo sensitive dyes, which were introduced from merchants visiting Tahiti from France. It is a unique dye that when exposed to sunlight, creates a fabric effect similar to the batik and tie dye. This, however, can be a softer look. Anything placed on top of the dyed fabric will leave a lighter impression. Anything under the fabric will leave a darker impression.

One of the fun effects that can change the pareos' appearance is the use of Hawaiian sea salt. When spread out over the pareo, it absorbs some of the dye to create variations in the dye intensity. Combine it with leaves and flower silhouettes with intricate patterns, and you have a totally unique piece of wearable art. The pareos are laid out in the sun until the dye is set and then dried on clothes lines using the cool tradewinds. It's a Kodak moment as you pass by watching all the pareos drying flapping in the wind.

Together with all the labor and time that goes into making these pareos and mother nature, each Mahana Pareo is a unique piece of wearable art. Pareo making is one of Tahiti's only surviving folk arts. It is heartening to have visitors in Tahiti purchase the handmade pareos to help the traditions of the native people live on.

New Pareo Tying Style - Tahaa

With Summer fast approaching comes a wave of new pareo ties. And we promise to bring a few new ones for our readers, pareo enthusiasts, dancers and collectors in the coming months.

If you've noticed, we've recently introduced our Mahana Pareo at our Black Pearl Designs website. It's a traditional style that has been around for decades. Funny thing though, no one got around to creating a name for it. So it was from many hours of making the pareos and countless hours discussing its attractive attributes that we most appropriately called this style - Mahana - meaning... sun.

Mahana pareos are created by using photo sensitive dyes, tropic motifs, island salts and light from the sun. They are handmade works of art. Each unique. Each of the colors are hand dyed. Along with sea salt and themed silhouette, the pareos are dried in the sun to lock in the colors.

Here is a first look at the first pareo tying style we are featuring using the Mahana Pareo - Tahaa. Tahaa is known as the "vanilla island." Over 75% of all the vanilla that is produced in Tahiti is from Tahaa. The aroma is intoxicating and its scent permeates everywhere you go on the tiny island. Its sister island Raiatea might be more well known, but its every bit as beautiful. So as we expand our style guide, we share this island inspired tying style.

Start off by wrapping the pareo lenthwise around your body, holding the two ends in front of you. From there, move your hands about a foot or so along the top of the pareo close to your chest. Allow the ends to fall and twist once to create an easy tie. Next, reach down to the open ends and bring them together in front.

From there, you fold twice to create a pleat. Bring the pleat flat to your chest and tuck into the top of the pareo above the knot.

There you go. Simple, fun and easy to create.

While you are enjoying your pareo tying accomplishment, we're delighted to announce that we will be introducing two new pareos this summer. Introducing our our first rayon pareo - the Tiare Pareo. Look for it coming shortly. Our second pareo will be coming later this summer. We're still working out the colors and material, but it will be available soon as well. We're excited for both and excited to let our readers know first of these developments.