Where to buy a towelling wrap

I wore my wrap-around towel in the Fitz gym where I'd been taken by somebody who has a guest pass. A woman asked me where I'd bought my wraparound towel. I have four of them, one magenta, one fuschia with shoulder straps, one orange towelling and one orange micofibre towelling.

I looked for the label in the towelling version in orange (they call it peach usually) towelling. To my surprise it came from Spotlight, the Australian store, presumably the branch in Singapore, not in Australia. The 'orange' microfibre one probably came from Kleeneze catalogue company who deliver to your door so you don't pay extra for postage. You can also buy a headband which folds over and secures with Velcro. If you want both, it's worthwhile looking to see if you can get the headband or turban included or cheaper if you buy both together.

Microfibre always sounds a good idea and I keep buying it, but it can get static and feel odd and catch on hangnails.

I think the magenta sarong with the shoulder straps came from an Ace Xmas catalogue. I pointed out to my new friend that the button at thigh level was one I had moved there from inside. She gasped, 'You sew too!'

Doesn't everyone? I sew when forced to do so. The sarong is rather small and I am rather large, as we say in England, 'round the houses', (where does that phrase come from). So it does not overloap. Whenever I am out of the bath in a towelling sarong the bell goes for the post or a parcel delivery and I don't want it gaping. So I thought I'd add a popper or a co-ordinating button.

The top fastens with a button and loop. But there's another button inside so that midgets who are half my size can do it up tighter. It didn't take long to remove the button and sew on at hip level.

What about a loop? The inner loop was easy to remove. And sewing it was easy - who's looking to see how neat it is, anyway? Anybody could do it.

But what other kinds of towelling sarong can you buy?

Go on line and you can lose an evening, as I just did, looking at dozens of companies. To save you time, here's a summary of what I've found.

I first ordered a towel sarong in navy years ago from Able-label who sell them for men and women with personalisation (name or initials). Currently white and navy. The man's version is shorter, designed to cover the groin, not the bust.

TowelsRus.co.uk has navy, white or peach £14.95.

Ladies Towelling Sarong, plum, £11.95 from amazon.co.uk

Red from icebenice in cotton £11.95.

Indigoclothing.com £7.58 plus packing

Microfibre with rurban £10 various colour including navy, peach, pink, lilac, with hat and slippers included or separate £10

Lots of companies will add embroidered initials or personalisation such as a club's name and therefore they are looking at the multiple order market with minimum orders of 4. (OK if you have a family of 4, or are ordering for Xmas presents could be worthwhile.) Greater discounts apply to bigger orders.

A wedding site in the USA offers bridesmaids and spa sets of three sarongs in assorted colours plus some prints which I think look tacky but you might like the patterns.

You can buy towels to match the sarong. Or buy two large towels and use one to make a sarong.

Velcro for the overlap. Elastic in a hem at the top. Add a button or ribbons.