Short answer: plan 5 yards of lace per guest for one outfit, 7 yards if the gele (headwrap) and ipele (shoulder piece) should match, and 10 yards for a man’s agbada.
Yardage by style
| Style | Lace | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gown, fitted or mermaid | 5 yards | Enough for a long gown with sleeves on 130 cm wide lace |
| Iro and buba (blouse and wrapper) | 5 yards | The classic aso ebi cut |
| Iro and buba with matching gele and ipele | 7 yards | Many choose a plain gele and keep 5 yards |
| Men’s kaftan or senator | 5 yards | Swiss voile is the usual choice for men |
| Agbada (three-piece) | 10 yards | The large outer robe takes most of it |
| Children (up to about 10 years) | 2–3 yards | Order whole 5-yard lengths and split between two children |
One yard is 0.9144 m, so 5 yards are about 4.57 m. Lace widths vary; all OLORI lace is about 130 cm wide. With a narrower lace or a very full skirt, add a yard. Your tailor has the final word: ask before you order.
Ordering for a whole party
- Count the guests and their styles, then add the yards: for example 8 women × 5 yards = 40 yards.
- Order the total in one dessin and one colour, so everything is cut from the same bolt. Two orders weeks apart can come from two production runs and look slightly different side by side.
- Tell the seller the split, for example “40 yards as 8 × 5”, so each guest gets her own labelled piece.
- Order early. Allow time for delivery and the tailor: for a December wedding, order in October.
At OLORI the price per yard drops from 10 lengths (50 yards) of one dessin, and again from 25 and 50 lengths. See how aso ebi orders work or shop the aso ebi family set, the same embroidery on organza for the women and Swiss voile for the men.
Which lace for aso ebi?
Cord lace (guipure) for the celebrant and close family, Swiss voile for daytime and for men, organza and tulle for evening. Our guide Which lace for your event compares them.
