How to Style an Abaya: 12 Outfit Ideas

The One Rule

Before the twelve ideas, the principle that makes all of them work: choose one thing to carry the outfit, and keep everything else quiet.

If the abaya has embroidery, the jewellery is small and the hijab is plain. If the abaya is plain, the hijab fabric or a single piece of jewellery does the work. Outfits go wrong when two or three elements compete, and almost never when one element leads.

Everything below is a variation on that.

Everyday

1. The plain abaya with a textured hijab

A closed abaya in a neutral, with a crinkle or pashmina hijab providing the only texture. Costs nothing extra and reads as considered rather than plain.

2. Tone on tone

Abaya and hijab in the same colour family, one shade apart rather than matched exactly. It creates a single unbroken line, which is the most elongating thing you can do.

3. The belted waist

A self-fabric tie or a slim leather belt at the natural waist. This is the fastest way to change the shape of a loose garment without changing the garment. Best on closed and open abayas with enough fabric to gather.

4. Trainers underneath

Clean white trainers with a plain abaya. It reads modern rather than casual, and it is the most comfortable version of dressed that exists.

Work and Structured

5. The open abaya as a coat

An open abaya over a coordinating top and wide-leg trousers, treated as outerwear rather than a dress. Structured, professional and easy to remove indoors. See the open abayas.

6. The monochrome column

Everything in one colour from scarf to shoe. Nothing interrupts the line. It is the most composed an outfit can look and it takes no thought once you own the pieces.

7. Linen for warm-weather work

A linen abaya in a natural tone with flat leather sandals. Linen creases, which is part of its character rather than a flaw, and it breathes better than almost anything else in a Brisbane summer. See the linen abayas.

8. Layered with a long cardigan

A closed abaya with a long open layer over it in a contrasting neutral. Adds depth in cooler months without adding bulk at the waist.

Occasion

9. The single statement necklace

A plain abaya with one considered piece at the neckline. Modest necklines give jewellery an uncrowded place to sit, which is why one piece reads so strongly here and would disappear on a busier outfit.

10. Detail at the cuff and hem

An abaya with lace or embroidery at the edges rather than across the body. It is the most wearable way to have detail, because it reads as finish rather than decoration, and it photographs beautifully. See the luxury abayas.

11. Two-tone layering

An open abaya in a deep colour over an inner dress in a lighter shade of the same family. Emerald over sage, burgundy over blush, charcoal over stone. More interesting than a single colour and still quiet.

12. Satin hijab, plain garment

Let the scarf carry the occasion entirely. Satin reflects light, which is most of the difference between an everyday outfit and an evening one, and it costs far less than a new garment.

Choosing Colour for Australian Light

Australian sun is harsher than the light most styling advice is written for. Colours that look rich indoors can look washed out at midday here.

Deep and muted tones hold up best outdoors: emerald, olive, burgundy, navy, chocolate and charcoal. Very pale pastels can disappear in strong light. Warm creams and oats sit more kindly against most skin tones than pure white.

Getting the Length Right

More outfits are undermined by length than by colour.

Our abayas run from 52 to 60, which maps to S through 2XL. Measure from the top of your shoulder to the floor in the shoes you will actually wear with it. An abaya that pools on the ground looks careless and wears out at the hem. One that sits above the ankle changes the proportion of the whole outfit.

If you are between sizes and plan to wear flats, take the shorter length. With any heel, take the longer.

Building a Small Wardrobe That Covers Everything

Four garments handle nearly every occasion:

• One black closed abaya, plain. The foundation.
• One open abaya in a neutral, for layering and for work.
• One lighter or linen abaya for warm weather.
• One with detail at the cuff and hem for occasions.

Then vary hijab fabric and jewellery. That is where the range comes from, and it is far cheaper than buying more garments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make an abaya look less plain?

Add one element, not three. A textured hijab, a belt at the waist, or a single necklace. The outfit works when one thing leads and everything else stays quiet.

Can I wear a belt with an abaya?

Yes, and it is the fastest way to change the shape of a loose garment. A self-fabric tie or a slim leather belt at the natural waist works on both closed and open styles with enough fabric to gather.

What shoes go with an abaya?

Clean trainers for everyday, flat leather sandals for warm weather, and a low block heel or pointed flat for formal. Choose the shoe before the hem length, since length depends on it.

Should my hijab match my abaya?

One shade apart within the same colour family usually looks better than an exact match, because it creates a continuous line without looking like a uniform. A contrasting neutral also works if the abaya is plain.

What can I wear under an open abaya?

A coordinating inner dress, or a modest top with wide-leg trousers. Keep the inner layer in the same family as the abaya or in a clean neutral, and avoid anything fitted or sheer without a layer beneath.

How do I choose the right abaya length?

Measure from the top of your shoulder to the floor in the shoes you will wear with it. Our sizes run 52 to 60. Between sizes, take the shorter length for flats and the longer for any heel.