The Saudi abaya is a loose-fitting garment worn by women to cover their body from neck to ankle, required by law in public. It is part of a modest dress tradition and varies in style and color, with newer designs allowing for greater individuality.
The Saudi abaya is a loose-fitting piece of women’s clothing that is intended to cover the wearer from the neck to the ankle while leaving the hands and face exposed. Similar robes and capes are worn by women around the world as a modest form of public dress derived from Quranic writings and Muslim traditions. In Saudi Arabia, women are required by law to wear the abaya when appearing in public. This requirement is imposed by the mutaween, the Saudi religious police, and applies to both Muslims and non-Muslims.
Wearing the Saudi abaya is meant to conceal a woman’s body from men who are not directly related to her. It is part of a modest dress tradition that requires Saudi Arabian men to wear ankle-length shirts and head coverings in public. Body parts deemed inappropriate for public display are collectively known as awrah. The specific parts of the body that constitute an awrah differ between women and men and between different cultures and theologies. In Saudi Arabia, the abaya is commonly worn in conjunction with gloves and a veil that covers the entire face except for a narrow slit around the eyes, although this is far from universal.
Abaya styles vary considerably in Saudi Arabia. The basic design of the Saudi abaya consists of a sleeved robe or a single square sheet of cloth that has a neck hole in the middle, similar to a long poncho. Abayas are traditionally black, although navy blue and dark brown abayas are not uncommon. The sleeves of the Saudi abaya are often decorated with embroidery or dyed patterns, with the body of the abaya unadorned. In some of the more conservative areas of Saudi Arabia, such as Mecca and Medina, abayas are more commonly black and unadorned.
Beginning in about 2008, brightly colored and decorated abayas began to grow in popularity in some of the more liberal cities in Saudi Arabia. Although in keeping with the general cut and modest design of traditional abayas, these newer designs allow for greater expression of individuality and fashion by the women who wear them. The trend has caught the attention of the international fashion community, and elaborate abayas have been displayed at fashion shows. Although there is nothing in Saudi Arabian law regarding the decoration or color of the abaya, there have been cases of brightly colored abaya being confiscated by the mutants.
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