Sheer Panel Bright Fabric Abayas in Saudi

My sister in law says that the big trend in her part of KSA is to have a coloured fabric abaya with a panel of sheer black chiffon sewn on top of it. But she doesn't agree with this trend. I have never seen girls from Saudi wearing these creations here in the West. Why not? With them you'd fit in here. I asked a Saudi sister who wears pastel jilbabs and niqab here. She says that's because in general, the girls that wear the sheer panel bright abayaat in Saudi, tend to wear skinny jeans here. I said that's just sad. They'd fit right in here in those abayaat and still be covered. She nods hesitantly. "Some people are just not religious" she says. I ask her what she wears in Saudi. "Black abayaat". Not to generalize in this article though, because I think the bright panel fabric abayaat are waaaaay better than discarding the abaya completely. And I like them for here.My sister tends to wear black abayaat with simple decorations like this one below, and a boushiya veil. A simple pink ribbon stripe on the sleeve, or ebroidery on the fringes, are okay to her. Her style sounds alot of like Aalia's:D
What do you think of this trend?

Comments

Anonymous said…
asalaamu alaikum

this trend isn't new. In the late 90's this trend was HUGE too. A friend of mine who was living in KSA at the time sent me one...it snapped down the front and was black on one side and this gradiating purple color on the other. I LOVED that but the fabric was very light so ripped easily.
Pixie said…
Umm Ibrihim: new that it is being worn out alot, and not just to the Universities in KSa.
iMuslimah said…
Ajeeb - I find the floral one looks like a nightie more than an abaya.

But thanks for sharing :-)
Sarah said…
As salam aleikom

I think its super cute, but it would attract a lot of attention...just my opinion.
TurkishGiRL said…
Salaam sister.

Even though I don't wear abaya I personaly think that this trend is nice. I like the look of layering floral and prints with a chiffon slip.

Where can I find abayas like these?
Ooh, i love it!!! Especially that last one. DO you know where i can buy one?
cairo girl said…
the one looks like nightie and the bottom like a cocktail dress......i think no decoration is the way to go. even if it is just solid grey or brown........my 10 year old son even commented on this nightie looking one. he stated that would attract men. LOL. he's learned that hijab is supposed to simple....
AnonyMouse said…
Yah, I saw these when I went for 'Umrah. Many of the non-hijaabi, more affluent looking Saudi women in Jeddah (those that I saw at the mall) were sporting them.
SAHM4Islam said…
iMuslimah you are right it does look like a robe and nightie set.
Suslique said…
assalamu aleykum

i think it's a nice trend, although i dont really like the example on the pix, but with other colours/patterns it will look nice. and i cant really say anything about KSA or UAE, i dont get their "only black abaya" policy AT ALL
NeverEver said…
There is a Saudi sister at the masjid that I visit near my university and she has an abaya that has small amounts of this kind of detail (think like cuffs and maybe around the bottom or collar) instead of it being an all-over affair. I think it looks much nicer that way.
<3 Seedi-Sami<3 said…
loveee them.. inshallah i want to strt wearing abayas nd eventno i appreciate tht hijab is suppose to be simple... as a loud teenager.. id rather express my charcter this way them something blantly haraam or unislamic.. so this iss a mustt try for me inshallahhh

im designing some abayas, curently geting them made, they should be made by the end of summer so i'll post n share buh these designs are deff an inspiration! hve u gt ne more samples?

w.salaam

samaiya xx
Stacy K. said…
I like the concept, but I think it would be better with a solid color underneath rather than the floral patterns. Red, purple, or blue would look awesome.
Pixie said…
imuslimah: me too:D But I like them in certain colours. In the west I'd wear them. In KSA prob. not.
Pixie said…
Sarah: in Saudi yes. Here---less than an overhead abaya--but I love those:P
Pixie said…
TurkishGirl: i'll try and sell some in an online boutque soon inshaAllah.
Pixie said…
Hobbitz: Only in KSA as of yet but I'll for look alikes.
Pixie said…
CairoGirl: i like siomple decoration ( a stand of ribbon or simple embroidery). The women of Sahaba did wear simple embroidery and patterns. But in bright colours I like plain. Sometimes colour is decoration enough.
Pixie said…
CairoGirl: i like siomple decoration ( a stand of ribbon or simple embroidery). The women of Sahaba did wear simple embroidery and patterns. But in bright colours I like plain. Sometimes colour is decoration enough.
Pixie said…
Anonymouse: I won't wear one in KSA unless it is away from men prob but I'd wear one here because here it'd blend. Maybe not to Jum'ah.
Pixie said…
Anonymouse: Waaahhhh. I'll miss you. Keep in touch through our Khaleeji wives' club:D Maybe we can add Boxie soon inshaAllah.
Pixie said…
Layan: yeah. I'm not a fan. but my Mum (not MIL) has a tonne of these made. It gets her too much attention from men in the Gulf. Which I don't like. My MIL is the opposite. BUT THEN my mom is a non-muslim and enjoys the attention of twenty something men hitting on her fifty year old self. Ughhhh.
AnonyMouse said…
Aww, thanks :)
You can get one last glimpse of me this Jumu'ah insha'Allah :)
Amber said…
I like bright colors, but I think the flowers are a bit much. Maybe like others have said, if they were solid panels under the black.

Anyway, probably a stupid question, but does that flowery one close totally in the front?

If not, it completely is a bathrobe. I swear, I've seen similar in stores around here.
Sakina Al-Amin said…
I see how they can look nice, though I don't really like the pictured ones.
sabrina said…
oh, pretty. i think they're fun:)
Sarah said…
do i know u anonymouse?
salam i really like the printed fabric under the black chiffon....my next project i think!! i love your blog mashallah :)
Anonymous said…
Is it possible to just wear a plain, non-black abaya in Saudi? It would seem a lot less attention-grabbing than a print with a sheer panel over it, which isn't really black, or than black with lots of bling.
Majda said…
I've known about these for a bit. I first learned when my good friend showed me a pic of an event she went to in Al-ahsaa and she was wearing an abaya like this. I want one so bad and I'm thinking of making her buy one for me. :P
Unknown said…
i love this style yeah and i came up with new old idea of wearing such a floral dress under half opened abaya just now i bought gorgerous dress in ZARA and will wear black abaya over it during my holiday in egypt!cant wait to try this style it looks so sweet but better with black abaya over dress than this see through chiffon
Unknown said…
i think ''too much'' is not this abaya but saying that its bad cos it attracts men attention,im agree with chiffon it looks like a gown but i dont think glamourous abayas with some beautifull details are bad,we are covered and we have right to be beautifull and i would not stop being beautifull or enjoying fashion just cos of donkeys whistling on streets!i dont care,dont look to this donkeys,i have advice for all of them read on one blog:SIT BACK,RELAX!!!!when i go with out with my family,my future husband,i like looking beautifull,willnt wear rags just to become invisible!