Abayas · 4 October 2026 · 4 min read
Abaya length: measuring to the floor with your shoes
How to get your abaya length right: measure shoulder to floor in your own shoes, choose the hem clearance, and plan for switching between heels and flats.
InspirationThe short answer
To get your abaya length right, measure from the highest point of your shoulder, next to your neck, straight down to the floor while wearing the shoes you will wear most with it. Then decide how much clearance you want between the hem and the floor, and send both numbers. A custom length abaya made from those two figures should neither drag nor stop short at the ankle.
It sounds simple, and it is, but ready-made abayas rarely get it right for everyone because they come in a handful of fixed lengths. Measuring for your own height and footwear is one of the main reasons to order a made-to-measure abaya in the first place.
How to take the measurement
You need a helper for this one if possible, because bending forward to read the tape changes the number.
- Put on the shoes you will wear most often with the abaya.
- Stand straight on a hard floor, not on thick carpet, with your weight even on both feet.
- Your helper places the end of the tape at the top of your shoulder where it meets the neck, then lets it fall straight down over the bust to the floor.
- Read the number where the tape touches the floor, keeping the tape vertical rather than following the curve of your body too closely.
- Repeat once. If the two readings differ by more than a centimetre, take a third and use the middle value.
Choosing the hem clearance
Clearance is personal. Some women like the hem to just kiss the top of the shoe so the abaya looks long and unbroken. Others prefer it a little higher so it does not trail in rain, on stairs or on the floor of a mosque when sitting and standing. Think about where you will wear it most: a commute on wet streets in Manchester calls for a different choice from evenings in air-conditioned malls in Doha.
Write your clearance as a plain number in the quote notes, for example “hem 2 cm above the floor in my shoes”. Avoid phrases like “just above the ankle” on their own, because they mean different things to different people.
Heels, flats and changing your mind
If you switch between flats and heels, decide which you will wear more. An abaya cut for heels will drag in flats, and one cut for flats will look short in heels. A practical compromise is to measure in your usual everyday shoes and choose a slightly higher clearance, so the hem still clears the ground if you change shoes. If the abaya is mainly for a special day, measure in the shoes you will wear that day.
It also helps to note the height of the heel itself. If you tell us you measured in flat sandals and wear block heels of about five centimetres on occasion, the length can be agreed with that in mind.
Front, back and the hem shape
A full bust or a rounded tummy lifts the front hem of a long garment, so the front can end up shorter than the back. If you notice that on abayas you already own, say so in your notes. A photo of you in an existing abaya, standing side on, helps us see where the hem rises.
Some styles have a hem that is deliberately longer at the back or curved at the sides. If you want one, include it in the photo or sketch you send and in your notes, and we confirm in the quote what is possible with your design and fabric. For sleeve lengths, the same care applies; see our guide to abaya sleeve length.
Check it before it is cut
Your written quote lists the agreed length along with the rest of your measurements and design. Read it with your tape in hand. If the floor measurement and clearance do not match your notes, tell us before you approve, because the design approval step is the moment to change anything. Our general guide to kameez length for your height has more on how length affects proportion.
When you are ready, start your enquiry on the quote form. We make each abaya in Pakistan in 5 to 7 working days after approval and full payment, then ship it worldwide.
Common questions
How long should an abaya be?
Most people like an abaya to end just above the floor when wearing their usual shoes, anywhere from grazing the top of the shoe to a little higher for practicality. Measure shoulder to floor in your shoes and choose the clearance you prefer.
Should I measure from the back of the neck or the shoulder?
Measure from the highest point of the shoulder, next to the neck, and say so in your notes. What matters most is that we know exactly where the measurement started.
What if I wear both heels and flats?
Measure in the shoes you wear most and choose a slightly higher clearance so the hem still clears the ground in the other pair. If the abaya is for one occasion, measure in those shoes.
