Abaya sizes 52, 54, 56, 58: what the numbers mean

Height to length: the rule of thumb

The usual rule is your height minus about 10 inches (25 cm). That allows for the head and neck above the shoulder line and leaves the hem around the ankle bone in flat shoes.

If your height falls between two rows of the chart below, the lower size gives an ankle-length hem and the higher one comes closer to the floor.

• Size 50 (127 cm long): height about 5 ft 0 in, 152 cm.
• Size 52 (132 cm): about 5 ft 2 in, 157 cm.
• Size 54 (137 cm): about 5 ft 4 in, 163 cm.
• Size 56 (142 cm): about 5 ft 6 in, 168 cm.
• Size 58 (147 cm): about 5 ft 8 in, 173 cm.
• Size 60 (152 cm): about 5 ft 10 in, 178 cm.
• Size 62 (157 cm): about 6 ft 0 in, 183 cm.

When the rule is off for you

• Shoes: heels add their height to the length you need. A size chosen for flats will look short with a 5 cm heel.
• Where you like the hem: the rule gives ankle length. For a hem that skims the floor, go up one size; for a walking length clear of puddles, stay or go down.
• Proportions: two women of the same height can differ by several centimetres from shoulder to floor, depending on the length of the neck and the slope of the shoulders.
• Bust and tummy: a fuller front lifts the front hem, so the abaya wears shorter than its label.
• Where the seller measures: some measure from the shoulder point beside the neck, others from the centre back of the neck, which gives a slightly different figure for the same garment. Ask.

Why shoulder and sleeve still need checking

Length sizes fix one dimension and guess the rest. In many ranges the width is simply generous for everyone; in others the shoulder, bust and sleeve grow a little with each length, on the assumption that taller women are broader and longer in the arm. Neither approach suits a tall woman with narrow shoulders or a petite woman with a full bust.

Sleeves are where it shows first. A sleeve that scales with length can end at the knuckles on one woman and above the wrist bone on another of the same height. Before buying ready-made by size, check the seller’s shoulder width and sleeve length against your own, measured as in our guide to abaya sleeve length and cuffs.

Using your size number for a made-to-measure order

We do not use these length sizes. Every abaya we make is cut to the measurements you send, so the number that matters is your own shoulder-to-floor length in your usual shoes, plus the clearance you want; how to measure for an abaya lists the rest.

Your ready-made size is still useful as a cross-check. If a 56 from your wardrobe is the right length, say so on the quote form, and better still measure it flat as described in measuring an abaya you already own. If the two numbers disagree by more than a couple of centimetres, say so in your notes, so the length can be settled in writing before cutting. For how size charts compare with measuring in general, see abaya size guides vs made to measure.