Abaya vs kimono jacket: what is the difference?

Length, sleeve, coverage and cloth compared

• Length: kimono jackets and dusters stop at the hip, knee or mid-calf. An abaya reaches the ankle or the floor.
• Sleeves: kimono sleeves are wide and often end at the elbow or just below, so the forearm shows. Abaya sleeves reach the wrist and are often narrowed or cuffed so they stay there.
• Front: a kimono jacket normally has no fastening and hangs open, showing the outfit down the middle. An open abaya has enough overlap, snaps or a belt to close when wanted.
• Sides: dusters often have deep side slits for movement. Abayas are closed to the hem or nearly so.
• Fabric: kimonos are commonly thin and printed: viscose, chiffon, light satin, often semi-sheer. Abaya cloth is plain or subtly textured, opaque in one layer and heavy enough to hang straight.
• Width: an abaya is cut with extra ease to go over a full outfit without showing its outline. A kimono is cut as a top layer over light clothes.

When one can stand in for the other

A kimono can do the job of an open abaya only if it matches the coverage you want: full length, sleeves to the wrist, opaque cloth and a front that closes or is worn over a long dress. A maxi-length duster in a solid, opaque fabric over a plain inner dress comes very close. A hip-length, sheer, short-sleeved one does not, however it is labelled. How much coverage is enough is your own decision; this is only about what each garment physically provides.

Going the other way is easy. An open abaya in a lighter cloth, worn unfastened over trousers and a top or a plain dress, works as a duster on days when you want a long line without the formality. Our guide to open-front and closed abayas covers how the front can be finished for both uses.

The kimono look with abaya coverage

If it is the kimono outline you like, a straight body, a dropped shoulder, a wide sleeve and a flat band down the front, you can ask for that at full abaya length. That garment already has a name, and our kimono abaya guide describes it. The changes that turn a kimono jacket into an abaya are simple to list:

• length taken to the ankle or floor in your shoes;
• sleeves lengthened to the wrist, with an inner cuff or a narrower opening if you do not want them to fall back, as shown in abaya sleeve styles;
• an opaque cloth, or a lining if you love a sheer print;
• hidden snaps or a tie so the front can close;
• side seams closed to the hem.

Ordering one made to measure

We make abayas to measure in Pakistan, from our fabric or yours. Send a photo of the kimono or abaya you have in mind on the design quote form, with your full length, sleeve length and how you plan to wear it. Tell us which features matter, and we confirm in the written quote what is possible on your fabric and design. If you plan to layer it, read what to wear under an abaya before you measure, since the layers underneath affect the ease.