Checking your abaya when it arrives: a fit checklist

Before you try it on

Have your written quote open, a soft tape, the shoes you measured in and the clothes you normally wear underneath. Lay the abaya flat and photograph it front and back in daylight. If anything does turn out to be wrong, these photos and a few measurements make it easy to explain. Our page on body and garment measurements explains why the abaya measures larger than your body: that extra is the ease you agreed.

The checklist

Work from top to bottom, standing in front of a long mirror.

• Shoulders: the shoulder seams should sit at or near your shoulder points, unless your design has a dropped or kimono shoulder.
• Bust and back: reach forward and cross your arms. The abaya should not pull across the back or gape at the front fastenings.
• Hips: sit on a chair. You should be able to sit comfortably without the fronts pulling open or the side seams straining.
• Sleeves: bend your arm as if holding a bag. The cuff should still reach the point you chose. Compare with our sleeve length guide.
• Length: in your shoes, the hem should sit at the clearance you asked for. Walk and climb a step; it should not catch underfoot.
• Details: pockets, openings, fastenings and any embroidery placed as agreed in the quote.

Compare with the quote, not with memory

If something feels different from what you imagined, measure it and compare it with the written quote. Lay the abaya flat and measure the length from the shoulder seam by the neck to the hem, and the sleeve from the shoulder seam to the cuff. Our guide to measuring an abaya you already own shows the method. Allow for the fact that hand measurements vary by a small amount between people.

A small difference in shade compared with photos is not a fault: colours look different in different light, on cameras and on screens. Fabric that drapes more or less than you expected is also worth a moment’s thought before deciding something is wrong; how a fabric falls is described in our fabric choice guide.

If it does not match what was agreed

If the abaya does not match the agreed measurements or design because of our mistake, we correct it or remake it without charge for the work. Tell us within seven days of delivery, with your photos and measurements. You pay the postage both ways. The terms are set out in your quote and on our payment and cancellations page.

If the abaya matches the quote but you would like something different next time, note it for your next order. Many customers refine their notes after the first abaya, and the second is then even closer.

Ordering the next one

Once you have an abaya that feels right, keep your measurements and notes, and measure the abaya itself so you have its finished sizes. Next time, start on the quote form and tell us to work from the same numbers with any changes. Whether you live in Kuwait City or Glasgow, the Kuwait customisation page and the custom abaya page explain how repeat and adjusted orders are quoted.