Custom abayas for Saudi Arabia: what to ask for

The measurements that matter most

An abaya is loose, but a few numbers decide whether it hangs well:

• Full length: from the top of the shoulder to where the hem should fall, measured in the shoes you will usually wear.
• Shoulder width: the measurement that most affects how an abaya sits, and the one ready-made sizes most often get wrong.
• Sleeve length and wrist opening: to the wrist bone or a little past it, and how wide you want the cuff.
• Bust and hips: so we can plan enough ease for an outfit underneath and for sitting comfortably.

Styles to describe in your request

Abayas come in many shapes, and the words for them vary from shop to shop, so a photo is always the clearest brief. As general background: a closed abaya is pulled on over the head; an open-front abaya fastens with snaps, hidden buttons or a tie, or is worn open; a butterfly abaya has wide, wing-like sleeves cut in one with the body; a bisht-style abaya borrows the shape of the traditional cloak, with a wide body and an open front.

Tell us which features you want kept from your reference and what to change. Our custom design service for Saudi Arabia works from photos, sketches or written notes, and we confirm in the quote what is possible.

Fabric: ours or yours

Abayas are often made in crepe, nida, georgette, chiffon or lightweight linen, each with its own drape and opacity. These are examples to discuss, not a promise of a particular cloth: with Fabric + Stitching, we propose fabric for your design and show it with photos and a description in your quote. If you bought abaya fabric in a souk, send us photos first; once we confirm it is suitable and enough, you courier it to us in Pakistan.

Black remains the classic, but deeper colours such as navy, brown, olive and grey are worn widely too. The fabric note in your quote describes what you are agreeing to.

Details worth asking about

Small details make an abaya easier to live with. Consider asking about side pockets, a fastening that stays closed in the wind, inner ties that keep an open front in place, or a slightly narrower cuff that stays put when you wash your hands. Any embroidery or trim is something to ask for in your quote, and we confirm what is possible on your fabric and design before cutting. A matching inner dress or trousers can be quoted with the abaya; our guide to what to wear under an abaya helps you plan it.

Ordering your abaya

Measure using our size guide, then send your photo or description through the design quote form. The quote is in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling, and covers delivery to your address in the Kingdom along with any customs duty, VAT and courier fees. Once you approve it and pay in full, we make your abaya in 5 to 7 working days, with courier time added. The Saudi Arabia page has more on delivery.