Farasha, butterfly or batwing abaya: are they the same?

How a farasha or butterfly abaya is cut

Picture a large rectangle or a wide oval of fabric with a hole for the head. The front and back are stitched together from the hem up to roughly hip or waist height, then left open, and caught again near the wrist. Everything between those two points hangs as a deep fold of cloth when your arms are down and spreads like wings when you lift them.

Because there is no armhole, size is far less critical than in other abayas, which is why so many farasha abayas are sold as one size. The word is also used in the Gulf for butterfly-shaped kaftans and house dresses, so check whether a listing is an outer layer or a dress worn on its own. Our butterfly abaya guide explains how the cut drapes and who tends to enjoy it.

How a batwing abaya differs

Batwing, or dolman, sleeves come from the same idea of a sleeve cut in one with the body, but the underarm seam runs all the way from the hem, curves up under the arm and carries on along the sleeve to the wrist. The result is a deep, soft armhole that tapers to a sleeve of ordinary width. Nothing is left open at the side.

In daily life the difference is noticeable. A batwing abaya stays out of the sink and off door handles, sits better under a bag strap and needs no inner ties to keep it in place. A farasha moves more, lets more air through and looks more dramatic, but needs a little managing.

• Side: farasha open between hip and wrist; batwing closed all the way.
• Wrist: farasha often a simple opening or a stitched point; batwing a normal sleeve, sometimes with a cuff.
• Volume: farasha has the most cloth of any abaya shape; batwing has fullness mainly at the underarm and waist.
• Close relatives: a kimono abaya has wide, straight sleeves set at a right angle to a straight body, often open at the front.

How to describe the one you mean

Since the names overlap, describe the features instead. A photo helps most, ideally one taken with the arms lifted so the side seam shows. Then add a few words on each of these points:

• Where the side seam stops: at the hip, the waist or the underarm, or all the way along the sleeve.
• How wide the sleeve is at the wrist, and whether you want a cuff, elastic or an open edge. Our page on abaya sleeve styles has the vocabulary.
• Your wingspan: with arms held out to the sides, measure from wrist to wrist across the back.
• Closed over the head or open at the front, and the length you want with the shoes you usually wear.
• Whether you would like a hidden inner tie at the back waist to keep a wide cut in place.

Having one made to measure

Both shapes take a lot of fabric width, so the cloth decides how they behave. Soft, fluid fabrics fall into tidy folds, while stiff ones stand out and look boxy at farasha width. We make custom abayas in fabric we supply or in your own; with your own fabric we confirm it is wide enough and suitable before you post anything. Send a photo and your notes through the design quote form, or read how to design your own abaya from a photo first. Everything is agreed in writing before cutting.