Green abayas: emerald, olive and teal shades

Five greens, five moods

Our comparison of bottle green, emerald and forest green separates the dark greens in detail. On an abaya, this is how each shade tends to feel once it is on:

• Emerald: clear, saturated and blue-based, like the stone. It looks celebratory, photographs vividly and is never mistaken for a neutral.
• Bottle green: deep and inky, close to black in the evening and unmistakably green by day. Formal and quiet, and a good first step away from black.
• Olive: green softened with yellow and brown. Relaxed and practical, it belongs with the earth tones and sits easily with camel, cream and tan leather.
• Sage: a pale grey-green, gentle and fresh. It behaves like a pastel, so the layer underneath matters.
• Teal: a blend of green and blue, deep and slightly cool. It shifts with the light, greener outdoors and bluer under indoor lamps.

Emerald green: ask for it in your quote

We do not have an emerald green design in the collection yet, so there is no emerald preview to show you. That does not stop you ordering one. Every design can be made in any colour, so pick the shape and motif you like and write “emerald green” on the quote form.

A few combinations to think about: the cream flowers and gold leaves of Desert Jasmine would stand out clearly on emerald, the gold scrollwork of Arabesque would give a regal finish, and the soft blue of Iris would make it cooler and calmer. Emerald also covers a range, from a blue-green gem colour to something nearer bright grass, so add a picture of an emerald you like, photographed by a window, and say if you want it brighter or darker than the picture.

Embroidery colours for each green

The thread that suits a green depends mostly on how warm or cool that green is. Zari (metallic thread), beadwork and sequins can all be discussed for a green abaya, and what suits your fabric and placement is confirmed in the quote. For every other base colour, see abaya and embroidery colour pairings.

• On olive: soft gold, as Olive Branch shows, or cream for a fresher look. Copper and bronze tones also suit olive’s warmth.
• On emerald: bright gold for celebrations, antique gold for something less formal, or cream for a crisp, graphic pattern.
• On bottle green: antique gold is the classic; silver gives a cooler, wintry look.
• On teal: silver suits its cool side, gold warms it, and teal thread a shade lighter adds depth without contrast, which Wave combines with gold.
• On sage: cream, pale gold or silver. Strong yellow gold can overpower a pale green.

How the fabric shifts a green

Green is sensitive to texture. The grainy face of crepe makes olive look dustier and more muted, and gives emerald a deep, velvety look. Nida keeps the colour smooth and even, the nearest of the three to a flat colour card. Chiffon thins every green in a single layer: teal drifts towards sea glass, emerald towards a lighter jewel, and the colour of the inner dress shows through. A dark inner dress under emerald chiffon keeps the depth; a pale one makes it fresher.

Our abaya fabrics guide compares nida, crepe and chiffon more generally, and abaya fabrics for Gulf summer heat covers the hot months.

Occasions and skin tones for green

Each green has a natural setting. Olive and bottle green are easy for daily wear and the office; emerald and teal come into their own at Eid, at weddings as a guest and at dinners, where they photograph strongly. In a British winter, olive or bottle green crepe looks right with a wool coat. In the Gulf, teal and emerald suit the cooler months, when evenings are spent outside.

• Warm, golden or olive skin often suits olive and bottle green; colours for olive skin undertones adds more.
• Cool, rosy skin usually looks brighter in emerald and teal.
• Deep skin wears emerald especially well, because the contrast is vivid.
• If olive green makes your face look sallow, keep it for the abaya and choose a cream, ivory or blush scarf near the face. Colours for wheatish skin has its own notes.

Ordering a green abaya

Start on our custom abaya page for the fabrics and shapes. Collection designs come with a matching scarf in nida, crepe or chiffon, and prices start from £80. Each abaya is made in Pakistan, in your size or to your measurements, in 5 to 7 working days once the quote is approved and paid in full; shipping time is added on top and depends on where you live.

Your quote includes delivery to your address and any import duties, so nothing is due at the door in Qatar, Kuwait or anywhere else we deliver, and you can message us in Arabic on WhatsApp if you prefer. Open the Olive Branch kimono abaya quote, or start from any design and name your green. If dark reds or soft neutrals tempt you more, see our guides to burgundy abayas and neutral abayas.