Midi abaya with matching trousers: a two-piece set

Where the abaya hem should stop

The length is the main design decision. Three positions work.

• Lower calf, where the leg begins to narrow. The most balanced line on most heights, and far enough from the ground to stay clean.
• Just above the ankle bone. Close to a full-length look, with only a band of trouser showing.
• Just below the knee. A long-tunic proportion that shows the most trouser, so the trousers need real presence.

Give the length as a number

The position to avoid is the widest part of the calf, where a hem cuts the leg at its broadest and makes the set look shorter. Give the length as a measurement from the shoulder to the point you want, not as “midi”, because the word means different things to different people. On a petite frame a higher hem keeps the proportions; on a tall one, lower calf to ankle looks intended instead of shrunk.

The trousers: width, length and waist

Because the trousers are on show from the hem down, they need as much thought as the abaya.

• Wide-leg or palazzo: the fluid choice. The wide hem swings below a calf-length abaya and the set moves together. See our palazzo page.
• Straight: neater and lighter, with less cloth around the ankle. It suits a slimmer abaya and practical days. See straight trousers.
• Length: measure in your shoes. Wide legs look right almost touching the floor; straight legs at the ankle bone or the top of the shoe.
• Waist: hidden under the abaya, so comfort wins. An elastic or part-elastic waist and side pockets are common requests.

Slits and fabric

A shorter hem has less distance to trip you, so a midi abaya can be straighter than a floor-length one. Side slits from the knee or mid-thigh are a natural partner: they free the stride and show the matching trousers on purpose. Without slits, keep enough width to step up a kerb comfortably; abaya hem width, slits and vents gives working figures.

The set looks most deliberate when both pieces come from the same cloth. Two fabrics bought separately in “the same” colour rarely match, and the difference shows where they meet at the hem. Not every abaya fabric makes sound trousers, though: trousers take strain at the seat and inner leg and must stay opaque when you sit or bend. A mid-weight crepe usually serves both pieces, while a sheer abaya needs trousers in a denser matching cloth or with lining.

Ordering both pieces together

Ask for the abaya and trousers in one request so they are planned and quoted as a set. You will need the usual abaya measurements, with the length taken to your chosen point, and trouser measurements: waist, hip, rise, length in shoes and the hem width you want. Our trouser size guide and the guide to measuring for each trouser style show how.

We make abayas to measure, and matching trousers can be quoted alongside, as Fabric + Stitching or Stitching Only. Send a photo or a description through the design quote form; we confirm what is possible on your fabric and design, and the set is agreed in writing before cutting.