Abayas · 4 October 2026 · 4 min read

Petite abayas: custom lengths for shorter women

How petite women can measure for an abaya that fits: hem length, sleeve length, shoulder width and proportion, so nothing pools at the floor or swamps the hands.

Inspiration

Shortening is not the same as cutting for your frame

A petite abaya is not simply a long one with the hem cut off. If you are on the shorter side, measure your full length from shoulder to floor in your shoes, your sleeve length, your shoulder width and the distance from your shoulder to your waist, and ask for the abaya to be cut to all of them. That keeps the hem off the floor, the sleeves off your fingers and the shoulders where your shoulders are.

Women who buy ready-made often have the hem taken up locally and still find the abaya swamps them, because the shoulders, armholes and sleeves were graded for someone taller. A made-to-measure abaya avoids that by starting from your proportions.

The measurements petite women should check twice

Full length: shoulder by the neck to the floor, in your usual shoes. A difference of a few centimetres is very visible on a shorter frame, so take it twice. Our length guide explains the method.
Sleeve length: measure over a slightly bent elbow to the wrist bone. Ready-made sleeves are the most common complaint from petite women.
Shoulder width: narrow shoulders make a standard abaya slide and droop. Measure across the back from one shoulder point to the other.
Shoulder to waist: useful if your design has a belt, tie or shaped back, so it sits at your waist rather than your hips.
Height without shoes: a quick check that the lengths add up.

Keeping the proportions in scale

On a petite frame, large details can overwhelm. Very wide sleeves, deep cuffs, a wide hem band or a big flare all take up more of your silhouette than they would on a taller woman. That does not mean avoiding them, only scaling them. If you send a photo of an abaya you like, mention that you would like the details sized for your height, and we can agree that in the written quote.

Vertical lines help too: an open front, a long placket or a column of buttons draw the eye up and down. Our article on modest dressing with sleeves, necklines and lengths has more on how lengths work together.

Hem clearance and heels

Petite women often wear a small heel with a long abaya. If you do, measure in those shoes. If you mostly wear flats but sometimes wear heels, measure in flats and ask for the hem to clear the floor by your chosen amount, so it never drags. Excess length on a shorter woman tends to collect at the front and catch underfoot on stairs, so it is worth being precise.

If you have an abaya that is the right length, measure it laid flat from the shoulder seam by the neck to the hem, and send that number too. Our guide to measuring an abaya you already own shows how.

Ordering a petite abaya

Start on the quote form, choose abaya as the outfit and enter your measurements in centimetres or inches. Add a photo or sketch and a note saying you are petite and which details you want scaled down. If you are not sure about any measurement, the measuring help page explains how to ask before you submit.

We make each abaya in Pakistan and ship it worldwide, to cities from Leicester to Kuala Lumpur. Production takes 5 to 7 working days after you approve and pay in full for your written quote; shipping time is added and depends on your country.

Common questions

Can I just have a standard abaya shortened?

We make new abayas to your measurements rather than reworking existing ones. Ordering made to measure means the shoulders, sleeves and length are all cut for a petite frame, not only the hem.

Which measurement matters most for a petite abaya?

The full length from shoulder to floor in your shoes, followed closely by sleeve length and shoulder width. Those three decide whether the abaya looks made for you.

Can details like cuffs and bands be made smaller?

Ask for it in your notes and include a photo. Scaling details to your height is agreed in writing in your quote before anything is cut.

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