Stretch Abaya Styles

Muslim women in Iraq, Iran and Kuwait cover their heads and bodies, but can show their faces.

The abaya, a full body covering worn by many female followers of Islam, is found in numerous colors, fabrics and styles besides the traditional black, head-to-toe robe that's often seen in photos, according to the Hilal Plaza website. In the past, these garments were made to cover the body and head in fabrics that were wearable in the hot climates of conservative Muslim countries. Changes in Islamic clothing aren't proscribed by the Muslim religion and innovations in recent years have seen abayas that are being made with lightweight, stretchable fabrics in lighter colors, with decorative accents.

History

Indian women covered their faces (like this traditional red-robed bride) long before body and face coverings were adopted by Islam.

The practice of covering women's faces or bodies, usually with the veil as a symbol of modesty, was practiced long before Islam was founded in the 7th century A.D. Women were veiled in ancient Assyria, classical Greece, Persia, India--even Christian women covered themselves in the Byzantine era. In the first 100 years after the founding of Islam, Muslim woman didn't cover themselves, according to the Women in World History website. But as Islam spread and was exposed to different cultures that considered veiling and covering the norm, early Muslims began to adopt the practice, particularly the upper classes, who saw it as an indicator of high status.

Religious Guidelines

The Dress Code for Believers is described in the Koran under sura 24:30-31.

There is little discussion of veiling and covering in the Koran, the Islamic holy book, nor does the Koran say a devout woman must be completely covered. The Koran urges Muslim women to dress modestly, advising them to cover everything but the front of the face and the hands from wrist to fingertips. The Koran states, "They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests..." In sura 33, the Koran instructs Muslim women to "draw their cloaks around them" so that they may be recognized as devout and not be harassed when they're outside their homes.

Regional Distinctions

In Iran, conservative Muslim women wear the chador; in Saudi Arabia, the abaya; in Afghanistan, the burka.

The different abaya styles and the fabrics used to make them, some of which cover the face, are influenced by the norms found in the countries in which Muslim women wear the garment. In Iran, Muslim women wear the floor-lenth chador, which covers the head but not the face. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, women wear the traditional abaya. Saudi women cover their faces; most Kuwaiti women don't. In Afghanistan, observant women wear the burka, which covers them from head to toe, including their faces and eyes.

Modern Innovations

Modern Muslim women have adapted the abaya and now wear it in flexible fabrics and lighter colors.

Today, even in the most conservative Muslim countries where women wear the abaya, cover their heads (with the hijab) and their faces with the veil (nijab), changes are being seen as younger Muslim women move away from the traditional black voluminous, floor-length garment and toward wearing coat-like abaya (jilbab) made in lighter colors and stretchable fabrics, according to the Apparel Search and Hilal Plaza websites. The addition of decorative accents, such as embroidery and beading, along the sleeves and necklines is also being seen.

References

• Hilal Plaza: Abaya; 2009
• Hilal Plaza: Islamic Clothing; 2009
• Women in World History: Historical Perspectives on Islamic Dress; 2011
• United Submitters International: Dress Code for Women Based on the Quran; 2002
• Apparel Search: Definition of Abaya
• Harvard University: Center for Middle Eastern Studies; Women in the Middle East; The Veil; Vol. 19; 1998