Job Discussion Forums

[KME0050]

I would appreciate it if someone could help me out with an abaya question. Until recently, I understood that the abaya was just that (usually) black, long, robe that women wear over their normal dress.

However, when I look for abayas on-line, I find an array of dresses, often quite pretty (albeit ultra-conservative), and wonder if one can wear these dresses in public without anything covering them. They are typically black or at least dark, go to the ground, are long-sleeved and cover everything. But they do have a little shape to them.

Some of the websites I have visited call themselves abaya shops and this is what they sell, often in addition to the shapeless "black robe" abayas.

SO, if I am told I have to wear an abaya out in public (small city), can I wear one of these dresses with the hijab, keep it on when I teach, and not wear anything over it?

Thanks to anyone who can shed a little light on this for me. I am leaving for S.A. in a couple of months and would like to buy one or two culture-appropriate things before I leave . . .

[Sheikh N Bake]

Abaya is the black robe. It's basically a tent to hide you. The idea is to hide a woman's attractiveness. That's what women wear in public.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Yep, it's to turn those curvy lines into straight 'uns. An' keep that hair covered! If I sees dat hair, I get ta feeling all funny inside...

NCTBA

[Cleopatra]

A Saudi-style abaya is basically a long, black cloak. However, there is quite a bit of variation within that general theme. The most modest abayas, worn by the most conservative women, are very loose and baggy and draped over the head like Iranian chadors, except that they are buttoned up the front. Quite a lot of SAudi women wear these abayas, but almost no foreign women other than a few converts to Islam do so.

Some abayas are quite decorative - featuring diamante, lace and increasingly colourful embroidery. Some of these gowns can be quite tightly fitting (you can have them made to measure) and resemble evening dresses more than cloaks. I'm not sure what 'dresses' you are referring to, but provided they are black and cover everything from the neck down, they should be OK. BTW there's no reason for you to wear the abaya when teaching, assuming of course that you will be teaching women.

[trapezius]

If you were coming to Jeddah, I would tell you to get a really shapely tight satiny [black] one with various colored laces, borders, prints, and design elements. Oh, and kimono style sleeves!

(such abayas are commonly seen in Jeddah)

But since you are going to Abha, I would suggest getting something in between the 2 extremes (the other extreme being the black tent). Perhaps one which is more or less straight and with a thin colored border/edge, but no large prints on the front or back.

[Insubordination]

Was walking behind one of my Saudi students today (I'm in Australia) and her abaya (?) was sexy. It was black but fairly close fitting with a black sequin pattern in all the right places. It was also clinging to her because it was pouring with rain. I thought she looked really hot. Much better than a bikini. It was topped off with a gorgeous hijab (?).

I could see them becoming fashionable. I'm serious.

[scot47]

I would say that you could wait until you arrive before getting these. Come and have a look at what others are wearing and then decide.

[Cleopatra]

[cmp45]

Abha is not as cosompolitan as Jeddah or Riyadh; however, am sure many women from these cities spend their summers in Abha. So would like to think the locals tolerate- are used to seeing a wide variety of abaya styles.

Also while I was living there, I saw on occassion foreign women, obviously clueless tourists, walking about without abayas with hair uncovered. One time there were a couple of blonde haired women without abaya walking on the street within view from the windows of my classroom. All the Saudi guys in my class were gawking at them. One student even asked if he could leave to give the gals a lift! Not sure how the rest of the their walk turned out...my guess- not so well.

[KME0050]

Thanks for all of the responses--very helpful. I guess I will just wait until I get there and learn what's socially acceptable in this particular locale.

In truth, if I can trade out my usual (stuffy and uncomfortable) professional wardrobe for a bunch of long, comfortable dresses, I will gladly do it.

When I see the pictures of the really beautiful abayas on-line they do not look like something one would wear over anything else. In fact, there is no way one could wear much of anything under one of these, and certainly not something bulky like a suit. So I am wondering if women who wear these wear them as dresses, not as a covering over other clothes.

I guess I'll find out when I get there. Thanks again for the help!

[Cleopatra]

The word abaya (which I think can be literally translated as 'cloak') is interpreted quite differently in different parts of the Muslim world. In the Gulf, however, it definitely means an outer, floorlength black cloak which is worn over one's normal clothes. It could be that the 'abayas' you've seen are from different countries where the word is interpreted differently.

If you want, you could buy one to tide you over for the first few days in Saudi Arabia. However, you'll probably want to buy a local version soon after arriving here. As other posters have said, Abha is quite a provincial and conservative place compared to Riyadh or especially Jeddah.

[cmp45]

Why not post a link so others can see ...by your description, some of them may not be typical Saudi abayas. I don't know, but you are right in waiting and see when you get there

[KME0050]

[KME0050]

[scot47]

These abayas would make the "mutawaeen" apoplectic with rage. Almost pornographic !