Design

The Bisht abaya style has a similar to design to the full butterfly style but unlike the butterfly, it has no seam to define the body or sleeves.  This gives the abaya an open width which allows it to fit loosely on every body type.  The style is actually very similar to the traditional overhead (without sleeves) but instead of being worn on the head, it is worn on the shoulders.  Compared to other shoulder abayas, the bisht provides superior coverage which is almost equivalent to an overhead. 

Sleeve Design

The side edges of the bisht abaya can be shaped in two ways - they can be gradually tapered in towards the bottom of the garment or they can be square shaped.  The tapered sides  reduce the amount of excess fabric which makes the abaya more manageable when worn.  The tapering also prevents the sides from dragging below the actual length of the garment.  As for the square sides, this design does provide more coverage since it includes much more fabric.  However, the square sides can be impractical depending on where the abaya is being worn since the sides have a tendency to drag.

Tapered vs. Square Sides - See the difference?

Pros

The design of the bisht abaya makes it super modest and useful for wearing over fancy and glittery garments.  The style is also great for the summer since the loose fit allows air to flow through easily and is just as wearable in the winter when it can be worn over warm bulky clothing.

The cut of the abaya allows it to fit comfortably on expecting sisters, even in the later stages of pregnancy.  Better yet, it can still be worn after birth without looking like maternity wear.  All of our current bisht abayas at SunnahStyle.com also include a zipper opening at the neck to accomodate nursing mothers.

Sizing

Our favourite thing about the Bisht style is that it is naturally one-size-fits-all.  Since the style has no defined body or sleeves, it provides a loose and flowing fit for all body types, including plus and petite. 

When choosing your size for a bisht style abaya the only two measurements you need to look at are the length and the sleeve span since the width will fit regardless.  The sleeve span measurement is important since it affects the way the sleeves and shoulders fit.  To measure your sleeve span, take an abaya or top that you currently own and fits you well.  Lay the garment on the floor with the arms spread straight out in the shape of a ‘T’.  Then measure from the start of one sleeve, across the front of the garment to the start of the other sleeve.  Your sleeve span should be equal to or close to the actual sleeve span of the abaya for a similar fit.

With Ramadaan almost halfway over here are our picks if you are looking for a new abaya for Eid!

For Sisters

For Girls

 Matching Mother & Daughter Abayas

We often receive emails from customers who are pregnant and are looking for abayas that they will be able to use throughout their entire pregnancy and will still fit well as their belly grows.  Of course, any abaya that is loose enough can serve as a maternity abaya but certain styles may fit very loose in the early stages of pregnancy and then become too tight around the waist and hips towards the end.  There are a few styles in particular that work well as maternity abayas and can also be worn after birth:

1.  Bisht Abayas

The open width of the bisht style makes it a great option for pregnant sisters.  The bisht style is designed and meant to be worn very loose and usually has a waist measurement of around 100 inches, making it fit both slim and full-figured sisters.  This open width will allow the abaya to fit comfortably and loosely throughout your entire pregnancy without you having to worry about alterations.  

An added bonus of this style is that the design and abundance of fabric will also help to tone down the size of your belly and make it look smaller.  Since the style is purposely designed that wide you will also be able to wear it comfortably after you give birth and later on in life without having to worry about it looking like a maternity style.

Click here to view our Bisht Abaya Styles

2.  Butterfly Abayas

If you’ve read our post ‘All About the Butterfly‘, you’ll know that the butterfly style is designed with a seam that is sewn into the fabric which leaves excess fabric on the sides to create the wavy look.  It is quite easy to adjust these seams, even for the most novice seamstress, since all it requires is sewing an additional seam either inside or outside the previous seam and then removing the previous seam.  This makes the butterfly style another great maternity choice since the seam can be adjusted to provide more room in the waist or hips as needed.  It can also easily be taken back in after birth if it is too large. 

Both the full and sleeved butterfly styles have an adjustable seam so both would work for pregnant sisters.  However, we recommend that full figured sisters opt for the full butterfly style since it has more excess fabric on the sides than the sleeved butterfly style, allowing it to be widened more than the sleeved style.

Click here to view our Butterfly Abaya Styles

3.  Shoulder Close Abayas

Last but not least is the shoulder close abaya style which also works very well for pregnancy and is better known than the previous two.  This style has an open design with a piece that is wrapped around the front and usually attached at the shoulder to give it a closed look.  Since the front is wrapped and the abaya is open, this style is flexible in the waist and hip sizing to a certain extent.  

Shoulder close abayas that do not have any means of keeping the front wrapped piece secured can be problematic since as your belly grows the wrapped piece will fall to the side and not stay in place.  Our Side Tying Shoulder Close Abaya in particular is great since the front wrapped piece can be tied at one side to keep it in place over your belly.  It can also be tied looser as your pregnancy progresses and then be tied normally after birth.

Click here to view our Shoulder Close Styles

4.  Overhead Abayas

No doubt overhead abayas are not for everyone and they do take some getting used to but since they are designed wider than other abayas they are still a great option for pregnant sisters.  The fact that the abaya is worn on the head as opposed to the shoulders also helps to tone down the size of your baby bump and make it look less obtrusive.  If you are new to overhead abayas we suggest going with a style that ties at the back of the head instead of a Saudi style that rests on the head since the Saudi style takes some practice before it feels comfortable.

Click here to view our Overhead Abaya Styles

Ahhh, the butterfly abaya…also known as the farasha style or even the “batwing” abaya as we have heard it called by some creative sisters (although looking like a bat isn’t our cup of tea).  So what is it about the butterfly abaya that makes it so loved? 

For starters, the butterfly style provides a lot more coverage and fits more modestly than your traditional closed abaya.  If you are new to this style, it is designed in a shape that is similar to a sideways “D” and then a seam is sewn to form the shape of the sleeves, bust and hips. 

Whether the abaya is plain or is accented with some type of embroidery or trim, the stylishness of the butterfly abaya is another obvious reason why it’s so loved.  The look is just so feminine and offers style without going overboard.

Full vs. Sleeved

Although still modest, the sleeved butterfly style does not offer quite the same amount of coverage as the full butterfly.  Since the sleeved butterfly style has actual half-sleeves from the wrists to the elbows there is a lot less of the extra fabric to create the butterfly look as there is with the full butterfly style.  This makes the side ripple smaller although equally as stylish.

What’s your Style?

Everyone has their own preference between the full and sleeved butterfly styles, but if you’re new to the farasha and would like to try it out here are some suggestions based on your body type:

Slim Figure – Although some slim-figured sisters prefer the sleeved butterfly abaya, you can pretty much get away with any style you want, maashaa’Allaah.  Since the butterfly style has the extra fabric on the sides, if you are super slim you may need to have the bust and hips taken in when ordering so the abaya isn’t falling off you.  Of course taking in the abaya is not for the purpose of making it tight – it’s just to bring it in a little for sisters that need it so that it’s not so enormous so that you’re drowning in it.

Average Figure – You can also pull off either style, maashaa’Allaah.  The only thing to be cautious of is that since the sleeves of the sleeved butterfly style are a fixed width they will only fit comfortably on certain forearm widths. 

Full Figure - For our full figured sisters we recommend the full butterfly style over the sleeved butterfly since it provides better coverage.  It will also fit better, especially in the sleeves since some sisters may find the mini-sleeves of the sleeved butterfly style to be too tight.

Height - In our opinion, both styles look great on all heights and good news – we cater to all heights!  Since many of us are tall, we have realized the need for tall, plus, and petite sizes from very early on and are happy to carry sizes suitable for sisters as petite as 4′9″ and as tall as 6′4″.  And yes – for those who are curious – there are sisters who are 6′4″!

Sizing Tips

When ordering a butterfly abaya the main measurements you need to look at are the length and the sleeve span.  The sleeve span is important since if it is too short the sleeves will ride up when you put your arms down, making the abaya uncomfortable.  For most sisters, the sleeve span is proportional to the height so if you are ordering an abaya length that will be reaching the ground then the sleeve span will most likely fit without any problems.  However, if you like your abaya shorter or longer than this then it is important to double check the sleeve span to make sure it will fit comfortably.

After finding the length and checking the sleeve span, take a look at the bust and hip measurements to make sure they will fit.   The bust and hips of the butterfly abayas can be adjusted if necessary.  For the full butterfly style we can usually widen the bust/hips as much as the customer requires while the sleeved butterfly style is more limited in the amount it can be widened since there is less fabric on the sides.  As always, please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any help with your sizing!

The combination of modesty and style of the butterfly abaya makes it a definite keeper.  What is it about the butterfly that does it for you?