The abaya is one of the most recognisable garments in the world, yet its story is often told in a single line: a long black cloak worn in the Gulf. The real history of the abaya is richer than that. It is a story of desert life, precious family garments, the oil boom, a generation of women entering universities and offices, and designers in Dubai and across the region who turned a traditional cloak into modern fashion. This guide covers the origin of the abaya, what the word means, how the Emirati abaya changed decade by decade, and what the abaya means to the women who wear it today.
What is an abaya?
An abaya is a loose, full-length outer garment worn over clothing, most often by women in the Arabian Gulf. The word comes from Arabic and simply means a cloak. A traditional abaya falls from the head or shoulders to the ankles, with a front opening, and is usually worn with a shayla, a long rectangular headscarf. Today the abaya ranges from a simple everyday cover-up to an embellished evening piece, and it is worn open like a coat as often as it is closed.
What is an abaya called in English? There is no exact English word for it, so the Arabic name, abaya, is used in English too. In English it is usually described as a cloak, robe or full-length over-garment.
The origin of the abaya
Where did the abaya originate? There is no single inventor or date. The abaya descends from the loose outer cloaks that people across the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant and Iraq have worn for centuries, known in those regions as the aba or abaah. Wraps and veils were already part of dress in the wider region in the ancient world, long before Islam, so the idea of a covering outer layer is far older than the modern abaya.
The cloak also made sense for life in the desert. Bedouin communities wore loose outer garments for shelter from sun, wind and sand, and the roomy cut left the body free to move. Men across the region still wear a related ceremonial cloak, the bisht, which shows how deeply the idea of a flowing outer robe runs through Arabian dress.
The abaya in the UAE before oil
In the Emirates, the abaya was once rare and expensive. Before the oil era, the traditional Bedouin abaya was a square-shaped black wool cloak, sometimes finished with gold trim at the neckline, and it was mostly owned by the wives of sheikhs and merchants. Most women instead covered themselves with a large, double-width black shayla. An abaya was precious enough to be borrowed for special occasions, for example to cover a bride on her way to her new family's home.
Early abayas were draped from the crown of the head rather than worn on the shoulders. The garment was roughly a double square, with a front opening and side slits for the hands, and it was finished with black silk piping and, on finer pieces, golden braid or embroidery along the front edges.
The meaning of abaya in Arabic
The meaning of abaya in Arabic is a cloak or robe. Different regions use related words for similar garments:
- Aba or abaah in the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant and Iraq.
- Ibi, the plural of aba, in the UAE, where the modern garment is called the abaya.
- Jilabah in Morocco and milayah in Egypt, for full-body outer garments with a similar purpose.
The word also carries poetry. Gulf Nabati poetry and Arab songs return to the black abaya again and again, comparing a woman in her abaya to the night unfolding: an image of grace, mystery and quiet strength.
The evolution of the abaya, decade by decade
Fashion historians who study Emirati dress describe a clear evolution of the abaya across the last half-century.
1970s: black silk and the abayat al ras
The oil boom brought new wealth, cities and travel, and the abaya spread far beyond the elite. Black silk in different weights became popular, and the abayat al ras, a silk abaya draped from the head, gave more coverage. By the late 1970s, abayas worn to social occasions had become lighter and sheerer. Women draped them from the back of the head and gathered them at the waist, letting the dress underneath show.
1980s: the shoulder abaya
As more Emirati women entered universities and the workforce, the abaya had to be practical. The shoulder abaya, a full-length black cloak with sleeves that rests on the shoulders rather than the head, arrived from Saudi Arabia and was paired with a narrower shayla. Designers started experimenting with fabrics of different weights and with embroidery at the bodice and yoke.
1990s: embellishment and matching sets
The silhouette stayed simple, but decoration grew bolder: lace, heavy embroidery, rhinestones and crystals, often black on black. The abaya and shayla were increasingly sold as a matching set. The umaniyah, named after Oman because it resembled Omani tunics, also became popular. It closed fully at the front and could be slipped on over the head.
2000s: new cuts and silhouettes
Designers in the UAE pushed the shape itself. Butterfly and bat-wing sleeves, layered and winged cuts, belted waists and hooded designs all appeared, and abaya fashion in Dubai began to follow its own seasons.
2010s to today: colour, fabric and the open abaya
The most visible change of the last decade is colour. Alongside classic black, women now wear beige, stone, grey, olive, pastel and printed abayas, made in natural fabrics and cut with the attention of a high-end coat. Many modern abayas are worn open at the front, over a dress or an inner dress, rather than hiding the outfit underneath. International houses noticed too: Dolce & Gabbana launched an abaya and hijab collection for the Middle East in January 2016.
Why are abayas black?
Black became the colour most associated with the Gulf abaya during the 20th century. It is practical, hard to see through and easy to keep looking smart, and for many women it is simply part of their heritage. Many women wear the abaya for reasons of faith and modesty, guided by the Quran's call for modest dress and an outer garment. The Quran does not, however, prescribe black or a particular cut, which is why coloured abayas are now just as accepted in much of the region.
What the abaya means today
For many women the abaya is several things at once: an expression of faith, a link to family and national identity, and a piece of fashion chosen with as much care as any coat or dress. In the UAE the abaya is part of national dress, worn to work, to weddings, to Eid and to dinner. Around the world, the modest fashion movement has made the abaya a garment that women of different backgrounds wear by choice.
Modern abaya styles reflect that range: the classic open abaya, the kimono abaya, the belted abaya, the kaftan-style abaya, the embellished evening abaya and the minimal everyday abaya in a soft neutral.
The modern abaya at AUVÉ
AUVÉ is a luxury abaya label designed in Dubai, and our collections continue the story above: the flowing silhouette of the traditional cloak, cut for how women live now.
- The Classic Abaya, a 3-piece set of abaya, belt and scarf, in timeless black and soft modern colours. Read five ways to style a 3-piece abaya set.
- The Silk Collection and The Crepe Collection, lighter abayas for everyday wear in the UAE climate.
- The Cashmere Signature Collection, richer textures for cooler evenings and winter.
- The Crystal Elegance Collection, which carries on the embellished evening abaya.
- The Éssence Inner Dress, for wearing an abaya open, the modern way.
To choose your fabric, read our abaya fabric guide. For fit, see our abaya size guide and size chart, or our guide on how to choose the perfect abaya. Shopping from the Kingdom? See luxury abayas in Saudi Arabia, or our guide to abaya styles in Saudi Arabia and the GCC. To learn more about us, read our story or the AUVÉ Journal.
Frequently asked questions
What is an abaya?
An abaya is a loose, full-length outer garment worn over clothing, most often by women in the Arabian Gulf. It falls from the head or shoulders to the ankles, usually opens at the front, and is often worn with a matching headscarf.
What is an abaya called in English?
There is no exact English word for an abaya, so the Arabic name abaya is used in English too. In English it is usually described as a cloak, robe or full-length over-garment.
How old is the abaya?
The abaya has no single date of invention. It descends from loose outer cloaks worn for centuries across the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant and Iraq, and covering wraps were worn in the wider region in the ancient world. The modern abaya, worn on the shoulders with sleeves, took shape in the Gulf in the second half of the 20th century.
Where did the abaya originate?
The abaya grew out of the loose outer cloaks worn for centuries across the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant and Iraq, where the garment is known as the aba or abaah. Wraps and veils were worn in the wider region long before Islam. In the UAE, the abaya as we know it today spread mainly from the mid-20th century.
What does the word abaya mean?
Abaya is the Arabic word for a cloak: a loose, full-length outer garment. In the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant and Iraq it is also called the aba or abaah, and in the UAE the plural ibi is used.
Why are abayas traditionally black?
Black became the dominant colour of the Gulf abaya in the 20th century, and many women see it as part of their heritage. The Quran asks for modest dress but does not specify black or any particular cut, which is why coloured abayas in beige, grey, pastels and earth tones are now widely worn.
How has the abaya changed in the UAE?
Early abayas were square black wool cloaks draped from the head and owned mainly by wealthier families. Sheer black silk arrived in the 1970s, sleeved shoulder abayas in the 1980s, embroidery and crystals in the 1990s, new cuts such as butterfly and belted styles in the 2000s, and colour and open-front designs from the 2010s.
What is the difference between an abaya and a jilbab?
Both are loose, full-length outer garments worn for modesty. Abaya is the term used across the Gulf for a cloak-like robe, usually open or fastened at the front, while jilbab is the word used in the Quran for an outer garment and, in many countries, for a fitted coat-style or pull-on robe. In Morocco a similar garment is called a jilabah, and in Egypt a milayah.
Are abayas only worn in the Gulf?
No. The abaya is most closely linked with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, but it is worn by women around the world, and modern abayas are designed as everyday fashion as well as traditional dress.
Discover the modern abaya, designed in Dubai: shop all AUVÉ abayas.