Abaya Colours Beyond Black: Navy, Grey, Beige and Olive

No law sets the colour of an abaya in Qatar, yet black remains the everyday norm. A 2017 analysis from the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington traced a move toward grey and then white among younger Qatari women, with many keeping colour for special occasions. Black also works hard: it hides marks, matches any shayla and reads formal in any room.

Navy is the easiest step away from black. It reads near black indoors and shows its blue in sunlight, so it passes at work, in a majlis and at evening events. Novella 012 comes in a deep navy with an all-over textured pattern and front buttons. Pair navy with a navy, grey or soft blue shayla, and dry it in the shade, since the sun fades it.

Grey and taupe soften the abaya for daytime. Charcoal suits the office. Lighter greys suit gatherings but show water and perspiration marks sooner than dark shades. Novella 022 runs vertical stripes of warm taupe and deep charcoal, which gives you grey without a flat block of it.

Pale abayas belong to summer days, Eid mornings and daytime events, and Gulf designers named ivory and sand among the daytime shades of 2026. Hold a pale abaya up to daylight before you buy it, since light colours need an opaque fabric or a lining.

Novella 021 comes in soft ivory with a single black flower at the waist, and 001 pairs a deep brown outer layer with a beige front panel. For a smaller step, 019 and 020 keep the abaya black and bring white to the front panel, the cuffs and the lines.

Olive suits warm undertones and the cooler months, and it pairs with gold jewellery and brown leather. In a matte fabric, deep olive reads close to charcoal indoors and shows its green outside. Keep the shayla in olive, khaki or black.

Look at the veins on your wrist in daylight. If they look blue and silver suits you, your undertone is cool, and navy, charcoal and blue-black flatter you. If they look green and gold suits you, it is warm, and olive, beige, brown-black and taupe work better. Check every colour in daylight and under the light of the room where you will wear it.

• Condolence visits: plain, matte black, with no shine or embellishment.
• Formal ceremonies and official events.
• Travel, when one abaya has to cover every setting.