Abaya Cuts Guide: Open, Closed, Flared, Bisht and Blazer

An open-front abaya wears like a long coat over your clothes, held by a hidden snap, a single button or nothing at all. It is easy to put on, shows a dress beneath at events and suits broad shoulders, since the open line breaks the width. It asks for a coordinated inner layer, because whatever you wear under it shows.

A closed abaya fastens fully down the front with buttons, snaps or a zip, or slips over the head. It works as a complete outfit on its own, stays in place through prayer and errands, and needs no thought about what goes underneath. Fabric-covered buttons keep the closure quiet.

Kloosh, from the French cloche, is the Gulf name for a flared abaya cut as a circle or an A-line from the shoulder or the waist. It moves when you walk and looks generous in photographs. It uses more fabric, so it weighs more, and it works best in a light nida or crepe that falls in soft folds.

The bisht abaya borrows from the men's bisht, the formal cloak worn over the thobe. It is wide, open and cut close to a rectangle, with sleeves that are broad or cut in one with the body, and makers often edge the opening with trim. It skims the figure and gives presence at occasions without any fitting.

Blazer abayas take lapels, a structured collar and buttons from tailoring, and they look composed at work and at daytime events. Novella 007 pairs a blazer collar with gold-toned buttons, and 014 uses contrasting lapels with a single button. Novella 005 pairs its blazer collar with a leopard-print inner panel, and 006 adds lace at the waist and cuffs.

Coat abayas go further, with heavier fabric, sometimes a double-breasted front and a belt. They suit the cooler months from December to February.

A straight abaya falls from the shoulder without shaping and keeps a long, unbroken line. Novella 015 is a straight cut with a two-part design. The mukhassar, or waisted abaya, follows the body at the waist through seams or a belt, then falls long: 013 shapes the waist through the cut, 017 with an adjustable belt, and 022 follows the body before flowing to its full length.

Asymmetric abayas move the closure off centre or lay one front panel over the other. In black the effect is subtle and shows best in motion. Novella 010 closes off centre with fabric-covered buttons, 016 overlaps the front with a small metallic clasp, 018 uses curved panels and a single button, and 021 overlaps an ivory front with a black flower at the waist.

• Long days in the car: straight or closed, with less fabric to sit on.
• Broad shoulders: open-front or bisht style, which break the width.
• Petite frame: straight or waisted lines. A full kloosh can swallow you.
• Evenings: kloosh or bisht for movement, blazer for structure.