An abaya is a cloak-like dress that is worn by some Muslim women. The long-sleeved dress is designed to cover a woman from her neck to the floor to provide her with maximum modesty. Wearing a wedding abaya is traditional among Muslim women. Clothing may be worn under the abaya, if desired. Wedding abayat can be made from any type of cloth, in various colors.
The color of a wedding abaya is strictly up to the bride's discretion. Some women wear white, cream or champagne colored bridal abayas. Other women may wear an abaya in deep jewel tones on their wedding day. Traditional western wedding dresses are generally not appropriate for a Muslim woman who dresses in the modest hijab style, since they don't provide the amount of coverage desired by the woman who wants to dress modestly on her wedding day. An abaya is designed to hang loosely on a woman so her body shape is hidden.
Even though a wedding abaya is a loose-fitting piece of clothing, it can often be a fashion statement. There are many various designs of wedding abayat, from simple one piece outfits made from linen to richly-embellished silk or satin dresses. An abaya may even be made of two pieces, with one lighter material such as chiffon over a satin crepe material with lace trim.
When choosing an abaya, the bride-to-be should try on several different styles. The abaya may be the over-the-head type, where the dress is one piece that is put on by bringing it down over the head. Some bridal abayat are put on like a coat, then fastened in the front. Other wedding abaya designs require the wearer to bring the dress over her head, but it has a few fasteners on the side. Another style has a long slit on one side that requires another dress to be worn underneath. The underdress may be of a accent color, to add an interesting fashion statement.
When an abaya is worn, the woman will wear something similar to a long scarf to cover her head and neck. This is called a hijab or shayala. Some bridal abayat may come with a matching hijab, which makes it easy to shop for both pieces of clothing in one time. Hijabs are also available in various styles and colors, and don't necessarily need to match the wedding abaya.