houlya
Journal/2026-10-02
Modest dress or abaya: what to wear for the day
The difference between a long modest dress and an abaya, and how to choose for home, an outing or Eid.
Two pieces, two jobs
An abaya is a layer worn over clothes, often open or closed in front. A modest dress is the garment itself: it has a neckline, a waist or a belt, and it is worn on its own with a hijab.
Both can be long and full. Modesty is not what separates them. The way you put them on is.
Which day
For a short errand, a black or beige abaya repeats without thinking. For lunch, a long dress in a soft cloth looks more dressed while still covering arms and legs.
Eid can take both: a light abaya if you walk a lot, a dress if you sit with family. Soft velvet is a cold-evening dress, not a noon commute.
Under the hijab
The dress neckline stays high or is covered by the khimar. A pretty but low neck forces a scarf on you all day.
At HOULYA, dresses and abayas are cut to be worn with a hijab, not against it. Look at the dress and abaya collections side by side.
