I received a query from a regular follower of American Bedu. She would like to know what Saudi women wear when they travel abroad. I always like to respond to queries and to do so with the best of my knowledge. However, for this particular query, I am reaching out to Saudi women and asking them to respond as well.
I hate to give the stock answer, “it depends,” but when it comes right down to it, that is the answer. The gamut of attire for the Saudi woman when she travels abroad can run the whole gamut from full black abaya, hijjab and niqab to a woman who may not cover at all and dress in the fashions which please her.
Above being said, most of the Saudi women whom I personally know will usually wear a hijjab and dress in modest clothing. By modest clothing I mean they will not generally wear an abaya. They may wear jeans, shirt and a long blazer or a short coat and all in a fashionable yet modest manner. Or she may wear a long skirt with shirt or a long dress and boots. The clothing will generally not be molded to the body yet can be form fitting without being tight.
Saudi women seem to have a natural grace and style when it comes to fashion and wearing their choice of fashion outside of the Kingdom. One of my own female Saudi family members reminded me of a young Audrey Hepburn in the manner she dressed when visiting the United States. She chose to wear a fashionable silk scarf over her head with dark glasses. She would generally wear fashionable tailored slacks and a coordinating long sleeve blouse.
I am not aware of any statistics such as the number of Saudi women who choose not to cover their face or not wear an abaya when outside of the Kingdom. My personal guess is that more Saudi women choose to go sans abaya once out of Saudi Arabia but that the majority still prefer some type of a head cover.
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Ah, Audrey Hepburn, the essence of chique!
The ”Audrey scarf”, and the ”Grace Kelly” scarf are fashion icons!
Just google ”Grace Kelly scarf”!
It reminds me of a picture of my mother many years ago.
Just goes to show you can dress in a modest fashion with out wearing the abaya. I have seen many Muslin women dress modestly and covering what needs to be covered by dictate of their religion yet not become invisible by being blacked out.
Other than your private parts and cleavage there is nothing that needs to be covered by dictate of religion.
Cover your breasts and down to you knees I seem to remember.
That means that strapless cocktail gown, or an airy summer dress, is perfectly modest.
Welll, it isn’t walking the street in Saudi- but perhaps yes somewhere else.
Well, I was referring to what is written in the Quran, not what is allowed on the streets of Saudi Arabia…..
I meant there is a cultural/situational componant to “modesty”. The Quran does say to be “modest”. So if you walk through Riyadth in sundress you will not be modest. But on the beach with everyone in bikinis you will.
This is the kind of thing that confuses me. I just read the later post in which women who wear trailing abayas are concerned about their feet and ankles being seen. Then I read this post which reveals that the very same woman MIGHT remove the abaya just because she is traveling outside Saudi Arabia. What is it about SA that prompts a woman to cover so completely then peal it all off as soon as she is in the air. Are all the men with fetishes located here? Or do the religious standards change when the feet leave the ground?
Sandy, yes, of course. it is a matter of viewpoint.
In Saudi Arabia it is all about conformity. MIW + WIB (Men in White and Women in Black) There is also the paranoia of always being watched and on guard. There are the Muttawa waiting to pounce and then there are the family members, friends and peers who watch closely. If a man or woman but especially so the woman, takes a misstep, she brings shame and dishonor down on the family. As a result, the women will wear the conservative clothes inside. But once outside, it is less likely someone will know them, they feel freer and therefore dress differently.
There was a hilarious Tash ma Tash episode about a Saudi husband and wife who traveled outside. She enjoyed not wearing her abaya or covering her face. Yet somehow on the return to Saudi while in the plane, she discovered she had lost her abaya. It shows them walking stealthily at Riyadh airport, her wearing her husband’s suit jacket, him ahead looking out to see if there is anyone they know, while they try to make their way back to their home!
@Amerinriyadh,
Unfortunately just as AB mentioned many women here in Saudi wear abayah because they feel obligated to do so by family members. So once they are outside of Saudi they feel less inhibited and change to other clothes that make them more comfortable and who’s to blame them? They wear abayah for people rather than for Allah. I think this is very sad. The woman should be able to choose how she wants to worship Allah-and this is how I view the hijab, an act of worship. So long as her niyah is to please Allah who are we to judge on what she wears whether in Saudi or elsewhere?
I think it is wrong to view a woman who dons an abayah to be more pious than her fellow Muslim sister who may wear conservative clothing such as long skirts, dresses and pant suits. As long as her awrah is covered how could she be seen as immodest and less devout to her religion?
I’m sorry to say I have had the displeasure of meeting some fairly wicked women who cover from head to toe. While on the flip side have met other women who seem to have hearts of gold that don’t cover at all.
People may know us by our outer garments but Allah knows us by our hearts. This brings me so much comfort when I hear people bang on about the “proper” way to cover!