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A lace abaya might be a gorgeous and elegant alternative if you have to dress modestly for a special occasion. Lace Abayas are ideal for weddings, engagement parties and other formal occasions. With the appropriate accessories and colour combinations, these take very little work to achieve a polished look.
Planning an occasion and want to style a lace abaya? Balance the look with the perfect accessories, comfy shoes and a suitable hijab.
This tutorial offers a variety of lace abaya styling ideas for wedding guest clothes and other special event ensembles. Each concept demonstrates how to design an ensemble suitable for the occasion, while maintaining the elegance that lace abayas are renowned for.
Why Wear a Lace Abaya for Weddings and Special Occasions?
Lace abayas are lovely decorations and features which make them the best solution to the formal modest wear challenge. They can provide an extra dimension and visual interest to other abayas without deviating from the modest style.
A beautiful lace abaya is excellent for a wedding reception and a celebration with immediate family.
The Elegant Nature of Lace Abayas
Lace is nature’s design, and lace’s lovely design and pattern make it excellent for special wear. Embellishments can offer further intricacy to an abaya, but lace is elegant and attractive in its own right.
Lace on an abaya could be on the sleeves, the front panels or the hem. With these features, the abaya can be simple in design, yet bring character and beauty to it.
The addition of lace accents may elevate and change a design. A flowing fabric with lace accents can make a lovely design for a wedding or other special occasion.
Lace Abayas Are Great for Modest Wedding Guest Outfits
For a wedding guest, you want to find an outfit that is nice enough to wear to a special occasion, yet provides enough modest coverage.
A lace abaya can provide both. It allows for freedom of movement and has a formal design.
As a wedding guest, you want to be mindful of the outfit you wear so it doesn't take away from the bride's outfit. A lace abaya can be styled in different ways to accommodate different reception rules.
How to Style a Lace Abaya for a Wedding
The details of an abaya - the fabric, colour, and lace detailing - impact the overall look of the design, and therefore impact what accessories can be worn with it.
When each element of an outfit works together, an overall coordinated look is achieved.
Choose the right lace abaya colour for the occasion
Colour plays an important role when styling wedding abayas.
For daytime weddings, opt for softer shades. A graceful appearance can also be created using olive green, mocha and dusty pink shades, to name but a few, when paired with neutral accessories.
For evening wedding receptions, a formal look can be created using burgundy and chocolate browns.
A royal navy lace abaya can be paired with a navy hijab and silver or nude accessories.
A chocolate brown lace abaya can be paired with a brown hijab and gold accessories.
An olive green lace abaya can be paired with a champagne hijab.
A black lace abaya can be paired with a black hijab.
Always select your colours, keeping in mind the event’s dress code, the level of contrast you prefer, and the overall appearance you wish to create.
Create an Elegant Appearance Using a Three-Piece Lace Abaya Set
A three-piece lace abaya set is an all-in-one outfit perfect for a quick but classy appearance.
This set usually includes an outer abaya, an inner slip and a hijab, although this may vary from design to design.
At Modést Voir, the Yara lace abaya design includes a chiffon hijab and a slip, all of which are in coordinating colours.
This set works best for formal events.
Matching Hijab
For a polished look, you can continue the matching hijab or add a complementary hijab for a nice contrast.
Balance Details with Simple Accessories
The easiest way to style a lace abaya is to let the lace do the talking.
If your abaya has detailed sleeves, a decorated front or floral lace along the hem, avoid pairing it with other accessorised pieces.
Instead, accessorise with one or two pieces that complement the details of your abaya.
For example, lace-up abayas pair nicely with earrings, a simple clutch or purse and nice shoes.
The main goal is to have the accessories complement the abaya and bring the overall outfit together instead of letting the accessories stand out.
What Hijab to Wear with Lace Abaya?
The hijab you wear with your lace abaya can elevate the entire look to a more formal or less formal look depending on the fabric, colour, and how it's draped.
When deciding what hijab to wear with your lace abaya, you want to take into account how detailed the abaya already is.
For example, if the abaya already has a floral lace along the hem and is detailed along the sleeves and/or the front, you don't want to wear a matching hijab.
In that case, you can also go with a contrasting hijab and pair it with nice, neutral colours.
For example, a navy lace abaya with a navy hijab can be lovely for an evening event.
You can really go with a matching hijab for an elegant, seamless look.
Some shades of abayas look better with specific shades of hijabs. For example, a chocolate brown abaya can pair beautifully with a beige or champagne hijab, or an olive green lace abaya can pair nicely with taupe.
It's best to stick to a smaller colour palette in an outfit, so the lace detailing can be seen.
Chiffon, Satin, and Jersey Hijabs
The choice of fabric for a hijab can determine how a headscarf drapes and folds.
Chiffon drapes well and, unlike other fabrics, maintains a lightweight feel. It can also nicely conform to flowing, lacey fabrics.
Satin has a smooth, subtle sheen and can nicely complement formal, lacey fabrics.
Jersey maintains a relaxed feel and can be a comfortable fabric choice for lengthy events.
For wedding guest outfits, the choice between fabrics depends mostly on preference and occasion.
Hijab Styling for Weddings and Formal Events
A nicely draped hijab can give your outfit a polished look.
For lace abayas with decorative sleeves or a neckline, keep the hijab simple to let the details show.
You can let the drape fall over one shoulder, or create a fold around the neckline.
If the abaya has a hijab of the same fabric, use that for styling first, before thinking of contrast.
Make sure your hijab is secure for the event and check that it remains in place for the duration of the event.
How to Accessorise a Lace Abaya for Special Occasions
For lace abayas, it's important to accessorise, but choose pieces that complete your outfit rather than take away from it. A few well-thought-out pieces are better than many.
Pieces of Elegant Jewellery that go with a Lace Abaya
Jewellery is an excellent way to put the finishing touches on a lace abaya. Gold jewellery looks great with warm colours such as brown, green and burgundy. Silver jewellery goes great with cool colours such as grey and navy.
Thin bracelets or simple rings and earrings are great if they suit your hijab.
If your lace abaya has embellished cuffs or sleeves, you may want to forgo jewelry all together.
Make sure your jewellery is comfortable, especially if you expect to wear it for a long time.
The Best Handbags and Clutches for Wedding Guest Outfits
For formal occasions, a small handbag or clutch goes well with a structured abaya. For weddings, choose a bag in the same color as your shoes or hijab.
Cream clutches go well with brown and green. A silver evening bag goes well with navy.
Neutral clutches work well with any abaya.
Avoid a bag covered in sequins or embellishments if your abaya is also covered in embellishments, as it may look tacky.
How to Avoid Over-Accessorizing a Detailed Lace Abaya
The best way to avoid over-accessorising is by selecting a focal point.
If your abaya features prominent floral lace, keep your other accessories simple, like a nude or silver heel, and a simple or no handbag.
If the detail is minimal, you can throw in a pop of colour by using a decorative clutch.
Try to evaluate the entire look, rather than the pieces individually, in order to maintain a balanced look.
If you see several elements competing for the focal point, try taking one accessory away and see if it improves the overall look.
What Shoes to Wear with a Lace Abaya?
You want your shoes to coordinate with the length of your abaya and maintain your comfort for the duration of the event.
Think about the type of event and how long you'll be standing for the event. Will your abaya need a boost to evenly break the fabric from your floor?
When wearing heels for a long time, the fabric of your abaya can catch on the heels and drag along the floor. This can be a tripping hazard.
Heels can also be unnecessary for an elegant outfit.
Pointed-toe flats or embellished ballet flats can also be nice with a lace abaya.
When you’ll be at an event for a while and will be doing a lot of standing, like at a long wedding, you can wear flats to be more comfortable.
Choose a flatter, simpler design that will align with your abaya.
There are lots of options that look good with your abaya and make for a good match without actually being the exact same colour.
Neutrals, like shades of beige and cream, or black, are good.
For example, nude heels match well with a navy lace abaya, and cream flats go well with an olive green abaya.
Neutral shoes, especially if they’re the same colour as your hijab, match well with your abaya and create a good look for your outfit.
Simple lace abayas are comfortable for long days of visitation and can be worn to Eid celebrations.
During the daytime, you can wear an earthy-toned lace abaya and keep it casual with flats.
You can pair it with a lightweight chiffon hijab to stay comfy and still look good.
When you have a lot of visits planned, or if you just want to be prepared, you can wear a 3-piece lace abaya set and be set for the day.
Frequently Asked Questions About Styling Lace Abayas
How do you wear a lace Abaya to a wedding?
Pick an abaya colour appropriate to the occasion. Put together a striking hijab to go along with the abaya. Complete the look with stylish accessories and shoes. Since lace is already detailed, keep the rest of the outfit plain and simple, and let the details on the abaya be the main focus of your look.
Can you wear a lace Abaya to a wedding?
Definitely! A lace Abaya can be a great option for a wedding. Look for one with nice detailing and a flowing silhouette. Pick a style that fits the occasion and the cultural elements of the celebration. Complete the look with a set of accessories in matching or complementary colours.
What colour hijab goes with a lace Abaya?
A matching or complementary hijab pulls the outfit together. Navy pairs well with silver grey or navy. Chocolate brown looks great with beige or champagne. Olive with taupe or cream also pairs nicely. Look for hijab and Abaya colours with the same undertones to pull the outfit together.
What shoes go with a lace Abaya?
Pointed-toe flats or sandals and heels also look great with Abayas. For formal weddings, a dressy kitten heel would also be a nice addition. For longer weddings, a comfortable flat is also a good option. Metallic and neutral colors work well to tie the whole outfit together.
Is it appropriate to wear a black lace abaya to a wedding?
A black lace abaya could work for a wedding, especially a reception that happens later in the day. You could wear it with nicer jewellery and a nice purse to accessorise. You may also want to make sure that the colour of your outfit adheres to the dress code for the wedding.
What do you wear under a lace abaya?
If you purchase a lace abaya with open or sheer panels, you may want to wear a slip or wear something under your abaya. Purchasing a lace abaya set will usually get you a slip to wear under your abaya.
Is a lace abaya appropriate for formal events?
Yes, lace abayas can be nice for family formal events like an engagement party or celebration, or for a wedding reception.
Styling a Lace Abaya
Learning how to style a lace abaya doesn't need to be difficult. With nice jewellery, a hijab, and some comfortable shoes, you're ready for your next celebration!
You can check out other styles at Modést Voir!
