Abaya Embellishments

This photo shows a closeup of the shoulders of a rack of abayas, the traditionally black cloak that Saudi women wear out in public.  While many Saudi women prefer to wear plain black abayas, many women in Saudi Arabia choose to wear abayas with some type of embellishments on them, like beading, embroidery, sequins, printed fabrics, or endless other trimmings.  The fabrics for abayas can vary too, from silk to crepe to polyester to knits.  Colored abayas are still few and far between, but are slowly becoming increasingly popular.  Most abayas also include a matching scarf called hijab, which is worn to cover the hair.