Lapel Abayas: Five New Necklines Doing the Styling for You

Most mornings I decide on an abaya by looking at the neckline first. It's the part people see across a desk, on a video call, across the table at lunch. A lapel abaya does a lot of that work for you. It frames your face, sharpens the shoulders, and makes plain crepe look tailored before you've added anything. Five new styles just arrived, each with a different take on the collar. Here's how they differ and how I wear them to work and beyond.

Why a Lapel Abaya Looks Finished

A lapel creates structure where your eye lands first. The fold of fabric at the chest adds a line that a round neck doesn't have, so the abaya reads sharper even in a soft fabric. It also gives you somewhere to put a brooch, and it keeps a scarf sitting neatly rather than slipping. That's why I lean on this shape for meetings, interviews, and any day where I won't have time to think about styling.

The Notch Lapel

The Joumana Contrast Notch Lapel Abaya borrows straight from a blazer, the same menswear logic behind Napoleon collar abayas. The notch lapel and the front edge are trimmed in a contrast color, a single button closes it, and princess seams shape the bodice. The sleeves flare into turned-back bell cuffs. It's the most office-ready piece here, and the contrast trim means you don't need jewelry at all.

Featured Product: The Joumana Contrast Notch Lapel Abaya

Shawl Collars, Three Ways

A shawl collar is a lapel without the notch: one smooth curve from the neck down the front. It's softer than a blazer collar, and these three show how much range it has.

The Sharifa Shawl Collar Wrap Abaya has the biggest collar of the group, on a wrap front that fastens with a covered button at a waist tab. Wide turned-back cuffs finish in black lace, and the skirt falls to the floor in an A-line. It feels like a coat in the best way. I'd wear the off-white with black underneath to pick up the lace.

Featured Product: The Sharifa Shawl Collar Wrap Abaya

The Fatin Fringed Shawl Lapel Abaya is the evening version. The shawl lapel is in satin, and a tonal fringe runs along its edge and all the way down the front to the hem. The wrap front sits asymmetric, and the shoulders are padded, so it stays sharp while the fringe moves. This is my pick for a work dinner.

Featured Product: The Fatin Fringed Shawl Lapel Abaya

The Hawra Side-Tie Wrap Abaya is the easiest of the three. It's in soft Nida, with a shawl collar and a wrap front that ties at the side with pearl-drop ends. Beaded fringe trims the cuffs, and a shaped back seam pulls in the waist. No buttons, no fuss: tie it and go.

Featured Product: The Hawra Side-Tie Wrap Abaya

No Lapel, Same Structure

The Fakhra Pleated Fan Cuff Abaya proves you can get the tailored effect without a lapel. A small stand collar frames a V-neck, a concealed placket keeps the front clean, and vertical panel seams run the length of the body. The detail moves to the wrists, where pleated fans open out from each cuff. If lapels feel too formal for you, this is the one.

Featured Product: The Fakhra Pleated Fan Cuff Abaya

How I Style a Lapel Abaya for Work

Keep the neckline clear. A lapel already frames your face, so I skip necklaces and wear small earrings instead. If you wear a scarf, tuck the ends inside the collar so the line of the lapel stays visible. A brooch pinned on one side works well on the shawl collars. Underneath, go for a fitted inner dress in a matching tone, so nothing competes with the shape at the chest.

Related reading

• Workwear Abayas for the Office
• Notch Neck Abaya: This Month's Tailored Detail
• The Tailored Pieces Worth a Closer Look

A good lapel abaya saves you time every morning, because the collar does the styling before you reach for anything else. Pick the notch if you want sharp, a shawl collar if you want soft, and the Fakhra if you want structure without either. Most of them sit alongside the rest of this season's office pieces in the Workwear Collection.