
~I have been thinking about the Abaya as one of The Temple's clothing options, 'option' being the operative word. No item of day to day clothing will ever be mandatory for Sisters in The Temple. As time goes by some items of dress – or lack thereof – will become required for Ceremony, Ritual and Workings, but beyond that, Sisters will always be free to wear what they choose.
So, the Abaya, which means 'cloak', and the Niqāb, the face veil covering all but the eyes, have an appeal to them in that they 'defeat the Male Gaze'. In Islam, that is meant to isolate Women from the world in order to keep them prisoners of their families and/or their husbands.
But what I'm thinking here is its use to 'block out the world' as a Sister travels through it. This would be most practical in many parts of the world where Patriarchy is deeply entrenched. Of course wearing an Abaya here in the States would freak out some people, but it would probably be more or less okay in large urban areas.
I'm also seeing the practical and fashion possibilities here. A black Abaya made of wool would be very comfortable in cold winters. It could be easily removed once indoors, as well. Remember, this is not about 'institutionalized modestly', but a Sister's own choice. In summer, an Abaya made of a light weight and light colored cotton would be very cool, as a Sister could be nearly naked underneath. Wear it over your bikini when heading to the beach! It would also be quite practical for a desert based group.
We'd make our own versions. This could be one of The Temple's businesses too. Probably find a nice market among Muslim women in The West, which could also be a cultural inroad as well.
Then again I could be talking out of my ass...