Thoughts on fashion

Saudi abayas are generally black. Some fashionable or less conservative women will bling theirs up with embroideries or crystals and don matching hijabs, but they're still all black. There are several advantages and disadvantages of black abayas.

Advantages

• Black withstands stains. Unlike the men's white robes, black is very stain-friendly. This is helpful as we have to wear the same abaya for the three weeks that we are here. 
  
• Black can be slimming. Okay, so the abaya is a giant black mumu, and it's not exactly figure  flattering -- or else it would defeat the purpose. But I guess I wanted to offer more than one advantage. 

Disadvantages

• Black is very hot. Saudi Arabia is very sunny and hot. Having your head wrapped in a black cloth and wearing black make you feel like you are enduring cruel and unusual punishment. 
• Black is hard to see. So our neighborhood doesn't really have sidewalks so we opt to walk on less busy streets to go have dinner or to the stores. The four of us get very nervous about cars not being able to see us at night.