Scenic Hawaii.
I have an aunt whom I absolutely adore. She calls me periodically to ask how I am doing, and she even brought me some homemade mundoo (Korean dumplings) after learning I had contracted Bell’s Palsy last December. Most of the time she makes me laugh, and I truly enjoy our conversations.
However, I really don’t like it when she tells me I should stop wearing muumuus (long Hawaiian gowns). Her idea of appropriate attire is long pants and shirt. When I returned from my trip to Hong Kong in 2010, she asked if I had worn muumuus on my trip.
“Of course,” I replied.
“Oh, no!” she said. “Weren’t you embarrassed?”
“Now, why would I be embarrassed? I’ll tell you what would embarrass me: showing off my bulges while wearing pants and shirt! Muumuus, on the other hand, hide everything.”
Well, my aunt still doesn’t see it from my point of view. In fact, most women in Hawaii feel the same way she does. It’s rare to walk down the street and see someone in a muumuu approaching you. I am the exception rather than the norm. Why is that, I wonder.
Just look at this recent photo of my family. David is wearing an aloha shirt, and I am wearing a muumuu. But, my daughters and son-in-law are dressed in clothing that is so un-Hawaiian!
Me, David, Lisa, Rylan, Maria, Julia, and Grant.
This is Hawaii! Wear Hawaiian clothes in Hawaii!!!
P.S. And, yes, I do intend to wear muumuus in India. You won’t catch me in a sari. Lol.
gigi-hawaii 
June 27, 2012 at 1:11 am |
My vote goes to the aloha shirt, with muumuu following close behind.
This would be ideal for India!
Now do you get them made or buy them readymade?
June 27, 2012 at 2:47 am |
We buy them ready made from the store.
June 27, 2012 at 2:39 am |
David is looking gorgeous as usual in the nice blue Hawaiian aloha shirt.
June 27, 2012 at 3:15 am |
You look great! Muumuus are a little hard to tromp around in/out of tour busses as a tourist. I think 20-somethings still want to be overly cute vs. comfortable. They may change as they get older. We can’t rush that kind of stuff. DrumMajor
June 27, 2012 at 3:32 am |
I really believe in wearing what is comfortable and looks good, which you do!
June 27, 2012 at 3:58 am |
I enjoy loose clothing, but I haven’t worn a skirt in decades! I like pants, but I usually wear a loose fitting shirt and sometimes a vest over that. Oh I did wear a skirt once, but it was a Halloween costume! 🙂
June 27, 2012 at 5:18 am |
Wear what you feel comfortable in and what makes you feel good. It doesn’t matter what others think.
June 27, 2012 at 5:53 am |
You sure get a lot of unsolicited advice! I say wear what you want!
June 27, 2012 at 6:04 am |
After all these years, I still have the little Hawaiian shirts my boys wore in Hawaii and the muumuu Connie wore. I kept mine for years, but they have gone by the wayside. I think I gave them to one of my granddaughters for a school play. Doesn’t matter anyway, I am not a size 10 any more. You should wear what you like. I like pants myself.
June 27, 2012 at 6:06 am |
I haven’t worn a dress or muumuu in ages. The last one was when our son got married. I know what you mean about hiding bulges but I’m stubborn and insist on wearing pants, mostly jeans. One day I’m going to have to break that habit and start wearing slacks. I’m looking forward to sewing more (like in my younger years) and I’ll start by making much needed alterations so my clothes can fit better. I also love reading quilting blogs and got hooked on quite a few. So much to do…hope I have the time to do all I want one day.
I think you’re fine to wear what you want on a trip. The world is so cosmopolitan that I think nothing will shock anyone anymore.
L. from W.
June 27, 2012 at 9:25 am |
You are lucky you can sew. I used to sew when I was in college, but gave it up because I had the darndest time sewing zippers! And the worst part was taking out the stitches to alter the measurements!
June 27, 2012 at 4:26 pm
No zippers to sew on clothes these days. But somewhere in our house (or back storage shed), I know I have tons of zippers in all colors and lengths lol I don’t know how but I collected quite a few along the years.
L. from W.
June 27, 2012 at 4:32 pm
All of my newer muumuus have zippers. Funny that I don’t unzip them to put the muumuus on. They slip right over my head. So, I guess the zippers are unnecessary.
June 27, 2012 at 9:22 am |
I think it is wonderful that you wear muumuus. I would love to pass you on the street. It would make me happy to see the traditional dress.
June 27, 2012 at 10:14 am |
Mahalo, Nanny!
June 27, 2012 at 10:32 am |
When I lived on the Mainland, Aloha shirts that were perfect in Hawaii somehow seemed too gaudy. But in Hawaii, the Aloha shirt feels just right. It is even worn at funerals.
I attended a Jewish grave-side funeral service recently and I was given an Aloha yarmulke to wear.[A yarmulke (pronounced yommacah) is a small skull cap worn at certain religiously significant occasions.] This yarmulke was made of several brightly colored panels. Again, I felt that it was just right.
A local custom I think is humorous for men is to wear the Aloha shirt tucked in at the waist at work and “serious” formal occasions and “tucked out” when dressing informally.
June 27, 2012 at 11:08 am |
David always wears his aloha shirt outside his pants even to work, because he is short waisted. Also, it covers his bulges. Lol.
June 27, 2012 at 2:57 pm |
Like DJan, I like wearing pants, and haven’t worn a skirt in years. But then we live in the northwest, where a 70 degree day is warm.
In India I would probably still be in my jeans and tee shirt. 🙂
June 27, 2012 at 9:29 pm |
Good for you! You are comfortable and you always look nice.
June 29, 2012 at 3:57 pm |
Glad to see you wear what works for you and looks happy and festive . Since my stroke elastic waist yoga pants, t-shirts and athletic shoes with lots of support are everyday attire for me.
A good looking whether in dressed Hawaiian-style or not.
July 4, 2012 at 8:56 pm |
Am surprised to learn muumuus are not so prevalent on Oahu as I recall being so common when I spent time in Kailua years ago. I thought they were wonderful and made great fashion sense — especially when I returned to the mainland and was becoming more hippy–as in weight gain! Also, I think they’re most attractive and am sorry they may not be being worn as much.
I do like saris, too, which is the native dress of my neighbor here, though I’ve not seen her wear any. Many of hers with gold threads were taken years ago when her home was broken into soon after they moved here. She expressed concern to me that it might be because of her color, but other neighbors and I assured her that we thought not and was primarily because their house was on a more vulnerable corner lot.