Muumuu

Muumuu
Woman wearing brightly-colored muʻumuʻu

The muumuu or muʻumuʻu (English pronunciation: /ˈmuːmuː/) is a loose dress of Hawaiian origin[1] that hangs from the shoulder. Like the Aloha shirt, muumuu exports are often brilliantly colored with floral patterns of generic Polynesian motifs. Muumuu for local Hawaiian residents are more subdued in tone. Muumuu are no longer as widely worn at work as the aloha shirt, but continue to be the preferred formal dress for weddings and festivals such as the Merrie Monarch hula competition. They are also frequently worn as a uniform by women working in the hotel industry[citation needed]. Muumuu are also popular as maternity wear because they do not restrict the waist.

Contents

Etymology and history

The word muʻumuʻu means "amputated" in Hawaiian, and relates to the effects of Hansen's Disease during the Hawaiian missionary period[citation needed]. Originally it was a shorter, informal version of the more formal holokū. Holokū was the original name for the Mother Hubbard dress introduced by Protestant missionaries to Hawaii in the 1820s.[2] The holokū featured long sleeves and a floor-length unfitted dress falling from a high-necked yoke. Over the years, the holokū approximated more closely to European and American fashions. It might have a fitted waist, and even a train for evening. As the holokū became more elaborate, the muumuu, a shortened version, became popular for informal wear.

In popular culture

  • In the U.S. sitcom Three's Company, the character Helen Roper is seen exclusively wearing muumuus.
  • In the comic strip Zippy the Pinhead, Zippy usually wears a disconcerting polka-dot muumuu.[3][4]
  • In the Simpsons episode "King-Size Homer", after gaining 61 pounds in order to claim a disability and work at home, Homer wears a Muumuu, as his regular clothes no longer fit him.

References

Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii portal
  1. ^ Gary Luke and Susan R. Quinn, Americanisms: The Illustrated Book of Words Made in the USA (Sasquatch Books, 2003), [1].
  2. ^ Joan Burnham (March 24, 1960), Show Will Trace Muu-muu Origins, Los Angeles Times, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/446292872.html?dids=446292872:446292872&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Mar+24%2C+1960&author=JOAN+BURNHAM&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Show+Will+Trace+Muu-muu+Origins&pqatl=google 
  3. ^ David Daley (May 30, 2000), "Hartford Courant", Hartford Courant: p. D.1, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/54820801.html?dids=54820801:54820801&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=May+30%2C+2000&author=DAVID+DALEY%3B+Courant+Staff+Writer&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=NOTHING+FINER+THAN+A+DINER+%60ZIPPY'+CREATOR+AT+HOME+IN+SHINING+SILVER+PALACES+OF+SHORT-ORDER+FOOD&pqatl=google 
  4. ^ Bill Griffith (2008), Marketing Through Minefields, Harvard Business Press, p. 87, ISBN 9781422199923, http://books.google.com/?id=bktLaSRoG1sC&pg=PA87 

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • muumuu — (n.) also muu muu, 1923, from Hawaiian mu u mu u, lit. cut off, name given to the local adaptation of the dresses given to Island women by early 19c. Christian missionaries in the early days when a few flowers sufficed for a garment [Don Blanding …   Etymology dictionary

  • muumuu — ☆ muumuu [mo͞o′mo͞o΄ ] n. [Haw mu umu u, lit., cut off: so named to distinguish it from other garment styles with yokes and long sleeves] a full, long, loose garment for women, usually in a bright print as originally worn in Hawaii …   English World dictionary

  • Muumuu — Artículo o sección sin relevancia enciclopédica aparente: el asunto o la redacción inducen a creer que debería ser borrado. Por favor, añade argumentos o edita el artículo, según corresponda, y añade referencias a fuentes fiables e independientes …   Wikipedia Español

  • Muumuu — Eine Sängerin (rechts) trägt ein Muʻumuʻu Das Muʻumuʻu (IPA: /ˈmumu/) ist ein traditionelles hawaiʻianisches Kleid, das locker und weder mit Bund noch anderweitig körperbetont geschnitten ist und hängt so von den Schultern herab. Ursprünglich von …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • muumuu —    (moo moo) [Hawaiian] In Hawaii, a long, loose, flowing woman’s garment, gathered at the neckline, usually made of bright colored cotton; a housedress in similar style.    She celebrated her 85th birthday in a brilliant muumuu with matching… …   Dictionary of foreign words and phrases

  • Muumuu House — Status Active Founded 2008 Founder Tao Lin Country of origin USA Headquarters location …   Wikipedia

  • muumuu — noun Etymology: Hawaiian mu umu u, from mu umu u cut off Date: 1923 a loose often long dress having bright colors and patterns and adapted from the dresses originally distributed by missionaries to the native women of Hawaii …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • muumuu — /mooh mooh /, n. 1. a long, loose hanging dress, usually brightly colored or patterned, worn esp. by Hawaiian women. 2. a similar dress worn as a housedress. [1920 25; < Hawaiian mu umu u name of the dress, lit., cut off; so called because it… …   Universalium

  • muumuu — noun A long loose fitting dress made of lightweight fabric printed with bright, stylized Hawaiian themes (such as flowers and palm branches) …   Wiktionary

  • muumuu —  Loose fitting Hawaiian dress …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

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