Mumu*

Before I left for vacation, several coworkers said, “Make sure you relax while you are gone”. Friends told me to “get some rest”.

When I arrived in Hawaii, in addition to “aloha”, people here have also told me to “hang loose”. Fortunately, the national dress of Hawaii is very conducive to hanging loose. I’m not talking about bikini’s, mini-skirts, or shorts and t-shirts… I’m talking about the ultimate outfit in relaxation… the mumu.

Made of approximately 7 yards of fabric that has the consistency of a shopping bag, the mumu’s "size" is primarily determined by how big the neck hole is. Brightly colored, the mumu screams “I am relaxing” or, “I am wearing a tent”.

After receiving a nasty sunburn (I blame Sheila for the incorrect application of the SPF 50), I decided that I really needed clothes that would really allow me to relax, but not necessarily touch my body. My mom got into the act as well, and we decided that we needed to buy some mumu’s to start the vacation off right.

We headed over to the Honolulu International Market Place where you can buy anything imaginable as long as it is Hawaiian print. One of the first stands that we came across was Larry’s. Larry had mumu’s as far as the eye could see and was very keen on putting the two of us in mumu’s.

Part of his sales approach was flattery. To me he said, “Oh, you need a medium mumu. You’re very sexy”, to which I replied, “Keep in clean Larry, my mom is right here”. Anyway, while I was selecting the perfect color, my mom drove a hard bargain, making sure that Larry gave us a fair price as Larry stammered his apologies for making inappropriate comments about her eldest daughter.

After a few short minutes, cash changed hands, and my mom and I are the proud owners of hot pink mumu’s. The mumu is really the ideal outfit - with the consistency of a shopping bag, anything you spill just tends of roll off of the fabric. They are lightweight and airy. They are perfect for even the most conservative dresser, as they leave lots to the imagination, showing only a teeny bit of leg, which drives the guys like Larry wild. My Dad and sister are ashamed to be seen with us in public, but I am pretty sure that their crankiness is a result of clothing which is too constrictive.

The more I think about it, the mumu would really be perfect for DC. As a whole, the city dresses rather conservatively and is sweltering hot in the summer. So really, what we need is an urban outfit that keeps you cool and doesn’t reveal much skin… perhaps the Urban Mumu?