Many people do not know the word MuuMuu means "amputated" in Hawaiian.

This may have originated in the Protestant missionary period in Hawaii in reference to the effects of leprosy.

The MuuMuu was, and still is, commonly worn during illness.

Originally it was a shorter, informal version of the more formal holoku. Holoku was the original name for the Mother Hubbard dress introduced by Protestant missionaries to Hawaii in the 1820s.

The holoku featured long sleeves and a floor-length unfitted dress falling from a high-necked yoke. Over the years, the holoku approximated more closely to European and American fashions.

It might have a fitted waist, and even a train for evening.

As the holoku became more elaborate, the MuuMuu, a shortened version, became popular for informal wear.

Today the MuuMuu is commonly worn in hot climates for comfort and ease of changing. As the body perspires, the garment may be easily changed for a cleaner one several times throughout the day.