Liz Skitch

The sun in Melbourne is like a friend that can’t decide to whether or not to come out with you. You beg, ‘Come on, come out! It’s going to be so much better if you are there’. And the she goes, ‘I don’t know if I feel like it’. Meanwhile, you are trying to decide what to wear (which mumu to slip into) and she finally tells you, ‘Okay, okay, I’m going to come out’. So you slip into something fun and summery but then on the way to where you are going, she calls to say she is not coming after all. Suddenly it is cold and desolate, an arctic wind bites through your light cotton mumu and she has left you stranded yet again! Get the idea? So, need a Mumu for a chilli day? Try the Mumu Hoodie! This is a special number. Feels kind of like wearing a tracksuit. Very comfy around the home. But can also be styled up, as you can see in the photo of Xanthe Beesley who looked a Russian supermodel in the Hooded- Mu at the recent mumu party.

Today I had to select my Mumu wisely. There was a lot on the cards: the morning in Melbourne, a trip to Brisbane and an audition. I awoke to arctic conditions in Melbourne… this called for a long sleeved number… however, I knew that the Sunshine State was expecting a top of 30. So nothing too heavy. Then there was the audition to consider. What mumu would suit Titania, Queen of the Fairies??? Turns out that it was a very simple decision, I reached for my all -time favourite mumu and it couldn’t have served me better. I felt fabulous all day… apart from experiencing delays with Tiger and having to push my audition back a couple of hours! Walking along the Brizzie rive was the highlight, turned some heads and made some friends.
The only worry is that if I keep wearing all my favourite mumus at the top of this challenge, then the left overs will become less and less appealing. Might be time for one of the oversized potato sacks tomorrow!

Okay it is more a kaftan than a mumu, but perfect for a hot late November day. It finally feels like summer has arrived here in Melbourne and this little Brizzie girl couldn’t be happier about that. Today I had some business in the city and I felt very clever moving through the swarths of men in suits and teenage girls in too tight jeans, with each step knowing that I was wearing the most practical clothing for this kind of weather. I must admit I was a little disappointed that no one stopped me and said, “Hey- I wish I was wearing what you are wearing”, but I could almost hear them thinking it.

I must admit that I woke up yesterday morning (post mumu party) thinking, did I? Did I really make that promise? And will anyone care if I don’t follow through? Following a spot of cleaning up and a shower I went to get dressed and looked into my wardrobe, uninspired. That’s right! That’s why I took on this challenge, to make life easier, more fun and to mix things up a bit. And how could I have even thought of turning my back on my fabulous collection! There it stood in all its majesty, boasting colour and practically screaming at me, PUT ME ON! But which one? The house hold had decided on a trip to Noodle Palace on the Preston High Street for lunch so I let that inspire me and chose an oriental looking mumu. And how did the day go? I felt fabulous stepping out in my mu and turns out the choice was perfect for the consumption of about a hundred dumplings… no need to loosen any buttons.

The Project:
To wear forty mumus over forty days.
The Rules:
Never wear the same mumu twice
If a new mumu is added to the collection, another day is added to the challenge.
Rational:
To counter my daily teenage like fashion crisis, to rebel against fashion trends, to express individuality, to experience freedom, to brighten the sidewalk wherever I go, to be more graceful and playful and to celebrate femininity.
Definition of a mumu:
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.
The Collection:
I have a wonderful collection of mumus which began about ten years ago when I acquired a couple of my Mum’s mumus. Mum is the hostess with the mostess and I have seen photos of mum wearing these mumus at parties that she and Dad threw in the seventies (they assure me that no key swapping took place at these events). I was inspired to throw a party of my own and invite guests to come dressed in Mumus. Years later, we have just had the eighth annual Mumu party and my collection has grown to forty mumus from all around the world and includes designer mumus from the sixties and seventies.