When sundresses first arrived on the fashion scene, perhaps sometime in the 1940’s, the overall look was one of modesty and style. One of the main reasons for their emergence was to provide women with attire which was cool yet modest and fashionable all at the same time. Since most women wore dresses at that time, they were looking for a style which would still allow them to be feminine in their dress yet keep cool during the hot, summer months. The main pattern for sundresses during this era included thick straps, almost big enough to be considered short sleeves, and a full skirt falling right below the knee. The patterns were bright in color and often featured a floral motif.