Does My Mask Match My Pantsuit?
MAGA “Masks A Great Accessory”
Nobody loves fashion more than I. I grew up with a Fashion Diva mother who drove to San Jose from Santa Cruz just to find a decent department store. Growing up in a hippie community didn’t exactly lend itself to fashion, so we bombed out of town to do the real down and dirty at Valley Fair Mall.
When COVID-19 broke out and I realized we were all going to be wearing masks for at least a year, I knew it was time to start looking for a fashionable option—those N-95 masks left marks on my face and sweated off my make-up.
I quickly ordered many mask options online. (That was 5 weeks ago, and I still don’t have them—but that’s a different blog). For now, I am wearing the simple cutouts that Target sells at their front door.
I’ve discovered that masks actually benefit us beauty fashionistas. First of all, a mask covers my mouth, so I don’t need to wear lipstick. This perk has been nice. At first, I found myself applying lipstick before putting my mask on--funny how we are such creatures of habit. A mask saves me money on cosmetic purchases, and it covers the lines on my chin. Then when I take it off, I can wear it on my neck, and cover up the lines there as well. I’m beginning to love my mask.
Another thing I have learned is you have to wash your hands before and after placing your mask over your face. When washing your mask don’t listen to the nuts out there that tell you to microwave it or spray it down with Lysol—both terrible ideas. If you can’t wash it in a sink or washing machine, don’t bother.
I have also had such fun being a voyeur while wearing my mask. I can mask up with sunglasses and a hat and become invisible to the world. Just two months ago I would have been followed around the store with a security camera--now you look crazy if you don’t have a mask and gloves. It is fun to run into someone whom you don’t want to see, and be able to hide out and listen to what they are saying without them knowing you are there.
Masks have become a daily essential-- like grabbing my sunglasses and wallet before leaving in the morning. The other day I panicked because I forgot to pack my mask which stopped me from grocery shopping; I ended up using a bandana and all was fine, but it was sort of like forgetting my phone.
Finally, a mask can be a beautiful fashion accessory. Vogue magazine recently published a top story stating, “masks to shop now” and over 250,000 masks were ordered in 24 hours. All the sites sold out. You can order anything from Gingham to tie-dye—but you are going to have to wait until the next round of supplies or get out your sewing machines.
My new hero is Nancy Pelosi who has mastered matching her mask to her pantsuit. She is also making a political statement to our many Republican leaders, including our President, who refuse to wear a mask. It seems small minded to think democracy means “you’re not the boss of me.” Democracy demands a commitment to the whole of society. We don’t smoke in public to protect others; we should wear masks in public to do the same.
Research now indicates that it is difficult to contract COVID 19 from touching surfaces, but that wearing masks and socially distancing may be all we need to get back to a new normal. With retailers, shopping center developers, restaurants and all other businesses complaining about store closures, it only makes sense our leaders should insist we all follow these protocols to return to the economic well-being we enjoyed before March 13th.
Source: Maskclub.com, Retail Dive, Louis Vuitton