Hello, lovelies and a warm welcome to the blog this week. How is the new normal going?, fine I hope. Speaking of the new normal let’s talk about the latest fashion item and the new normal accessory — the face mask.
Y’all remember that earlier this year, when the pandemic wasn’t as severe as it is now, celebrities such as Omashola Kola and Ada Afoluwake Ogunkeye AKA FoluStorms graced the AMVCA sporting glittery and bejewelled face masks and although they received a bit of criticism from fans and the media, I think we can all agree now that they were just being fashion-forward.
Nigerian celebrities were not the first and only ones to be fashion-forward at awards as Billie Eilish, the American teenage musician also attended the Grammy’s wearing a Gucci designer face mask; Even models wore designer masks at the Marine Serre’s Paris Fashion week show. In recent times, various celebrities have been photographed by the paparazzi while taking a walk or jogging rocking stylish face masks, thereby setting an example and a trend for the world.
Face masks were popularly worn by the East Asian public in countries like China, Japan, and South Korea even before the coronavirus pandemic started due to their poor air quality. They wore it to reduce the spread of airborne diseases and to prevent the breathing in of airborne dust particles created by air pollution. It is no wonder that face masks quickly became a fashion item in that part of the world with various cute designs and is incredibly popular among the Asian youth. If you’re a Korean movie fan, you are probably familiar with that fact, lol.
When the pandemic started, the advice given by the WHO, was that only infected persons should wear masks but now, CDC advises that everyone should put on a face mask in public as one may be a carrier of the virus and be asymptomatic. Although wearing a face mask affords the wearer some degree of protection, it is mainly for the protection of others and to slow down the spread of the virus.
Surgical masks are the ideal masks to use because they are made of a non woven fabric created using a melt blowing process and it prevents infection by catching bacteria and other harmful particles shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the wearer’s mouth and nose but because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there is a shortage and the ones available are intended for the health practitioners; therefore due to the shortage, CDC has approved of the use of cloth masks with at least two layers of fabric or filter for the general public.
It is a given that since it has become compulsory to put on a mask in public we would want one that is aesthetically pleasing, it covers half of the face after all and so many fashion designers and business both small and large have taken the opportunity to make and sell cloth face masks with a variety of styles and designs, affording us the opportunity to make a statement and protect others in style.
With the pros of the fashionable face mask also comes the cons which include being uncomfortable and having difficulty in breathing but keep in mind that if you’re having a hard time breathing in your mask, the size and style of the mask is most likely the issue. When picking a mask, ensure that it is snug enough to fit the face so as to prevent droplets from entering or exiting through the sides but large enough that it does not restrict your breathing ability, you can try different types of face masks till you find the perfect one that works for you.
If you are using the surgical mask then ensure you dispose of it by putting it in a plastic bag or nylon and then throwing it into the bin immediately after a single use or when torn or soaked during use. You should have more than one cloth face mask, you can build a collection having some plain and some patterned or designed to fit your outfit, for example, Ankara patterns, flower patterns or something cute like a cat nose and whiskers, you can do whatever just go to town with it and ensure they are washed and laundered after every use or outing. Who knows? The facemask might eventually become a true fashion accessory even after this pandemic finally ends after all hats and sunglasses also started out as items meant for protection from the sun, who’s to say that this new normal accessory won’t become a permanently normal one?
Oh well, till next time then, remember to wash your hands and eat well, pray and keep hope alive. Stay stylish, stay safe.
Lots of love,
Amara.
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