There Is A Mask For Everyone
With ‘fashion masks’ coming out, there’s no excuse not to wear one
What Wearing A Mask Means
I was walking back from the hospital in my scrubs; my hair was a greasy nest and I had bags under my eyes. I was too tired to notice the sunny day or the stranger on my left, a young woman who was walking parallel to me, a respectful six feet away.
She noted my attire, I think, and said, “Thank you for what you do.”
I smiled at her, though, under my mask, I’m not sure she noticed. She might have thought I was squinting at her.
She pointed to her mask, a black fabric one with white text and a red heart.
“See my mask?”
It read, I (heart) healthcare workers.
I nodded, “Thank you.”
She went into a long story about how her antibodies came back negative but that is for a different essay. The point is, she had a special mask on, one that expressed her sentiments without her having to say anything at all. Cuomo has said that wearing a mask is a sign of respect and I concur. (Update: This morning he said ‘wearing a mask is cool’.) At this point, it is just blatantly disrespectful not to wear one. Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have worried about human nature: people will not do things for the greater good; they will only do it for their own good. Will appealing to their kindness work, like Daniel Levy did?
Fashion Masks
My family has been making masks at home since late March. My aunt and uncle, who used to be fashion designers and are adept at seamstressing, had made a prototype mask out of semi-permeable, reusable grocery tote bags from a Hong Kong design popularized by Dr. K. Kwong early in the pandemic. My sister had hand-sewn a handful of masks made from an old pair of flannel pajama pants. My partner and I were the lucky recipients of these, considering that they are comfortable to wear, soft on the inside with a second layer on the outside. My friend had shipped us a set she had made out of fabrics patterned with flowers and science symbols. I knew, two months ago, it would inevitable that someday a Gucci mask would exist.
In our endless debate about whether N95 masks are better than K-N95 or one-way valve N95s, or if surgical masks are equivalent to ‘non-medical masks’, or if ‘face coverings’ are even suitable to prevent spread of COVID-19, we have completely negated the most important factor: the fashionability of this accessory.
People will always want to express their individuality, even when half of their face is hidden. Masking is going to be long-term — I think that even as the restrictions are lifted, we will continue to wear a mask until the end of the year. Some people will choose to wear a mask long after the pandemic ends. In some parts of the world, like Bangkok and Beijing, commuters wear a mask because of the pollution. In places where a mask is a necessity and just another way of life, we can afford to splurge on a mask that matches our outfits.
Etsy jumped on the bandwagon quickly. Another friend, Caroline, turned her Etsy accessory shop into a mask-making shop. In a large scale operation, Christian Siriano, of Project Runway fame, was one of the first to use his skills towards mass producing masks. I follow a bunch of talented people on Instagram, and a lot of them, most notably, Sophie and Lili, made pretty patterned masks for healthcare workers. Project Repat turned old scrubs into masks. Even Louise Penny, the prolific author of mysteries, commissioned a few masks made out of a ‘Three Pines’ patterned fabric and offered them, free, to people who needed them.
Why People Are Making Masks
People who are unable to get an endless supply of disposable masks are going to need reusable fabric ones. One of my family members in Hong Kong said that he uses one per day and then throws it away. I hate to think about what is happening to our landfills.
Then the eighth week of the pandemic came. I opened up my Inbox and was inundated with masks. Athleta has one, Grayson has one, Playbill has a Broadway one. Inkka Shoes has one. Most notably, of course, were the Disney masks. While I will likely eventually own a Baby Yoda mask, I have to ask: what is the intent behind all these companies producing masks? Is it: A) to help people wear a mask, B) to stay relevant in a world where our non-essential consumption threatens to decrease, or C) to sell goods?
I tend to give humanity the benefit of the doubt. In recent articles, mask-makers have claimed that the proceeds either go towards supporting essential workers or their staff, or that for every mask sold, one is donated to someone in need. One report said Etsy sold $133 million in masks thus far. I think that people are also just trying to help however they can, and making masks works.
Like my sister, who pricked her fingers countless times while sewing facemasks for her sister and sister-in-law, who are both doctors. Maybe sometimes one mask is worth a thousand words.
Carmen Fong is a writer, artist, and colorectal surgeon who lives in New York City with her partner and two cats. She was a Stony Brook Children’s Literature Fellow and writes young adult novels. She also blogs about healthcare and surgery. Her poetry has been published in The Apothecary and on Medium.
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