Prior to this pandemic, it was unusual to see other people in public with masks. It would be quite bizarre to see someone in the supermarket, mall, or even on the streets wearing them, we would typically try to stay away because of the worry of what that person may have. Yet, since the start of the pandemic, we began to wear medical face masks. As society began to realize the gravity of the coronavirus they began to wear more protective masks. Once they became more of a norm people began to express themselves through patterns, political affiliations, teams supported, the list goes on. Celebrities such as Isaiah Washington wore Pro-Trump masks, Kate Middleton is known to coordinate her masks with her outfit of the day, and celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston and Tracee Ellis Ross were more concerned about comfort and breathing abilities, promoting sport like masks. I personally really enjoyed the twists and originality individuals put into their masks. The designs and patterns on the masks were not the only forms of expression, people began to add mask holders, making it easier to keep track of the masks, an alternative size of the masks, usually for singers, altercations to the part that holds the ear. There are kids, people, and celebrities that have expressed their mask styles which have been liked by the public simply because it was, as far as we were concerned, the new everyday norm and addition to our apparel from now on. From the surgical masks to bejeweled and lighten up masks, there are a number of ways individuals implemented their own little fun twist. Even though the virus has done massive harm globally, we have made the best with the strict requirement of having to wear a mask in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. Just like clothing, one could tell a lot about a person through the type of mask they have on. It is hard to breathe through them at times and some may say annoying, but we made the best out of the worst possible situation. The customization of the masks was a great form of sunshine amidst a storm.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Manhattan chapter.