Could face mask be considered the latest fashion accessory yet? well, the answer is an obvious Yes!. Considering what the world has been going through due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is no surprise.

Humans generally have ways of adjusting to situations and turning what might seem like a lemon into a lemonade.This has been made evident in different situations in life and so it is no surprise that the face mask is being made into a fashion accessory.

Equipped with all the necessary materials, fashion companies are prepared and ready to meet up with the demand for masks. Producing masks may seem simple-consumers want them,and retailers can make them. But those who sell masks run the risk of being accused of making big profits from the epidemic. Brands also need to communicate clearly with consumers, making them realize that wearing the mask alone cannot replace other safety measures, such as frequent hand washing and social distancing measures.

Simple facial coverings, like those sold by fashion brands, will not prevent the wearer from getting infected,but may help prevent them from spreading the virus. The most protective medical masks worn by medical personnel in high-risk situations filter out 95% of the particles in the air, including viruses.

WHY THE NEED TO WEAR A MASK

The corona virus infection can be transmitted in several different routes;

• An infected person can cough, sneeze or breathe while within about two metres of another person, and the virus lands in the other person’s eyes, nose or mouth.
• Another route is when an infected person coughs or sneezes onto their hand or onto a surface. The uninfected person then shakes the hand or touches the surface and transfers the virus to their own eye, nose or mouth.
• It is possible that an infected person can also cough or sneeze to create an airborne spread beyond the close contact range – but it is controversial whether this last route is a major means of transmission.                                                                                                                                                                                    We don’t know how much transmission occurs by each of these routes for COVID-19. It’s also unclear how much protection a mask would offer in each case. However,wearing a mask helps protect people around you from contracting the virus if you are infected but have no symptoms. Hence, blocking your respiratory droplets.

If everyone puts on a mask, it will help reduce the spread of the virus in our communities.

FACE MASK AS AN ONGOING TREND

Of course, long before the outbreak of Covid-19, in air-polluted cities, activists hid their faces during rallies. Also,many healthy citizens of East Asia wore masks in crowded places and on public transport. Celebrities have also been instrumental in driving demand for face masks for aesthetic purposes.

As people are becoming more aware of the importance of wearing a mask, it should be accompanied with frequent hand washing and physical distancing.

Whether wearing a mask will become a trend even after the COVID-19 Pandemic, is not certain yet. But we are focused on the present and interested in how fashionable these non-medical(cloth) face masks are.

TRENDY, FASHIONABLE, AND FUNCTIONAL

Fashion designers are now focused on not just how comfortable a face mask is. They also try to make it aesthetically pleasing and fashionable. A wide variety of designs and styles are already available with some people making fashion statements with their choice(s).Most of them are simply pieces of fabric with straps, decorated with puppy dogs, Wonder Woman, Star Wars, rainbows and other designs. Some are embellished with pearls.

Whichever design you chose to adopt, you are sure of protecting others around you.Also making a statement with your mask.

Here are a few styles and designs of cloth face masks:

photo credit:http://pinterest.com

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