Take Your Mask Fashion to the Next Level

Like it or not, face masks are the biggest fashion trend of 2020. After all…everyone’s wearing them! All kidding aside, many health officials have said that face masks are the best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep everyone safe. In many places, you don’t even have the option of not wearing a mask.

They are required to wear in many public spaces now and they do help other people feel more comfortable during challenging times. So if you’ve got to wear it anyway, you might as well make sure it’s looking good. Start making your face mask a part of your overall style. Once you get into the fashion of face masks a little bit, you might not even mind wearing them anymore.

FYI, thanks to AI imagery software, we’re able to create very specific fashion and hairstyle examples to illustrate the points being made. In some cases, imagery is exaggerated to hammer home the point.

A Mask By Any Other Material

There are a few different options out there when it comes to face coverings. But for most people, a simple cloth mask is the most appropriate. Most of the time, a surgical mask or a big deal medical mask just isn’t necessary. You can wear a full face shield or even get creative with a 2-liter bottle, but in most situations, an ordinary cloth mask will do. This is also the most fashionable option and an affordable one. If you want to play around with mask style, you’re probably going to be doing it with a standard cloth mask.

These masks are designed to fit over your mouth and nose. They hook around each ear and sit across the lower half of your face. This has become the standard look for 2020. But you can shake your mask style up a little bit and have some fun with the fashion of living through a pandemic. Because if it’s nothing else, fashion is adaptable to current trends, current life and current problems facing the world.

Wearing Face Masks Fashionably

There was a bit of a run on masks at the beginning of the pandemic. For a while there, getting your hands on a mask was actually pretty hard. But now, face masks are available in a huge multitude of colors, styles, and patterns. You can get them customized with messages or images. You can get them made up to look like the faces of animals or celebrities. But like all fashion, there’s a right way and a wrong way to wear your face mask. Learn how to make it a part of your outfit so your face mask is an element of your overall look.

Are you going to wear a mask in a solid color? it seems like a simple or even a boring choice, compared to some of the many graphic and funky designs out there, but there is a way to make a solid mask really stand out as a fashion statement. One option is to choose a mask in a matching shade that goes with something you have on.

Matching a mask to what you’re wearing is a good way to look put-together. But you can play with mask fashion a little by matching it to your accessories. Wear a mask in the same color as your purse and shoes to have some bold pops of color to call attention to your style. And if you’re feeling really adventurous, try a contrasting mask. Choose a color that contrasts against what you’re wearing to really make your mask stand out and turn it into the focal point of your outfit.

Try wearing plaid and patterned face masks. This can be a little bit trickier because you have a little less freedom when planning your outfits. If you’re going to wear a plaid or a pattern on your mask, choose the rest of your wardrobe for the day wisely. if you’re wearing plaid or a pattern in the rest of your clothing, it has to match your mask exactly. For the most part, you don’t want to mix different patterns in the same outfit because this can make your outfits look too busy or cluttered.

If you don’t have a mask that matches your pattern exactly, wear a patterned mask with an outfit that’s mostly in solid colors or very simple, basic patterns like stripes. Match the colors of the mask to the colors of what you’re wearing. You don’t want to play with contrast too much with a patterned mask because this will simply make you look mismatched. Pick up a color from the mask in the rest of your outfit to create a put-together look.

Wearing floral masks can be pretty tricky, too. If you’re also wearing a floral blouse or a dress with a floral bodice, adding a floral mask on top of it can start to look a bit too much. However, pairing a floral mask with floral slacks or a skirt can be a cute, stylish way to bring your whole look together. Match the floral pattern of the mask to the other floral pattern you’re wearing or you may end up looking a little messy. Your floral mask can also stand alone if you’re wearing mostly solids, so long as you match one of the main mask colors to the rest of your clothing.

High Fashion Masks

Whenever there’s a style trend on deck, whether it’s something that blew up on Twitter or it’s been mandated by the governor, all the big fashion names are bound to hop on board. Face masks are no different. The top designers have turned out many couture masks for the super label-conscious. You can decorate your face with Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, and all your favorite expensive brands.

Since masks are still a relatively new fashion trend, you can also fake it a little. Look for masks that look like they’re from a big name style house and you can look like you’re wearing designer labels even when you aren’t.

Some of the big trends in high fashion masks are the extras. One high-end house turned out masks with lace accents. Silk masks are also hot on the luxury fashion scene. Some designers are playing with sequined mask looks. So if it sparkles, try passing it off as something super high-end and others will probably believe it. Patterned styles are also really hot among the top designs.

Camouflage patterns and traditional bandana patterns, like paisley, are filling up the fashion blogs. Vivid graphic masks with lots of bright colors are also getting plenty of attention in the high fashion world. Patterns and designs that have a distinct 1960s flavor have been making an appearance in the high-end shops lately. Look for anything vaguely retro and it’s going to look like you’re wearing something from a hot designer.

The first luxury brand to introduce a face mask was Burberry. Their distinct pattern is recognizable anywhere, so this one is pretty hard to fake. However, some designers are a little easier if you’re looking for a few good knock offs. Chanel’s famous quilted look is available in face mask styles and you don’t have to pay for the Chanel label. You can also find face masks that look like they have designer branding that is really knock offs. Search sites like Etsy and eBay to find some great high fashion alternatives.

Play with your mask style and make it a part of every outfit you wear. Because if you’ve got to have a face mask anyway, you may as well make it as stylish as you can.