Masks, A Review

 

By Tammy Davis

 

Part Eleven of the Corona Chronicles

Before Corona, I loved writing reviews about movies, restaurants, and concerts. I never thought I would write a review about masks, but in 2020, it seems relevant, so here goes…

Masks are like shoes and bras. We don’t like them, but we’ve gotten used to wearing them. We accept them as something we must endure. We want our masks to be attractive, but comfort is key.

My Really Cute Personalized Mask

I love the look and feel of this mask. It’s made of soft knit fabric, and I had it personalized with what I thought was a clever saying. It is a perfect mask for football games or any school function where I’m not the one doing the talking. Sadly, this mask doesn’t work well for me while I am teaching. I think the construction is the problem. Without a seam down the middle for structure, the fabric goes in my mouth every time I speak – not a good thing for teachers.

My Pale Pink Mask with Sequins

This mask is like a beautiful evening gown. It looks great. You get lots of compliments on it, but it’s not very practical. I’m saving this mask for special events. Fingers crossed we have some of those soon. Made of soft t-shirt knit, it’s very lightweight and comfy. Sadly, it’s not good for talking for any length of time. It collapses into your mouth (a phrase we would not understand before Corona) when speaking. This is the perfect mask to add a little sparkle to your day.

My Branded Masks

These masks were given to me by my school, so I don’t have ordering information, but I have found these masks to be the best for everyday wear. My favorite thing about these masks? No collapsing into your mouth. The fabric is sturdy enough to keep its shape, and the seam down the middle gives structure. It has metal at the top for shaping to your nose (a concept hard to imagine before we all started wearing masks). These masks get washed often. So far, they’re holding up nicely. If these masks had an adjustable strap, they would be perfect.

Plain Jane For The Win

This plain jane mask wins the prize for best mask for schoolteachers or anyone who does a lot of talking for a long period of time. This mask is like the Dansko of footwear. Not the best looking, but the most practical. The fabric is not particularly soft or attractive. The poplin fabric provides enough structure so the mask does not collapse. Like bras and shoes, fit is everything. These little masks have the metal strip at the top to fit to your nose and also have a slide on the loops for adjusting the straps. I have washed the heck out of this mask, and it still looks great.

It’s just been a few months, but masks have already become fashion statements. We have monogrammed masks, designer masks, masks that show college-team spirit, and even custom masks. Because of Corona, we have learned to.

Finding the right mask is not easy. Mask shopping is the new shoe shopping. We all need to try on several different styles. Wearing a mask for any length of time is challenging, but wearing an ill-fitting mask or one that doesn’t suite your needs is miserable.

Nobody likes wearing a mask all day, but we do what we have to do. In the same way we kick off our shoes as soon as we get home, we rip masks off our faces the minute we safely can. We all look forward to the day we can take them off for good. I wonder if mask-burning parties will become the next entertainment trend. I hope we all get to go to one of those parties very soon. That’s a review I look forward to writing.

 

Tammy Davis is a writer and a mask-wearing teacher, finding lessons in everyday life. Many of the masks in this review came from the Brook Street Exchange in Manning, SC. They can customize most masks and can ship anywhere. Find them @shop_bse or on Facebook at BSE@1916 on Facebook.