How to add colorful, cool and quirky face masks to your 2020 wardrobe
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- "This is me. I'm smiling under here. I'm more than just my mask. I'm more than COVID-19."
That's what a mask would say if it could speak, said Beth Milley, owner of Villavillekula in Chestnut Hill.
The protective equipment, historically used by surgeons and painters, has taken on a new identity in the era of social distancing.
Milley says her boutique shifted entirely to producing colorful cloth masks for the community. With hundreds of prints, she says there is a style for everyone.
The added element is a creative method to grow accustomed to this new way of life. Lindsay Gradel, the creator of Sew Much Cooler, says both children and adults are more willing to wear a mask adorned with a sports logo or Disney character.
Gradel, a U.S. Navy veteran, is no stranger to social distancing.
"You're basically on four years of quarantine," she said about her seafaring service.
She hopes that selling creative masks as an outlet for self-expression will give people the same opportunity to come out of quarantine with a healthy mentality.
There is a mask for everyone. Teachers, hair-stylists, and of course, pet-lovers.
The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has designed puppy and cat-face masks that you can purchase for a limited time online. The proceeds not only benefit the PSPCA, but each purchase translates into an additional mask donated to a healthcare provider.
These are just three of the places you can find creative masks. Of course, you can also make your own!
In our video, you will see many faces of neighbors making fashion statements. They will not allow a mask to figuratively cover their mouths. What kind of message do you want your mask to say? Share a photo with us at 6abc.com/Share.
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