Fashionable Member
Fashion has always demanded accessories. To be “in style” means more than the basics; it means the latest in fashion accessories. You know, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. Remember Mamma Bush and her large white pearls? As teeny boppers we wore saddle shoes and Peter Pan collars. What is “in” for the mature fashion addict is definitely not “in” for teens. But now we have a fashion accessory that is “in” for every age and is seen everywhere.
You’re right: it’s the mask: cloth or paper, colored or plain. It is definitely IN. You see lovely turquoise colors, and of course, the plain white. Then there’s every imaginable pattern, whipped up by talented seamstresses: flowers, geometrics, doggies and kitties; anything your heart desires. You could even show your political affiliation, not on your sleeve but over your mouth! And men could coordinate their baseball caps with their masks, making a definite fashion or political statement.
And the mask can be worn in various tantalizing ways. There’s the socially correct: over the mouth and nose. Then the daring: just below the nose but over the mouth. If one is careful, one can probably pass the most critical inspection with this manner. Frequently seen: the under the chin, over the ears, giving a dumbo-like look to the ears while protecting the vocal cords, ready to be snatched up the moment a “fashion cop” comes in view. The ultimate, seen on an airplane: over the eyes for a sleep mask. Talk about double-duty.
As usual, there are those who object to the latest fashion. I don’t remember the advent of the swimming suit rather than the “bathing dress”. But I do remember the coming of the bikini. Oh, scandalous. And of course the predictions, “It will never last.”
The mask isn’t scandalous, though the objections by some are almost as violent. And as for lasting? At this moment it looks pretty permanent. There are advantages to the mask. Think about the savings in lipstick! Lips can’t be seen and lipstick smeared on the inside of a mask isn’t very appetizing. So do away with lipstick. But oh my, think of the people put out of work! Lipstick makers and sellers. Entire empires might collapse.
And it’s a pain to try to eat or drink, yes, yes, you have to pull the mask down and then you have to put the mask back up. Just the energy involved might cause some folks to eat less and thus lose weight. Just think we could become the leanest, thinnest people in history!
You can’t really tell if a person is smiling or snarling behind the mask. Think of all the nastiness that could be avoided if you thought everyone was smiling at you! On the other hand, no discernible smile might make people think you were hoity-toity and your circle of friends could collapse.
There’s an old saying, “Don’t be a slave to fashion”. But in this instance it seems intelligent to adopt the latest fashion accessory knowing that like the cuffed pants and the tent dress things change with time.
