By: Gracie Swind, Contributing Writer
As more and more counties in Florida pass ordinances to require face coverings in all indoor public places, masks are becoming even more commonplace. For those of us that aren’t a fan of the tight-fitting, restrictive cloth masks that have exploded in popularity thanks to maker sites like Etsy, here are some alternative face covering options that still comply with your city’s ordinance.
(Some of these ideas require you to get a little crafty, and always check with your county’s specific requirements before committing to any of these alternative masks!)
In addition to your usual options of the DIY cotton masks and surgical, disposable masks, regular scarves can function as make-shift face coverings if you’re on a budget. Currently, my personal go-to is a random black scarf I found in the back of my closet that hasn’t seen the sun in years, and it works well enough.
Gaiter scarves are made with a printed fabric that can display almost any design – from sports teams to animals to patterns, there are thousands of options to choose from.
An even better alternative to using a normal scarf when it comes to breathability would be gaiter scarves, or neck gaiters, as they’re sometimes called. These scarves are made of a thin, breathable polyester-spandex blend that stays up on your face without cutting into your skin; they’re relatively cheap and much like the DIY cotton masks, are available in lots of different colors and styles on sites like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay.
Get creative! Masks like this cosplay Spiderman hood can be repurposed into everyday face masks that will lighten the mood no matter where you go.
This one might be a little testy, but I saw people wearing it in Publix without getting yelled at so I assume it’s okay – ski masks (without the mouth hole, of course). Whether you use cloth or spandex, ski masks could be another option to DIY yourself a mask if you’re in a pinch (though I wouldn’t recommend a knit ski mask, since this is Florida, after all).
Hate cloth of any kind with a burning passion? Try plastic face shields. Sure, you may look a little bit like a welder, but plastic face shields are relatively cheap and don’t restrict your mouth or nose at all.
Face shields tend to be popular for workers who are dealing with substances that could stick to and remain on a cloth mask (such as janitors) or those with impaired breathing.
If you’re a little nerdy (or a lot nerdy) like me, you might even have seen some potential in adapting anime/comic character costumes into your everyday mask-wearing. With some careful adaptations, a Stormtrooper helmet could easily double as your daily face covering – as long as you don’t mind the looks you’ll absolutely be getting for having the best face covering in the galaxy.
Just bear in mind that some county’s won’t allow your entire face to be obscured with cloth/opaque plastic. Get creative while staying in the bounds of the parameters set out by your county.
(In the example of the Stormtrooper mask, try cutting out the black plastic of the eyes are replacing it with clear plastic that’s been painted with a thin coat of clear black paint. That way, you aren’t fully covered, but you still get the look of the dark eyes.)
Face Coverings: What To Wear When DIY Cloth Masks Aren’t Your Thing (But the State of Florida Requires It)
Currently, I’m working on the helmet of Uravity, Uraraka Ochako’s hero persona from the anime, My Hero Academia, or Boku No Hero Academia. It boasts a fully-clear panel in the front that will be well within the bounds of face covering requirements in most any county or campus. (For those of you attending Saint Leo University campus in the fall, look for me – I’ll be wearing it.)
If you’re gathering inspiration from anime or movies for a creative helmet face covering, make sure to get multiple angles that show off all the details of the pieces; my reference for the Uravity helmet project is composed of screenshots from the anime and official concept art.
Mask-wearing doesn’t have to be enjoyable, but it also doesn’t have to be a drudgery. Until COVID-19 is behind us, the best we can do is find what option works best for us, and then try to ride it out.
