Living with the mask as a style statement

As more countries drop mandates or regulations for the public wearing of masks as part of the 'living with Covid' regimen, may we suggest that masks continue to be worn if not for reasons of public safety then for the sake of urban fashion. Mask-wearing has a cool, exciting tradition. Worn by bad guys to conceal their identities - forms ranging from the classic 'folded handkerchief' option of bandits, the stylised famous-personality rubber masks of movie bank robbers, to the Halloween-inspired masks of horror movies - masks were always tres chic with bad boy and bad girl dangerous appeal. While Bhutanese masks worn by monks while dancing during religious festivals have a different (supernatural?) thrill about them, perhaps the rest of us should take these down as decorations from our walls from time to time and wear them to parties, masquerade ball-style.

Masks were something East Asian countries culturally adopted as an accessory with benefits like sunglasses or hats after the Hong Kong flu (H3N2 virus) struck in the late 1960s. So, even when mask-wearing was not required, citizens preferred donning them in public. This also meant a fashion line emerging. So, even as masks are dropped from public health guidelines, it could do well for your street cred to keep wearing them to make a strong style statement.