Hello! It’s me, your delinquent blogger. My last post was in the springtime, and since then I’ve completely fallen off the writing wagon. In some ways it feels like I’ve had all of the time in the world and no time at all, or maybe no bandwidth to think about sitting down and writing. Maybe it has felt like anything I could write about is supremely trivial compared to the hellscape we’re all experiencing in 2020.
Either way, with an encouraging push from my favorite Whitmer comms team women, here I am. I’m going to have to skip past the post I planned to write over the summer about our long weekend away to the west side of Michigan and why it was the best staycation we could have asked for, because that’s a post for another day. Instead, I’m going to focus on a topic that I feel I’ve become pretty well-versed in over the course of 2020 COVID times: MASKS.
Masks are so important to our own safety and the safety of our friends, family, and local community. Unfortunately they’ve become a source of debate and frustration. There’s the battle to get people to wear them in the first place. The next part is getting people to wear them properly (OVER THE NOSE AND MOUTH PLEASE AND THANK YOU).
Back in March, my in-laws gave us each a disposable mask to have on hand, just in case. That fact feels sort of quaint now. I also ordered a few handmade masks from our friend Shana for myself and the girls, so we’d have another option. Who could have anticipated that months later, I’d have stacks of different kinds and brands of masks at home. It’s been a lot of trial and error, figuring out which masks work best for which tasks. There’s the additional challenge of finding masks my kids will wear without complaining. I honestly wish there could be a safe way of trying on masks before buying them.
Still, it’s worth it to me to have a stockpile of masks, particularly as we are all accepting the fact that we will be masking up in public for the foreseeable future.
Here are some of the favorite, tried-and-true face masks I’ve bought this year.
Favorite masks for everyday activities
Michigan Awesome‘s face masks are very soft and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I love that the loops don’t pull tightly on my ears, and they show a little Michigan pride. They make masks for adults and kids. I bought a white and green one for MSU and the gray with hot pink. I’ve also worn this mask for working out, but found that I needed a mask guard to keep the fabric from pulling into my mouth when I breathed (more on the mask guards in a bit). This was also the perfect mask to wear when I turned in my absentee ballot!
Handmade masks have also proven to be some of the most comfortable options for everyday wear. They’re easy to wash and wear, and the possibilities for designs are endless. In addition to the first mask I bought from our friend Shana, my favorites have been from my cousin, Maggie, who has been selling and donating dozens of masks, as well as a Michigan-printed one that I bought at a farmers market. There are so many options on Etsy and at local markets, so it’s worth checking them out, especially if a special design gets your kids to wear masks more willingly.
The Kitsch three pack of masks was an early quarantine purchase. I saw them on my targeted Instagram ads and loved that they appeared both cute and comfortable. The material reminds me of the Aden and Anais muslin blankets we used with the girls. These are definitely a soft, comfortable option. I did notice that they shrank a bit from washing, and the elastic straps tend to bother my ears if I wear one for an extended period of time. Still, these are great for a quick errand or outing.
Sweetlee’s Boutique in Mason, Michigan has a ton of comfortable and affordable mask options for adults and kids. The material feels like buttery soft leggings, and the straps are very comfortable on the ears. These are a little thicker than my other masks and not pleated, so for me personally I prefer to wear this style for shorter periods of time. Thankfully the girls find theirs to be very comfortable (and cute) so they were a good buy. Margot calls this one her “Marshall mask” because it looks like a dalmatian. Hey, whatever it takes.
Masks for exercising
After doing my barre classes from home in the spring and summer, The Barre Code East Lansing and other small fitness studios got the green light to re-open in September. I was really excited to work out in person again, but finding a mask that would be effective and comfortable while exercising proved to be a lot of trial and error.
Barre classes, which don’t include heavy cardio, were fairly easy to manage. But cardio classes were a lot tougher to figure out. Often, the fabric of the masks would pull into my mouth while I was breathing heavily, creating a sort of panicky suffocating feeling.
Thankfully, TBC EL owner and instructor Michelle recommended a silicone mask bracket that can be worn inside of a mask.
This bracket, paired with either a Michigan Awesome mask or one of my handmade ones, provided space between my mask and my nose and mouth to allow me to breathe more freely.
In addition to modifying masks I already owned with the silicone bracket, I invested in some of the masks that are the clear favorite of my fellow barre babes: Athleta’s Made to Move Mask.
I wasn’t sure about spending a lot on a three pack of masks ($25), especially because the reviews on these are mixed. There is boning not only across the top but along the front, allowing for some structure to the fabric. It’s difficult to talk in these masks without it feeling like it’ll slip down my nose, so I won’t be wearing these for anything other than barre and strength training classes at the studio. I found that tightening the straps more than I thought I’d need to helps pull the mask closer to my face without hurting my ears too badly. And one thing I really love about these masks is that they don’t sit right under my eyelids, which happens with other masks sometimes and can get really distracting while exercising.
In addition to the Made to Move style, I also ordered the five pack of Athleta’s Everyday Non Medical Masks.
These have many more positive reviews than the other style and seemed to be a good option to have on hand for either working out or for day to day activities. The adjustable straps are nice, and the pleating allows for plenty of room for the silicone bracket I wear in workout classes. They can sometimes feel a little big for my face and sit too close to my lower eyelids, which is my only complaint.
Finally, I wanted to recommend a cheap but invaluable accessory to help your masks fit more comfortably: these plastic cord locks.
There have been times that the masks I’ve bought for myself or the girls have straps that are a bit too long, but tying a little knot makes the straps too tight. I ordered a 50 pack of these cord locks on Amazon for $8, and they’ve made it possible for me to wear and enjoy masks that otherwise didn’t fit properly. It takes just a minute to thread these onto the straps (with the help of an opened paperclip).
So friends, I hope this entry gave you some ideas. Like I said in the beginning, we’re in this whole mask business for the foreseeable future, so we all might as well embrace it as best we can. Whether that means finding masks that are fashionable, comfortable, breathable, or all of the above, the options are endless.
Here’s to wearing masks and hopefully not waiting another several months before blogging again. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Comment below to share your favorite masks!