Today I walked into a long line at the post office wearing my American-made royal blue tartan pleated double-layered washable 100% cotton face cover/mask. All the customers and postal workers were wearing face covers/masks. They were also practicing 6 foot social distancing. Most covers/masks were white, and the rest were mostly blue. Everyone, including yours truly, was a little wary and a bit uncomfortable. However, my comfortable, very breathable mask made the situation a bit more bearable for me. I was making a statement about my identity while respecting myself and others around me, with a bit of style and fashion. Another post in this blog is titled, “Do these four easy things to add a touch of Scotland to your wedding or event“. I’m saying, “Why not add a touch of our heritage to these events?”.
TheTartanKilt website is dedicated to the celebration of Celtic heritage and culture. However, currently societies across the globe are hyper-focused on overcoming an international pandemic. Since mid-February 2020, our world has changed drastically. It might never fully be the same again. Before this, here in America, masks or face covers have been a rather rare sight. Nowadays they are becoming more and more common. This is probably because of the following recommendation from the CDC:
CDC recommends face cover or mask
“In light of new evidence, the CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.” (see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html)
So, let’s follow these medical recommendations, and show our neighborly good intentions to protect each other from germs. It’s also a great time to reflect on how our ancestors faced difficult challenges with fortitude, determination, innovation, and artful grace.
Now that we are living in an age where face covers are becoming ubiquitous, why not consider wearing a tartan face cover to celebrate our heritage and add a dash of style and color to our world? Surveying the market, we can see tartan face covers costing anywhere from $12 (plus at least $7.50 s/h) to $57 (plus s/h)!
For instance, from a price perspective, here is a mid-range option costing $17 – it is a pleated double-layered washable 100% cotton face cover/mask. In general, there are many styles, makes, and materials. Paramount – is it easy to breathe with a particular face cover on?
Factors to consider
Here are some other factors besides price to consider: which styles, makes, and materials are most functional, comfortable, attractive, and hygienic? Of course, style is somewhat a matter of taste, but functionality, breathability, comfort, softness, and hygiene can be judged a bit more objectively.
Is the material that contacts your face natural or synthetic? Is it soft, pliable, and comfortable or stiff, thick, and scratchy? Would you prefer light cotton or acrylic or polyester? How many layers and types of materials are used to make the cloth face cover? Would you like one layer of fabric, or two layers or more, and would those layers be pleated or un-pleated? Given those layers and types of material, and the fit, how effective is the mask at blocking incoming or outgoing germs? Is the face cover washable? How easily does it dry out after washing?
Be well!
We hope that as you survey the market and consider all these factors, you’ll be better able to select the best models to try and enjoy! Best wishes as you stay well, fend off the virus, and celebrate and wear your Celtic heritage!
