Cowboy boots used to be Sebastian Marquardt’s go-to fashion item. He’d wear them everywhere in his neighborhood of Hamburg, Germany. He liked that the black, pointy shoes – more common in parts of the US – stood out.
But these days, the 43-year-old has a different must-have accessory: A face mask.
Due to coronavirus concerns, some countries have made it mandatory for people to wear masks when they go out. Many, like Marquardt, have used the recommendation as a way to get creative.
Marquardt currently has 10 different face mask styles to choose from – one has pink unicorns, another says “Chill!” But his favorite is the one with his own face on it.
“I’m usually a smiling person. I like to interact with people,” Marquardt told CNN. “But if you have to wear a mask, you aren’t that open anymore. People can’t see your face. It’s a way to show a bit of (my personality), an open and funny person.”
He’s not the only one who has found a way to make wearing a face mask feel less uniform.
Now, across the globe, people are no longer just using masks as protective gear – they are using them to make statements about their personalities, their politics and their beliefs.
Masks to show off personality
Just as clothes can say a lot about a person, masks can too.
Thousands of different patterns, colors, and styles have popped up on sites like Etsy, showcasing the increased interest in personalizing masks in the time of coronavirus.
