Cute face masks

August 8, 2021 9:54 AM

I have been wearing black pleated face masks with an adjustable nose piece and elastic ear loops throughout the pandemic. I'm looking for some cuter options to add into my wardrobe.

I have complex medical issues that aren't worth getting into here, but I'll be continuing to mask for the foreseeable. So it's time to add some visual interest to my face wardrobe! I have a lot of these masks and they're perfect, but they only come in solid black, and I'm bored of them.

I would like to purchase pleated, machine-washable face masks made from cotton (preferably double-layered) with an adjustable nose piece and elastic ear loops. I always double mask with a surgical mask underneath, so I don't really need a filter pocket, but if it has one that's ok. I'm looking for a range of fabric options. The more fashionable, the better. I do not want to buy these on Amazon. I've tried masks with other shapes, and none of them fit me as well as a simple pleated mask.

Do you own face masks that fit these criteria that aren't just solid black? Where can I find them? I know that I can browse on Etsy, but it is overwhelming. I am looking for specific store recommendations with masks that fit these criteria.

posted by twelve cent archie to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (16 answers total)

Old Navy!
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:02 AM on August 8, 2021 [2 favorites]

Best answer: All my masks come from here: Snot Blossom Sewing.

- Adjustable nose pieces (they actually have wire on top and bottom)
- Elastic ear pieces
- Machine washable
- Pleated
posted by ralan at 10:33 AM on August 8, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Baggu has good ones.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 10:41 AM on August 8, 2021 [3 favorites]

Just a note: Old Navy masks do not have an adjustable nose piece.
posted by sciencegeek at 10:53 AM on August 8, 2021

I get most of mine from honeyapplehandmade - instructions are in the one story at the top of the page. Her fabrics are fantastic, and although my oldest ones (like, 14+ months old) have degrading elastic I think it might have to do with frequently being left to cook in my car.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:59 AM on August 8, 2021

While Old Navy does not have an adjustable nose piece, I buy the nose bridge stick on strips from Amazon and put them on whatever mask I need them on and peel them off when I wash the mask.
The ReiFlinx household will also be wearing masks for the foreseeable future.
posted by ReiFlinx at 11:11 AM on August 8, 2021 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Anthropologie has cute ones.
posted by cakelite at 11:21 AM on August 8, 2021

Best answer: Athleta's Everyday Masks fit all of your criteria! They've been my (and several of my friends') absolute favorites all pandemic long for comfort and adjustability, and judging by how often I see them on other people, are well loved by many others. They've looked basically new despite being washed dozens of times now (I've been wearing them every day since Jan, washing after every day of use). I do hang-dry them and tug the pleats so they stay nice and crisp, but have definitely accidentally sent them through the dryer a few times. I've tried soooo many masks from different brands / etsy and these are by far the BEST for me.

-pleated
-nose wire thingy
-adjustable ear loops
-machine washable
-poly outer, but cotton inner layer
-no filter pocket

oh but Athleta's "activate" masks are garbage, steer clear.
posted by blueberrypuffin at 11:46 AM on August 8, 2021

This isn't the pleated design, but it is by far the prettiest mask I've gotten, in #41, the lovely crane design. (Its pocket is not shaped right to be easy to use with a filter.)
posted by metonym at 11:47 AM on August 8, 2021

Saving an otherwise OK mask with deteriorated elastic: fold over the vertical sides and stitch/glue/staple them to make those sides into a tube. Take a length of shock cord and feed it through the tubes so that you get a loop that can go high over the back of your head. Put a tanka on the free ends coming out of the bottom end of the tubes, and put this loop around the back of your neck.

As well as not having to throw away a still-OK mask your ears will thank you.
posted by Stoneshop at 11:50 AM on August 8, 2021

Since you are still masking because of complex medical issues, let me just mention (and I am sorry that this is not what you were asking, and I'm certainly not an expert or trying to hijack) that N95 / KN95 / FFP2 masks are from what I can tell more effective (but even less interesting or fashionable!) than cloth, and these are required for a lot of activities in much of Europe. I've fot a few N99 / FFP3 masks ready for my upcoming trip.
posted by melamakarona at 12:10 PM on August 8, 2021 [2 favorites]

I’ll second Snot Blossom. Her fabrics are great and she’s a nice person, as well. Also, each mask uses a double layer of fabric and you can choose different patterns for each layer, so you feel like you’re getting two masks in one.
posted by holborne at 12:21 PM on August 8, 2021 [2 favorites]

The old navy sport line of masks does have an adjustable nose piece! But they have been low on stock lately.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 12:45 PM on August 8, 2021

Best answer: These from Mandala Scrubs fit all your criteria (the default product photo shows black, but they come in a wide variety of solid colors). When I wear reusable cloth masks, they're my favorites: comfortable, good coverage, high quality, hold up to repeated machine washing, and are easy to put on and take off.

They are multi-layered with a filter pocket, so I'm not sure if wearing them over a surgical mask would be too much, though.
posted by rhiannonstone at 1:41 PM on August 8, 2021

Best answer: I have some from Caraa which look very similar to yours but they have a good range of other colors and more recently, a few prints. I like the consistency of commercially produced masks, as my experience with smaller producers has been some slight variations in size and shape that can really affect how well they go with my glasses.
posted by AnnaRat at 3:10 PM on August 8, 2021

I got some pleated masks from Proper Cloth and I like them a lot. They have both plain and pretty designs. The ones I have are the older design with head and neck straps instead of ear loops, but ear savers are cheap.

They're fitted, not pleated, but I bought some really pretty masks for a friend from Ikebe kimono shop in Ise, Japan. They're just lovely. They're priced in yen, but just divide by 100 and that'll be close to the price in U.S. dollars.
posted by ob1quixote at 5:35 PM on August 8, 2021