As is the fabric of any cosmopolitan city, Cape Town welcomes its inhabitants to once again realise the pleasure of their city lifestyle, as industry is unlocked and social movement less restrained.

With restaurants reclaiming their well-earned spots as beloved havens of congregation and foodie culture, and day-to-day travel (as well as leisure travel) being an ebb and flow of bodies moving about for work & play with more consideration than normal, there’s life infused back into peoples wardrobes too.

For the most part, quintessential style was shrugged aside in the worlds anxious early lockdown days, where strict protocols were/are observed for survival sake. Now, as restrictions relax, and people choose to slowly and calculatingly open themselves up to the world, style bears consideration – thus my glittering mask.

See, the minute lockdown commenced, I wondered what fashion designers would be up to; whether they’d choose the logical and exciting path of creating beautiful masks which incorporated functionality and aesthetics. Face masks now lease a huge portion of real estate on our faces, and (importantly) they’re not even fully fashion accessories alone. Some designers met the task head on, and delivered darling creations safe to reuse, while others…well…

Anyway, I have about 6-8 masks in steady rotation when I choose to meet the world. Only 2 are considerably chic, and only 1 exemplifies fun and fashion, and that’s the sequins Ruff Tung mask I only wear rarely for errands.

And when errands are done, and the face mask can be safely removed in the comforts of home: quiet bliss and cocktails.

“but wearing a fabric mask as a civilian is now common sense, provided you can afford and access one. So for the foreseeable future, we’ll be wearing masks to the grocery store, on walks and runs, and maybe even after the crisis abates. Given the prevalence of mask selfies, it’s likely that masks will start to become fashion items, rather than merely functional.”

Sarah Spellings, Vogue.com (Aug, 2020)