Wearing a Mask & Clothing Makers Who Are Donating to COVID-19 Relief

Wearing a face mask is a weirdly touchy subject right now. This post isn’t meant to alienate or cause a ruckus amongst readers. My hope with this is to help people feel more comfortable while wearing one out and about. 

When everything began unfolding and our worlds as we knew them were turned upside down, the CDC recommended you not to wear masks unless exhibiting signs that you are ill. However, now the CDC is recommending people to wear cloth masks while in public. I’m not a medical professional in any capacity. I do, however, heed what the CDC has to say regarding public health. 

The current guidelines set out by the CDC for cloth face coverings are that they should:

• fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

Wearing a Face Mask

For a few weeks, now, when I go to the grocery store, pharmacy or have to run inside to grab my takeout, I’ve been wearing these simple cloth masks. I know as a style blogger it would make more sense for me to have a flashy, bedazzled face mask. However, I just can’t bring myself to purchase face masks in the name of being fashionable. (At least not yet.) 

The cloth face masks I’m currently wearing came from Rush Order Tees, w making these masks in order to help the public protect themselves and ALL the proceeds they make from these masks are being donated to the Philly Pledge COVID-19 relief fund. They are comfortable enough to wear for me to get my grocery shopping done. I can also breathe easily in them and wash and dry them with no issues.

You don’t have to BUY face masks, though! The CDC has a simple tutorial on their website to make one yourself – with any cotton fabric you have in your home. (I don’t have a single sewing bone in my body, though!)

Admittedly, when I first began wearing one, I felt self-conscious. I was worried that people would think I was sick and endangering their well-being by being at the grocery store. It took a few times of me going out with one on to shake that feeling.  It helps too, that other people in my community are beginning to wear them – including my parents. 

My hope with this post is to make others feel more comfortable and less self-conscious while wearing one. We’re all in this together.

A Skirt for a Good Cause

Now, when I go to my local grocery store, I haven’t busted out my high heels and fancy skirts (at least not yet). But I have been having fun dressing up a couple of days a week around my house! 

It seems odd to wear dressy clothing if I’m not going anywhere but has also helped to lift my spirits and feel “normal” for a little while. Wearing my heels and a skirt is a nice little boost!

This skirt is also made by my friend, Archna of Pocket Passionista. She is currently selling them in her Etsy shop and donating ALL proceeds from the sale of this skirt to the COVID-19 Relief Fund via the Red Cross. I thought that was an awesome idea, and a black midi skirt with deep pockets is something I will get A LOT of use out of. 

• Click here to shop Archna’s signature midi skirt. 

Clothing Makers Who Are Donating to COVID-19 Relief

I also wanted to take a moment to mention a few other clothing stores I love that are donating funds to COVID-19 Relief, or who are using their resources to make masks for the public and medical professionals. I would also like to point out that these businesses below are small, US-based companies.

• Karina Dresses – Karina is utilizing her network of suppliers and manufacturing resources to make cloth face masks for her community. She shows us the process on her website, here. (She is also sharing resources for how to make your own masks.)
• Aviator – Travel clothing company, Aviator, has coordinated with the city of Los Angeles to manufacture and donate masks to local hospitals. When you purchase Aviator masks for yourself, your purchase will help support this cause and keep their factory working.
• Reformation – Reformation has also coordinated with the city of Los Angeles to make masks in their factory for essential workers. They have a cool initiative on their site where you can donate masks to an essential worker. 
• Pocket Passionista – as mentioned above, Archna is donating sales of her skirt to COVID-19 Relief via the Red Cross.
• Rush Order Tees – also as mentioned above, Rush Order Tees are donating all of their sales from masks to COVID-19 relief. 

*Any affiliate sales and ad revenue I make from this post will be donated to the creation of face masks in my community of Northeast Wisconsin via the Modern Day Rosie Facemask Movement.

If anyone has any questions about this post, please feel free to reach out in the comments section. Leave a comment too, please, if you are wearing a mask – let’s try to ease the tension on this subject and make others feel comfortable!

Please also continue to follow the CDC website for guidelines on how to keep yourself, and others, healthy during this time.

Where to find it:

Face masks: Rush Order Tees
Skirt: Pocket Passionista
Pumps: Bella Vita
Top: ModCloth (Sorry, it’s sold out)
Purse: ModCloth (Sorry, it’s sold out) 

*Any affiliate sales and ad revenue I make from this post will be donated to the creation of face masks in my community of Northeast Wisconsin via the Modern Day Rosie Facemask Movement.

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*Disclosure: some of these links are affiliate links. Meaning, if you click a link and make a purchase, Have Clothes, Will Travel gets a very small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! I am also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.