As long as I'm still in NYC, I may as well make a comment on fashion. It's funny how humans adapt to things so quickly-- perhaps especially New Yorkers. The first masks we donned to deal with high ozone and ReDS-warning days were ugly, bulky, and undisguisable. Flash forward a few months, and now there is a market for designer masks-- some so thin they seem like they'd be barely any protection at all. Now there are so many colors, so many designs-- the graffiti artists are having a ball. Steampunkers add brass trims to match their outfits. Masks have even made appearances on the runway at indoor fashion-shows. One made of glass! It's almost as if these hindrances have always been a part of normal urban life and culture. Almost.
Reminds me of the surgical masks that motorbike riders in Vietnam (pictured) wore fifteen years ago-- some were bland, but most women at least found ones that served as fashion statements. The same happened when Vietnam enforced its first (successful) helmet law back in 2007-- people complained that in addition to the discomfort, it would ruin their done-up hair on nights out. But soon enough, people turned the helmets into another opportunity for style.
Funny how we still fuss over these vanities, even after the GEAS report came out.
3 comments:
I wonder...when are they going to cover a mask with diamonds? And i wonder if anybody would buy it.
Of course the ones who can afford a mask like that are in a safe environment who-knows-where. In an underground surviving cell maybe?
Good point. In the past we built towards the sky, and now we're building towards the ground.
Weird days.
We haven't been affected by the ReDs as much where I live, but it seems like every day is a high-ozone day. It gets crazy-hot here.
This one guy has a mini-store where he sells these handmade gas-mask/hoodie apparatuses, which fight both the bad air and the sun.
Survivor, you must have missed it-- there's already a diamond-studded mask. Made by Damien Hirst, of course (the diamond skull guy). It debuted at the fashion show I mentioned. Nearly blinded people when the press flashes went off.
--L'el
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