Pajiba 10 For Your Consideration: Masks

By Genevieve Burgess | Pajiba 10 | December 17, 2020 |

Can an inanimate object be sexy? Or can an inanimate object at least impart an extra dose of sexiness to the wearer? I think we all know the answer to that is an unequivocal YES, and this year that inanimate object is The Mask.

There are a lot of variations on the sexy mask in the last year, from Pedro Pascal’s Din Djardin (and hell, all the other Mandalorians who have popped up this season) to the lowly but important bits of cloth all responsible citizens are wearing on their own faces.

Masks not only help combat the spread of a pandemic but they offer up a new opportunity for accessorizing, and the use of fashion to send a message to others. The simplest message is, of course, “I am a person who believes in science and cares about my fellow citizens” (or, in some cases, “I know I won’t be let into the Target without this, but I don’t have to like it”) but the space on a mask offers up the chance to communicate far more, and people (and brands) have taken advantage of that.

Does it make for a bit of mystery? Yes. I moved into a new neighborhood in April and I have only a fuzzy understanding of what half of my new neighbors look like. It has introduced a new laundry problem in my life. I don’t have to try and keep a mask on a small child, something that I know is a problem for some families. I know it’s also been a big problem for Deaf or hard of hearing individuals who rely on lip-reading. It’s not perfect, and far from ideal. However, thanks to forces beyond what most of us can control, 2020 has been the Year of Almost No Good Choices, and so whenever I see someone wearing a mask properly, I just find them slightly more attractive than I would have otherwise.

Well, maybe not Pedro Pascal.