Posted by The Argonaut | Jun 17, 2020 | Lifestyle |

WEAR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE WITH STYLISH WESTSIDE DESIGNS

By Meera Sastry and Christina Campodonico

COVID-19 has impacted almost every aspect of daily life, and fashion is no exception. On May 13, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti made face coverings mandatory for residents whenever leaving one’s home. LA County and Santa Monica quickly followed suit. Over the last month, a spate of studies has come out highlighting the role of masks in curbing transmission of the coronavirus.

Experts predict that we’ll probably be wearing masks for quite some time until a vaccine or effective treatment is developed. And fashion commentators like the New York Times’ Vanessa Friedman report that “they may become a fact of daily life, donned by all of us with the same unthinking passivity as a coat and sunglasses when we leave the house.”

Of late, wearing one (or not) has even become a political statement — with demonstrators at Black Lives Matter rallies wearing face coverings that sport the movement’s name or say “I can’t breathe” (the haunting last words of George Floyd and Eric Garner) while certain politicians make a point of not wearing face coverings when out in public.

For those who choose to make wearing a mask a fashion statement, we’ve got you covered. Though they may be required in L.A., there’s no reason that these face coverings can’t be stylish and even fun! Leave the medical-grade ones for the pros, and check out the offerings below for a selection of fashionable masks crafted by local artists and brands — it’s a great way to support local small businesses while taking care of our community.....

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A Homegrown Business: BringIt!

Venice moms Kristen Messina and Jane Keller took a different path when it came to creating their masks and brand BringIt! The two had been friends for years, but didn’t think that they would be starting a business until they saw the amount of demand there was for the personal masks they had made.

“We started out making masks for ourselves, family, and friends, because we’re crafty and at the time there was nothing available,” Messina says. “So we started selling them locally, making them out of our kitchen, and that just grew.”

Now, Messina and Keller run a full operation, selling masks through their website and at the Mar Vista Farmers Market. BringIt! is family and community-oriented, using a portion of its proceeds to donate masks, and its founders hope that their newly founded business is contributing to the local economy as well.

“We’ve got seamstresses working for us, we’re sourcing all our materials in the United States if not in Los Angeles or California, and we’re just happy to hopefully be making things easier for other businesses and workers,” Keller says.

BringIt! masks are double-layered and made with organic cotton, and feature bright colors and patterns in three sizes.

$19.50 at bringitmasks.com