13 Streetwear Face Masks To Protect Yourself In Style

We’ve sung the praises of Mishka’s edgy and anime-inspired streetwear collections before, but this provocative “Neighborhood Sniper” mask will certainly appeal to the more gothic adherents of this iconic brand. The statement’s certainly a bit morbid, especially considering the political climate, but it certainly makes a bold announcement for an affordable price. The fabric is cotton, meaning it’s breathable, and a portion of the profits made from this product go towards Food On Foot, an organization that helps the homeless in Los Angeles.

The Boston-based streetwear curators are defying their hometown’s reputation for bad fashion with this impeccably minimalist face mask. The pleated geometric pattern is understated and easy to match with any outfit — the long ties offer a slightly different shape than the average, cheaper mask and are adjustable to fit different head sizes. Coming in “mushroom” or “curry” colorways, a portion of the proceeds from these locally made garments are being directed towards the American Red Cross.

Based out of Trinidad and Tobago, the Hideout takes inspiration from Caribbean aesthetics, bringing a sophisticated modernity to each product. This polyester mask is both understated and arrogant at the same time: the laurel logo seems borrowed from British mod culture, but cleverly re-contextualized as something more subversive.

This post-vaporwave Mona Lisa design subtly introduces surreality into an outfit. It’s a strong, and strange statement piece but be careful when pairing this with more outlandish outwear — could be a bit overwhelming. Bringing high art to this lowbrow world.

The smiley-face motif experienced a surge of popularity in the late 1990s, representing a kind of stoned faux-happiness amidst cultural ennui. Its resurrection as a symbol of political discontent was pretty inevitable — presciently predicted by Alan Moore in Watchmen. On Grand Theft Market’s “Feelings” mask, the symbol takes on a more sinister tone as it psychedelically melts into something much more ominous. The design is screen printed on cotton.

Within the past five years, checkerboard has become synonymous with streetwear sensibilities, at first associated with skate culture by way of Vans. The iconic Fashion Nova label has taken up the motif as of late, making checkerboard even more ubiquitous than it once had been in urban areas. Nothing too fancy here, but certainly eye-catching. Don’t get too matchy-matchy by pairing this with shoes of the same pattern.

Hail Satan! Black Scale’s minimalist goth designs are more subtle than your average gloomy couture. Featuring the Baphomet sigil, which has slithered its way into skateboard iconography via Thrasher, this mask lets your fellow creatures of the night know whose side you’re on. Proceeds from sales of this mask will go towards “charities that will assist in medical services and relief supplies.”

GQ, High Snobeity, Esquire, and Vogue, all sang the praises of Faraz Zaidi’s Profound Co.’s impeccably crafted face masks. The floral painting design provides a perfectly soothing, ironic juxtaposition to the tumult of this current moment. “Partial proceeds from the purchase of each cotton mask are being donated to [the] International Refugee Committee, an organization aiding refugee families displaced from their homes and those living in overpopulated areas that have been greatly impacted by COVID-19. Profound is also providing funds to organizations that provide N95 masks to healthcare [workers] in the New York/New Jersey area,” according to Complex. The brand also offers patterns in paisley and tie-dye.

Not every streetwear brand is embracing minimalism: Ratboi is celebrating Mexican surrealist painter and fashion icon Frida Kahlo with their warmly colored protective gear. There’s no tradeoff between style and smart design here, this mask comes with “a removable nanotechnology filter which should either be replaced or sterilized using a UV light treatment after 10 hours of wear. This filter has a 90% filtration efficiency and can filter 0.6 micrometers. Though not as effective as the recommended N95 which has a 95% filtration efficiency, these filters help keep your masks more effective at filtering particles than the fabric alone.”

Some people simply prefer function over fashion, and that’s why Los Angeles Apparel has designed the simplest possible option, with a few cheekier patterns (lime green leopard print!) for the more adventurous dresser. Made of French Terry fabric, the production of these adjustable coverings were featured in a New York Times article that discussed the esteemed labor practices of the brand and their efforts to provide masks and gowns for usage in hospitals — free of charge.

Live your Neo-Tokyo fantasy with this face mask inspired by the iconic imagery of Katsuhiro Otomo’s sci-fi masterpiece, Akira. With roaming factions of rebelling youths causing righteous havoc on the streets, we’ve truly grown into the post-nuclear fantasy presciently predicted by the Japanese artist about three decades ago. Official brings the medical imagery of the comics into a new context with their affordable mask.

When you want people to stay away and don’t have the patience to be subtle about it anymore, there are few things more direct than marking your face with this dangerous symbol. Usually used to signify radiation, Venus X adopted the biohazard icon for her GHE20G0TH1K parties, turning it into a calling card for youthful resistance and urban subcultures. This particular design comes by way of Double Crossed, a gothic streetwear brand that sells, in their own words, “clothing from hell.”

Let’s get literal! The lowercase text is adorably twee despite the seriousness of the statement it’s making. The LA-based House of 950 is ensuring that each purchase will be matched with a donation of 10 meals to the Feeding America: Hunger Relief Organization.