2020 has been a difficult year, to put it mildly. An unprecedented pandemic has forced us all to alter our lives and wear a face mask.

Yet this one small act has caused many an alarming amount of trouble. To curb the increased transmission of the coronavirus, our government and scientists have asked us to wear a wafer-thin piece of material over our mouths when we leave our houses.

So rarely has so little been asked of so many for a collective good but it’s seemed to much of a chore or a challenge for some. “Our rights are being infringed upon”; “it’s difficult to breath properly while wearing it”; the list of groans is long and tiresome.

There has been the much-used comparative analogy of World War II during the Blitz, as used by our comedian Adam Hills in a July Twitter post:

Not everyone in music has been as forthcoming. Only recently Ziggy Alberts was heavily criticised for comments he made opposing the introduction of mandatory face masks in Victoria.

In an Instagram post made in July, the Sunshine Coast singer-songwriter made clear his disagreement with the ruling, saying it “strips Australians of their basic right.” He further questioned the need for lockdowns.

“There is no way I’m going to support, endorse or encourage mandatory face mask or lockdowns in a free country,” he wrote. “Because our country is no longer free when you can’t leave your house or face fines for wearing something over your mouth when you try to leave.”

The Victoria Government announced that the wearing of face masks by all residents of greater Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire would be mandatory whenever they leave the house. It was a measured attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19 and all signs point to it being effective so far.

Premier Daniel Andrew and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said in a press statement that recent evidence had shown “wearing face masks can reduce transmission of coronavirus by around 60%.”

“People who wear masks and the settings in which masks are worn has shown that there’s a really significant — two thirds or more — reduction in transmission,” he said.

“Whether it’s zero transmission, or just getting down to single figures, we want to do that in as fast a time as possible,” he said. “And mandating is just one of those additional pushes that will get it to universal coverage much faster.”

Fines of $200 have also deterred people from going to the supermarket without wearing a face mask.

The Australian music community were quick to dismiss the silly remarks of Alberts while backing the use of face masks. After all, containing this pandemic quickly and effectively is important not only for protecting human life but also for bringing back the live music scene that so many people rely on to earn a living.

Indie rock singer Alex Lahey labelled the messaging as “dangerous”.

Sydney’s Gordi is a doctor herself and her knowledge was insulted by Alberts’ remarks.

Polish Club’s David Novak also weighed in, particularly on Alberts and his ilk likening mask-wearing and social distancing to a nazi regime.

So here we are: a small sacrifice to quell the threat of a devastating pandemic. Why not look good while doing it then? That’s the thinking that Culture Kings have. Their extensive range of face masks are washable and reusable and of the highest quality.

Why not tell the naive and misinformed to ‘Shut Up Karen’? Or buy a designer stripe mask that will set you apart? Protect your fellow Australian’s health while looking fashionable doing it. It’s pretty simple.

If you want to get your own mask and still look great Culture Kings have got a massive range on offer, check it out here.

An example of the sort of look you can rock with a face mask from Culture Kings