Stuff You Can't Have: Fabulous Flu Masks

It's flu season again. For decades folks in Japan have followed the tradition of sporting surgical masks during flu season to reduce chances of becoming infected or infecting others. With periodic reports of H1N1 virus outbreaks and predictions of an eventual super flu that will threaten the well being of the human race, it's time we all considered following suit. In fact, the wearing of flu masks has proliferated in Japan among young people and is now more than a response to potential illness. Experts feel that a new trend among Japanese teenagers of wearing surgical masks from dawn to dusk may be due to social media exhaustion, and represents an attempt to hide from social interaction.

Whether facing a run-of-the-mill virus, a full-scale apocalyptic pandemic, or a simple personality disorder, the truly fashion-savvy will focus on how good they look instead of worrying about getting sick, warding off disease, or enervating social interaction. Here at Stuff You Can't Have, our line of false products now features a full array of one-of-a-kind, artfully designed flu masks.

Mille Flores:
Suitable for attending a ball in Venice during the plague years

Materials: hand-painted silk ribbon, linen, paper flowers

Arabian Nights:

Battling pestilence in style across the desert sands. The lettering on this mask is a quote from the Koran used as part of an ancient Egyptian ritual for exterminating bugs and vermin.

Materials: cotton, iron-on lettering, gold mesh ribbon, black cotton woven ribbon, broken jewelry, Mexican milagros

Heart and lungs milagros

Magica Rojo (red magic):

Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's story, "The Masque of the Red Death," this mask incorporates a basic magic principle: mirrors will reflect back whatever is directed at them. In this case they reflect back any evil spirits (aka germs), while the scraps of ribbons bind and confuse malevolent spirits.