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Updated: Feb 22, 2021 95 Comments · by

Coffee Break: Mask Bracket

Coffee Break |

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I bought these mask brackets for my 10-year-old son a few weeks ago from Etsy seller Vickiefreshart.

They have made a huge difference in his tolerance of masks (for one, they reduce condensation, e.g., during gym class), and of course they can be a great option for people of any age. Brackets like this can make your mask more comfortable to wear, keep your lipstick pristine, and/or keep your mask away from your face if you have sensory issues. I think they would work well for masked workouts, too.

Some reviewers noted that they sewed the bracket into their mask, and the seller offers 50 pieces of “nano glue” for $1.99, but we don't use either method and they work fine. YMMV.

The brackets are $5.99 for five medium-sized ones; prices vary with different sizes and quantities. Amazon has a ton of mask brackets available, too.

Sales of note for 8.30.24

  • Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
  • Ann Taylor – 30% off full-price purchase; $99 jackets, dresses & shoes; extra 50% off sale
  • Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Bergdorf Goodman – Final Days Designer Sale, up to 75% off; extra 20% off sale
  • Boden – 20% off
  • Brooks Brothers – Extra 25% off clearance
  • Eloquii – Up to 60% off everything; extra 60% off all sale
  • J.Crew – 40% off sitewide; extra 60% off sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – Extra 20% off orders $125+; extra 60% off clearance; 60%-70% off 100s of styles
  • Lo & Sons – Summer sale, up to 50% off (ends 9/2)
  • Madewell – Extra 40% off sale; extra 50% off select denim; 25% off fall essentials
  • M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
  • Rothy's – End of season sale, up to 50% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear in the big sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 25% off regular-price purchase; 70% off clearance
  • White House Black Market – Up to 70% off sale

Sales of note for 8.30.24

  • Nordstrom – Summer Sale, save up to 60%
  • Ann Taylor – 30% off full-price purchase; $99 jackets, dresses & shoes; extra 50% off sale
  • Banana Republic Factory – 50-70% off everything + extra 20% off
  • Bergdorf Goodman – Final Days Designer Sale, up to 75% off; extra 20% off sale
  • Boden – 20% off
  • Brooks Brothers – Extra 25% off clearance
  • Eloquii – Up to 60% off everything; extra 60% off all sale
  • J.Crew – 40% off sitewide; extra 60% off sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – Extra 20% off orders $125+; extra 60% off clearance; 60%-70% off 100s of styles
  • Lo & Sons – Summer sale, up to 50% off (ends 9/2)
  • Madewell – Extra 40% off sale; extra 50% off select denim; 25% off fall essentials
  • M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
  • Rothy's – End of season sale, up to 50% off
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear in the big sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 25% off regular-price purchase; 70% off clearance
  • White House Black Market – Up to 70% off sale

Some of our latest posts here at Corporette…

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And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

About Kate Antoniades

Editor of Corporette since 2014, Kate Antoniades lives in her hometown of Rochester, NY. A cat person and Oxford comma loyalist, she loves thrift shopping and has too many craft supplies.

Comments

  1. Man child

    Are there any stories with happy endings when it comes to man-children? I’m realizing my good friend’s husband is a severe man-child and while I’m not going to give her any advice, I’m just wondering how this is going to end, especially when their plan for raising their six-month-old seems contingent upon him drastically changing his behavior and communication style. Can man-children ever reform themselves?

    • Anon

      There’s hope for her happiness if she kicks him to the curb. At least then, she’s only parenting one baby.
      As far as men reforming themselves, it’s really unlikely. For every woman who dumps a man-child, there’s another one willing to put up with that crap. It’s baked into our culture.

      • Anon

        This is my experience too. My friend married one on the second round. She couldn’t figure out why his wife had kicked him out because he was so wonderful and fun. Then married and living together she realized that she was his mom.

      • Kitten

        Yes, there are too many pick-me women who will put up with this so I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

    • Anon

      My ex-BIL needed to watch football all day Saturday (so many college games; his college didn’t even have a team) and possibly all day Sunday (more taped college games; also all of the college baseball). So he didn’t watch his 4 kids ever. HE filed the divorce after having an affair. He remarried someone with 5 kids, but his real love is the TV / not doing any of the work entailed with having a house, a spouse, or children who depend on you.

      • Anon

        I seriously want to smack your ex-BIL.

        I wrote the sub comment about the second round friend above. Her ex is now on his third wife, whom he impregnated while he was still with my friend. (He tells everyone they were legally separated at the time, because there is no denying the timing on the baby, but in fact, they were not separated at all.) The third wife is from a “traditional” culture so maybe that’s what will finally work for him. She works full time, though, so maybe she will eventually say “screw tradition” and snap. I am not rooting for that outcome. Maybe a little.

      • Anonymous

        Men who spend a full day watching football every weekend are sinfully boring in addition to being bad partners. Good for your sister dumping that loser, but I feel bad for the newest wife.

    • Anon

      I’m the woman-child in the relationship and I reformed. I was raised in a home where my mom did everything and my dad and the kids didn’t lift a finger. I didn’t learn to clean and am one of those people that didn’t “see” dirt. I also have ADHD and was terrible at thinking ahead/planning ahead. So if someone didn’t remind me, I’d forget to pay bills, I’d be late to things, just generally all around irresponsible.

      My husband and I met in college and he was up to the task of reforming me. He still does more than half of the cooking and cleaning but I have vastly improved. I make the bed every morning. My clothes go in the hamper. The wet towels go on a rack in the bathroom. These are all things I had to train myself to do and not just leave everything all over the floor. I also do 100% of our bill paying and everything gets paid on time which is nothing short of a miracle if you look at how I was in my early 20’s.

      So, I’m here to chime in that people can change but I’m not a man-child just a semi-reformed woman-child.

      • Anon for this

        I feel like not knowing how and being willing yet needing to be taught is one thing but choosing not to learn or knowing how and choosing not to do is another.

        I dated one for many years who appeared to be solid but it turned out he always had both a current partner do to things for him and an ex (whom he claimed was just a friend now but who clearly still pined) to do things for him. As a result, though he had the knowledge, he opted not to do anything. It meant that I not only shouldered everything, but that, when I put my foot down, he’d just call up his ex and she’d hop to it while making snide comments to me about how awful a partner I was that he had to call her in.

        In the end, nothing was going to change him. He was in his mid-50s and had spent his entire adult like this way. Trying to put my foot down led to me dealing with the ex and, when I put my foot down and the ex was out of town, he found someone new to do his bidding (and with whom he cheated).

        So no, I don’t believe people magically reform or that they magically choose to do more. If you want to parent an adult and hope that there are enough sticker charts to get them to help out, that’s on you, but why parent a partner if you can just be happy without that added work? (When there are kids involved, I’d never want them to see this and think it normal adult behaviors or adult relationships!)

        • anon

          +1, there is oblivous and there is entitled. The former can be fixed, but sometimes is still subsumed under the man child umbrella. The latter is not fixable, imo.

      • Anonymous

        Sorry but you are a woman. I think that is different. There are many more societal pressures to help you reform vs a man

    • Petitecocotte26

      Two words: couples counseling. Otherwise, be prepared for a life of festering resentment.

    • Anonymous

      It depends on whether he realizes he’s a man-child and wants to overcome it. My husband openly acknowledges that his dad was Don Draper and his mom had hired help and he had absolutely no idea what it actually takes to run a household and raise a family. He still lets me handle the complicated stuff like taxes, plumbing, helping with calculus homework, and gymnastics meet hairstyles, but he figured out the rest just fine and pulls his weight. Although the amount of credit he gets for it is kind of annoying–I don’t get hailed as mom of the year for leaving work early to pick up a kid or for doing the laundry.

      • Anonymous

        Curious, what pushed you over the edge? I always find this topic interesting.

  2. LaurenB

    I don’t understand why one would put on lipstick when knowing you’d be putting on a mask. Does not compute.

    • Cat

      The only time I’ve done it is when I’m on the way to outdoor dining – so my whole face of makeup will be visible in public – but this is a solution in search of a problem for 98% of my mask-wearing life.

      • Anonymous

        +1 definitely a solution in search of a problem. The points raised in the post can be dealt with by purchasing duck-bill masks or other masks that sit farther off the face by design.

        • Dallas Anon

          I’ve already purchased my masks. I purchased them a year ago at this point and I don’t really want to contribute to the piles of garbage in the world by throwing them away and buying new ones. But there is a lot of condensation and jawline acne do maybe these would help that.

      • Anon

        For me this could help in regards to mask friction giving me crazy jawline and chin breakouts. I change masks multiple times a day and never rewear them without washing, but my face hates having fabric against it. I’ve never broken out as badly as I have this past year; it’s odd to have this dull ache all the time from deep pimples erupting.

      • LaurenB

        I like lipstick plenty and wear it on Zoom calls! It’s just when I’m going out of the house and I know I’m going to be putting on a mask, I would wipe off my lipstick (or not put it on in the first place). That’s all! You all do your thing!

    • No Face

      I decided that lip color sparks joy! It also looks good during video court hearings, which I only do in my actual work office to avoid distractions. I wear lipstick for the hearing but slap a mask over it when I’m heading back out.

      • Anon

        Yep it definitely sparks joy for me. I wear it on zoom calls because otherwise my pale face seems to look like floating blob. With lipstick, it looks like a floating blob with lipstick. :)

        • pugsnbourbon

          Same! There was a zoom call and between my gray sweater, pale skin, and beige office furniture I looked like I was in a black & white movie. Also I really like lipstick and I even wear it around the house.
          Friends have gotten brackets like these because they tend to “eat” their masks while talking.

          • Anon

            Yes, I more mask inhale. It’s very annoying. I don’t wear the cloth ones at all for this reason. I was wearing blue medical masks but recently ordered some Korean KN-95s that I guess I just hope are real.

    • Anon

      I wear lipstick routinely because I have that thing where I need something on my lips at all time and I like the product I use (revlon gloss shine). So if I’m headed somewhere midday I probably have lipstick on. I would use this product.

    • Anon

      Lauren, I’m not one of your haters but this is a bit YOU KIDS GET OFF MY LAWN. Lots of people wear color on their lips. It’s a big industry.

      • Cat

        I think you missed Lauren’s point. If you’re wearing a mask, no one can see your lips, so why would you bother using expensive or messy product?

        • Anon

          Because you already have it in when it’s time to put on a mask. This is kind of a duh for me.

          • Anon

            anon at 4:46 — Because you like wearing lipstick. Because you already had it on for a Zoom call earlier that day. Because you are going somewhere that you will be able to take off your mask. Because it makes you feel pretty. Because your lips are chapped and you grab a colored lip gloss. Those are just a few reasons I came up with without even thinking. It’s ok if you don’t like wearing lipstick or don’t wear it under your mask! I promise it’s also ok for someone else to like it!

          • anon @ 4:46

            I wasn’t hating on lipstick wearers — I just genuinely didn’t understand how or why it materialized on one’s lips during covid times! I don’t wear makeup and rarely leave the house so most of your list would’ve never occurred to me. All that is to say, it’s really not a “duh” statement like Anon at 3:07 so dismissively put it.

          • anon

            LOL some of yall are reacting like she offended your religion. What a waste of breath to get so defensive.

    • Anon

      I did it once out of sheer habit. It was summer, we were going out to eat, and it was a big deal so I went all out on my makeup, including my lips because I always do my lips in a signature red hue. It wasn’t until I picked up my mask, which was to be the cherry on top of my fabulous look, that I realized it would be covering half my face. Lesson learned!

      But on a daily basis, I wear makeup as part of my work look so I’m camera-ready for meetings – it’s vain, I know, but I like it. As others said, it sparks joy! Anyway, we live in an apartment though, so any time I need to do laundry, take out trash, retrieve a package, etc., I need to put on a mask, but the mask pretty much never wrecks my lipstick.

    • surfnwrite

      I sure as heck am not wearing lipstick when my lips are covered by a mask, but all that aside, the mask is supposed to be flush with your face so that air and virus cannot get in or out at the edges. It seems this bracket thingy might interfere with that feature of a close fitting mask.

  4. Anon

    I’ve been on a kick lately of reading “self help”-type books that have helped me reflect on work/life/relationship issues (like Designing Your Life, Atomic Habits, and Come As You Are) and could use some new recs. What books in that category have been helpful for you?

    • Pompom

      Essentialism, Digital Minimalism, Can’t Even (about millennials, YMMV), Deep Work. I’ve got Adam Grant’s “Think Again” and Emily Nagoski’s “Burnout” on the list for next.

    • Anon

      You know how we say to apply for a job like a mediocre guy would? I’m just wondering — do guys every read self-help books? Other than maybe re working out (to get more hot, b/c chicks dig that)? I just feel like we are not as broken as self-help book publishers want us to think we are.

      • Monday

        Yeah, the only self-help books I see targeting men are about fitness and money. I just heard an interview in which a publisher (?) was asked about this, and they said the problem is that there isn’t a market for self-help among men. I’m not satisfied with that answer. The market exists because it constantly reinforces itself– messaging to only women that we need to change ourselves.

        • Anon

          Right! Like does anyone tell men to “journal your feelings?” I get that maybe men should be more introspective and open to personal growth (see man-child and former woman-child, above). But are we not enough as we are? It’s like a friend I had who was going to go on Match.com just as soon as she lost some weight so that her pictures would look good. She was a great person and I don’t think most guys would have cared (and guys tend to prefer women who don’t look starved), but in her mind, she was never good enough and always needed to be better to be deserving of the basics. It’s not her fault — we get those messages almost from birth (ladies magazines and self-help: I’m looking at you). But it’s a lot to switch off in your headspace.

        • Anonymous

          There are mindfulness and improve-your-brain books aimed at men (or at least not specifically at women), too. 10 Percent Happier, that new book by Sanjay Gupta, etc. Men also tend to like pop social science authors like Malcom Gladwell, Daniel Kahneman, etc. who make them feel smart by providing them with “brilliant” insights on human nature and behavior and are sort of self-help-adjacent.

      • cara

        They read business-y or networking books, but I feel like that is more go-getter than the books suggesting that one is “broken”

        • anonshmanon

          Agreed. I would say the framing is more self improvement rather than self help.

      • Anonymous

        My husband (an average white dude, though I would not call him mediocre, but just bc he’s mine) reads self-help books, but they are different ones – the 4-Hour Workweek, the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, books about positivity, leadership, etc. I feel like it’s not just women.

      • No Face

        I think Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan are the male equivalent. Business/career focused self help focused are male-focused.

      • anon

        I have a male coworker who mostly reads self-help books like the Seven Habits, etc. He just finished Atomic Habits and was telling me about it this morning.

      • anon

        It’s not that women are broken, it’s that they are very self aware and socially encouraged to perfect themselves. Men are not encouraged to perfect themselves from the inside-out. This information helps explain why I know only amazing woman, and the vast majority of men I know are just OK.

    • Anon

      I think this maybe falls into the self-help category – Brene Brown’s books. Really loved all of them so far. I think The Power of Vulnerability is best. It is only on audio because it is a seminar she taught, but the closest actual book to it is Daring Greatly which covers most of the same stuff in Power of Vulnerability. But if you can do the audio I would say try Power of Vulnerability first.

    • Bonnie Kate

      I wish I was at home, I’d go look on my bookshelf. A few favorites that come to mind:
      The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
      The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
      It’s Easier Than You Think by by Sylvia Boorstein
      A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson (I KNOW! 90% OF YOU ARE ROLLING YOUR EYES BUT I READ THE BOOK WAY BEFORE SHE RAN FOR PRESIDENT AND LIKE IT!)

      There are more, but those come to mind the quickest.

    • Anon

      I love Herminia Ibarra’s books. Also interested in Cal Newport’s new book about a world without email. A little off your topic but the 100 Year Life was also great. For leadership, Frances Frei’s book last year was great. I know some people don’t like her style, but Laura Vanderkam’s 168 hours and Off The Clock have lots of good time management ideas.

    • anon

      Shrill by Lindy West, but haven’t read her new book. I also really like Dan Savage who is prolific.

  5. Anon

    Thanks to whomever recommended Mar de Plastico last week. I am diving in — it is a ride!

    How many children does Juan Rueda have? I may have missed this, as I do need to read the subtitles (vs trying to listen to native speakers), but cannot rewatch (even though now I have the 3 main brown-haired male roles separated out). It is very telenovela-meets-police procedural (and how many women on the show has the guy who tends bar slept with???).

  6. Masks

    Speaking of masks, I could really use a few that are comfortable and come in bright and happy colors, for my tiny face. I really liked the Athleta made-to-move ones, but it looks like they don’t have them anymore, and I tend to irrationally stress out over buying lower-cost things online from places with free shipping minimums that I won’t meet. I do not like the ones that have the pleats, as they seem to swallow my face. Amazon is overwhelming with questionable-quality choices. Any suggestions?

    Criteria are: happy colors, comfortable, small-face-friendly, and easy to order with minimal shipping costs.

    • Anon

      We’ve been happy also with the Old Navy ones (3 ply), esp. when layered over a medical-type mask.

      • Masks

        Old Navy ones are just ginormous on me. I’d wear the kids ones if the ear loops weren’t just a little too short.

        • Anon

          The ON ones adjust, so we use for us and our kids. Are they too tall on your face? My surgical masks area always skimming my eyes (ouch).

      • Rainbow Hair

        In exactly the same vein, I’ve been wearing some of the non-pleated ones from Gap – they come in cute patterns.

    • Anon

      Check out CurvySense! I have a few from them that I really like, they always have a variety of fun colors available, fit my small face nicely, and are super comfortable. Can’t remember the shipping situation though.

      • Anonymous

        I love these, thanks to you or whoever recommended them here so long ago. A+ if you are using cloth masks or over a surgical mask.

    • joan wilder

      Fellow tiny faced person chiming in here to recommend Nordstrom brand masks. They have had them regularly in stock in different colors. They have different styles–the ones that work for me have fabric ear loops that can be tightened and can be tied behind your head.

    • Shanananana

      I bought a lot from swaddle designs over the pandemic and really like them and have some happy colorful ones. They come in small sizes as well.

    • ATL rette

      I have a tiny face and bought some from littleflowerfabrics on Etsy! I really love them! Pretty Liberty florals, well made, different sizes. I bought both the “big kid” and adult sizes…I prefer the big kid ones but the adult ones are on the smaller side so fit well too!

  7. Z

    Does anyone feel like they are yelling in virtual meetings? I don’t actually know if I am yelling, but I led a meeting a little while ago and my voice was hoarse after. I talked for probably 20 of the 30 minutes. This has happened a lot in meetings where I have to talk a lot. I don’t think this ever happened when I had meetings in person?

    • Anon

      I have the same problem. I think it stems from a focus on enunciation and more expressive mouthing of what I say to make it easier for people to process what I’m saying, but I am not sure.

    • Anonymous

      This keeps happening to me too. I think it’s related to losing my voice really badly years ago. It’s never felt quite the same since.

    • AIMS

      I always assume it’s because I talk less these days. At least in a professional sense, which is a different strain on my voice than just saying ‘stop doing that’ over and over to my children.

  8. Anon

    Back when we used to go to conferences, what time did the panels (not morning coffee) begin? 8:30, 9:00, right? I’m grumbling over a virtual conference where the panels start at 7:30 central (poor west coast attendees!).

    • Bonnie Kate

      Eww, I’m even in my office at 7am central and would be really annoyed but that timetable; it seems stupid early. 9am for the first panel.

      • Emma

        I remember a lot of 7:30 “breakfast socials” which I generally skipped. First panel at 8:30 or 9.

    • Anonymous

      8:00 a.m. local at some of the really big conferences, but nobody actually showed up to the first panel of the day.

      I am seeing a trend for virtual conferences to run half-days in the afternoon Eastern time.

      • Anon

        Ooh, I get could get on board with half day conferences! I love that chance to be connected to the office.

      • Sloan Sabbith

        I was irritated when a conference started at 9 AM EST this fall as a West Coaster. This is exponentially worse.

    • Cat

      8 at the earliest. Anything earlier was an optional breakfast session type thing. I would always roll in at 7:55 and hope to snag a bagel on the way to my seat…

  9. Anon

    People were asking the other day for the best charities to donate to for Texas Relief. In addition to the prior ones listed, I received a request for donations from Lutheran Church Charities today. Despite the name, one does not need to be religious to benefit from their services. If it says a church is going to be giving out certain donations like food or clothing, that is open to all, not just members of the congregation or Christians. They are the same charity that has the K9 Comfort Dogs that travel to disasters to comfort victims. There is a separate fund just for the dogs and their travel, which has been mostly on hold due to the pandemic. This is for traditional boots on the ground assistance.

    Here is a link to what I was emailed:
    https://myemail.constantcontact.com/URGENT-APPEAL–LCC-Disaster-Response-Helps-LCMS-Texas-District-with-Winter-Storm-Recovery.html?soid=1101286857083&aid=rRfeinitktc

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