The problem of wearing a masquerade mask for those that are spectacle wearers has long been a problem.
If you are attending a masquerade ball you still want to take part in the most important aspect of the event, the wearing of a mask. However finding a masquerade mask that will fit comfortably over glasses is a nightmare but there are a few options open to you.
The simplest way round the glasses issue is to simply purchase a masquerade mask on a stick. With this mask you merely hold the mask in front of your face therefore leaving your glasses totally unscathed. This type of mask also has the advantage of not messing up your hairstyle, a great consideration for ladies that have spent time and money getting it just right! Any mask can be added to a stick and most companies offer this option meaning that you are not restricted to narrow range of masks.
Many masquerade goers do not want to hold a stick all night or feel that a stick mask is not the same as wearing a masquerade mask. This is where the choice of mask gets very tricky. Some retailers will claim that some masquerade masks can be worn over glasses but having been in the industry for six years I have still yet to find one that is totally comfortable and safe for your glasses. If the glasses are small then you may get away with wearing a soft unstructured mask. However, even with these bear in mind to get the mask to stay in place you have to secure it firmly around the head. In doing this you will push the glasses back into the face, not comfortable or good for the glasses.
In my opinion the only sensible option if you wear glasses and want to actually wear a mask is to wear one without any structure to it at all. For men this may be a bandit style mask in soft suede of for women a softly draping lace mask as seen on numerous catwalks recently. We at Venetian Masquerade Masks are at the moment looking at new designs to overcome this problem and hope to roll them out soon.
The last option and I think this is a very ingenious idea it to paint a mask onto your face using face paints. I have seen some beautiful designs using a mirade of colours to create “masks” that rival any conventional mask. Once painted, all you do is pop your glasses back on and your ready to go.