Pretty Little Thing releases dress with a built-in face mask

Yes, the face mask dress is now a thing ... it was only a matter of time

Pretty Little Thing has launched a face mask dress. Pretty Little Thing

With face masks now mandatory across much of the world, it was only a matter of time before they became part of our everyday attire.

But one brand has taken that quite literally, launching a dress with a built-in face mask.

Pretty Little Thing, which launched its Middle East site earlier this year, has released a black, high-necked dress that comes up to cover your nose and mouth, with built-in ear bands that mimic the style of a traditional face mask.

The £15 ($19) mini dress features long sleeves, and is made of a stretchy, jersey fabric. Since its release in late September, the dress has sold out in a number of sizes.

Given its popularity, it's unlikely to be the last item with a built-in face mask to appear on the UK-based fast fashion retailer's site.

Lottie Moss, younger sister of supermodel Kate Moss, has been spotted wearing the dress while out and about in London, garnering much attention.

Many brands have been turning their attention to face masks in recent months, scrambling to create fashion-focused versions of the now essential item in the ongoing fight against Covid-19.

In September, Louis Vuitton debuted a visor that doubles up as a clear face shield, while Gucci's bandana-style face coverings, made popular by singer Billie Eilish, have surged in popularity since the start of the pandemic.

However, there are questions over how effective the more fashionable face coverings are. Over the weekend, singer Lana Del Rey was criticised for wearing a mesh face mask while meeting fans in Los Angeles.

The musician was attending a signing for her poetry book in a Barnes & Noble store, greeting fans wearing a bejewelled mask over her nose and mouth that featured a number of holes.

"I love you sis but please wear a real mask, it gives a bad message," one fan wrote under Del Rey's Instagram video.

“Love you love you love you so much but please wear a mask under that one, take care," another wrote.