It's not unpractical, just terrifying.

Mad Maxxinista

Tired: bikinis. Wired: facekinis.

As climate change continues to send global temperatures skyrocketing, apocalypse-friendly fashion accessories are apparently becoming increasingly commonplace. Case in point, according to new reporting from The Guardian, residents and visitors of the blistering city of Beijing, China have taken particularly fondly to a little something called the "facekini" — a summertime ski-mask-meets-swimming-cap of sorts made from UV-resistant fabrics and designed to cover a wearer's entire head and face.

The skintight coverings have openings only for a wearer's eyes, nostrils, and mouths. Yes, they're terrifying. But with Beijing air and ground surface temps reportedly reaching highs upwards of 95 and even roughly 176 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, you can't say it isn't practical.

Hot Couture

Per the report, wide-brimmed hats — 0ften equipped with built-in fans — along with lightweight jackets and even UV-resistant arm sleeves have exploded in popularity as well, as city-goers look to keep their skin out of the harsh, hot Sun.

"Compared to before the pandemic, two or three years ago, this year is much, much better than previous years," a hat shop salesperson told the Guardian. "Sales volume is definitely up a lot this year."

Health and regional beauty standards can play a role as well, per the Guardian.

"The main concern I have is potential skin diseases," Li Xuyan, a 17-year-old student visiting Beijing with her mother — both of whom, per the Guardian, were wearing masks that covered most of their faces — told the newspaper, adding that "developing sunspots" is of concern as well.

"We're concerned about getting sunburned and tanned," a 34-year-old shopowner, who went only by her surname Hong, told Reuters back in June, "so we're fully prepared."

Are facekinis dystopian? Undoubtably. But with temperatures rising all around the scorching — as in, literally-on-fire — planet we call home, we might expect to see any number of similarly Mad Max-ish heat wear fly off shelves in the coming years. In the meantime, you might want to snag a facekini for yourself. You know, just in case.

More on this very hot summer: Climate Change Is Getting so Bad That the Ocean Is Changing Color


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