I wasn’t always a fan of fanny packs. They reminded me of tourists who have their shit together, which I don’t. But fashion is fickle, so my taste is, too. And this summer, the fanny pack feels cool. Here’s why I’m into the little hip pouch that could:
1. You have no choice but to limit your on-the-go belongings to a minimum.
A fanny pack allows you to carry just enough stuff while going completely hands-free. Full-palm freedom not only enables you to hold other things, like your baby, your dog, groceries or a suitcase (fanny packs are great for traveling), it also makes space for hand-waving weirdness.
2. Fanny packs are like wearing a helmet while biking.
It looks dorky but it makes so much sense. (The fanny pack isn’t a literal lifesaver but at times, it can feel like one.)
3. You don’t have to call them “fanny packs.”
What about…waist clutch? Or belt bag?
More than anything, it’s the fucking boldness of a fanny pack that impresses me so much. I know Carrie Bradshaw was a fan, Chanel put a pack on the runway and hip hop made them cool long ago, but what I love is that, at their practical tourist core, fanny packs are the nerdiest thing you can sport. I think of The Rock, Jason Bateman, Matthew McConaughey — not the True Detective actor, but the dad. You get the memo.
So here it is. My take on how to wear a fanny pack, waist bag, belt bag, banana bag, bum bag. Call it whatever you want, so long as it’s not late for dinner. Dad joke. Please forgive me.
Follow Stella von Senger on Instagram @stella_vonsenger. Photos by Sandra Semburg, styled by Stella von Senger & DjGigola
