After the fanny pack’s surge in popularity in the ‘80s, they became mostly a joke—something that no one except maybe your great aunt on vacation wore. But over the last year, they were given a high-fashion rebrand, called instead “belt bags” or “waist bags,” and redesigned for either athletic efficiency, in the case of, say, this Champion bag or a chicly nostalgic homage, with the Gucci logo belt bag.
“Changing consumer behaviors, such as travel and the pursuit of convenience, are changing the way consumers everywhere think about the accessories they need,” NPD trend analyst Beth Goldstein said in a press release.
So much of our fashion right now is predicated on total efficiency. Athleisure means comfort and ease, with few unnecessary details incorporated. People don’t want to be held down by something in their hands or swinging from their shoulders. They’re also, apparently, the fastest-growing accessory for men, which makes sense considering the number of luxury streetwear designers currently marketing them.
Also, as noted by several adoring fans, fanny packs are great bags to party with—you don’t have to worry about hunting down your bag after a few drinks, screaming frantically at everyone around to help find your purse when you’re actually sitting on it, making everyone kind of hate you the rest of the night.
So, it would seem, the fanny pack is a win-win situation for all: stylishly androgynous, hands-free, a brazen style statement. And besides, 2018 was a battlezone—going into 2019, who has time to be encumbered by a purse?
