bag addict on a strict budget induced detox. Yowch. Sometimes looking even hurts, but sometimes, it makes us giddy.
Not I! Fanny packs make me cringe so much that I wouldn’t even have one buried deep in my closet, much less wear one. Although, I am ashamed to admit, but vaguely recall, that I had a kid’s version when I was little. Now older and hopefully, much fashion wiser, I know they’re one of the worst fashion disasters. Really, who wants to wear something that adds extra width to their waist and cuts their body visually in half?!
It continues to amaze me the amount of people who wear them and feel they look just fine, even great! I suppose they feel they’re being smart; you know, they have all the essentials close by they need wrapped around their waist, keeping their hands free. But, c’mon, there’s plenty of other options. It seems the majority of people who wear them are tourists, so might I suggest a chic shoulder bag, a fashionable tote or a cute backpack (but, be careful with backpacks; get a small, leather one). Just please, no more fanny packs!
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January 16th, 2006 at 12:20 pm
Of course! These are the worst. And the woman in the picture is the “Mom jean” woman.
I also personally can’t stand very long shoulder straps.
January 16th, 2006 at 6:03 pm
I agree; really long straps are bad. A bag with a shorter strap looks so much more sophisticated.
January 16th, 2006 at 9:23 pm
Sigh. You got me–I started wearing a fanny pack when my daughter was born, because it was hard enough keeping track of the diaper bag, the car seat, the stroller, blah blah blah fishcakes. I needed a separate purse that wouldn’t get lost… and thus began my fanny pack addiction. Sure, it gives extra width to my waist, but so would a purse with a long strap (which is the type of purse I would have bought if I could find it anywhere, because you can put it on the opposite shoulder so it doesn’t fall off while I’m walking. Except I can’t find that kind of strap anywhere anymore.)
So I’ve been Fanny Pack Woman for over five years now. Every so often I try to find a better, cuter, option. But I go to Macy’s or look around on eBags, and I get so paralyzed in analyzing the options in my price range–knowing that every strap is guaranteed to slip off my shoulders while I’m walking– and I give up, and sigh “well, at least I can wear my fanny pack under my coat–I’ll look pregnant, but I’ll be safe from purse snatchers” (the ultimate pro-fanny-pack argument) and walk out of Macy’s again.
What’s a girl with short shoulders to do?
January 16th, 2006 at 9:34 pm
I had a few thoughts reading your comment, FPW:
First, I have a new rule (apparently, it is necessary): Fanny packs are not purses!
Second, again, long straps look horrid, they allow the bag to swing around, and to me, it seems they would fall off the shoulder much easier! And I hate the messenger style, shoulder slinging. That’s just plain a sign of a too-long strap!
Third, I read you have a different body type that gives you difficulties. I suggest you find only single-strapped bags, like hobos. No double strapped bags, such as satchels. I also suggest bags with a nice wide width on them, but very thin girth, this might help. Last, pay attention to strap width, there are options for single straps that are thinner.
I will research this and make a post suggesting at least one bag for you. I will consider an under $100 thereabouts price range. But I will still hope for leather, it is quality, and if you love the bag, you will wear it for a long time. (You don’t want to continuously shop for this!)
For you, I will include at least one simply-designed, basic-color bag. But this post is for other readers, as well.
And Mallory, you can help!
January 17th, 2006 at 8:15 am
I’ll do some searching too and see what I can come up with!
January 17th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
Thank you in advance, Ella and Mallory. I look forward to your suggestions!
January 18th, 2006 at 1:24 am
Heh. My mom wears a fanny pack, but she’s 60 and has had bursitis (inflamed shoulder joint) in the past, so I think she’s justified.
FPW: if you can’t find any purse-style conveyance that you really like, consider buying a sporran. Yes, I know they’re for guys. Scottish guys. But if you got a reasonably worked one, and hung it from your belt in a non-frontal position, it would at least be more attractive than a fanny pack while serving the same function.
(And lay off the “saddlebags” jokes.)
January 18th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Hmmmm… my husband has a sporran; I’ll have to see if I can find it to see how the form factor would work. (Fear not, Mallory & Ella; I doubt he’ll let me take it over–after all, the next time he puts on his formal kilt he’d have nothing to keep his keys in.)
Besides, I’m a fitness instructor so a lot of the time I’m in pants that don’t take a belt (these days usually zip-pocket pants from Lucy). At least they’re black, so the dreaded fanny pack strap sorta blends in with them…
January 18th, 2006 at 6:23 pm
I only ever wear a fanny pack at flea markets. The last thing I want is my shoulder bag flying down off my shoulder, crashing into the glass!!!
If you have another suggestion for this situation, I’d love it. I spend half my summer in flea markets, and I hate fanny packs. But I need my hands free.
January 19th, 2006 at 10:34 am
A sporran-hah, hah, funny idea.
Check out today’s post for a couple possible solutions.