I'm Bringing Fanny Packs Back

I just got back from a frantic visit with my parents in their Florida house and a quick two-day trip to Disneyworld. Matt and I slept in today until 11:00, which we haven’t done in years. Vacations are so exhausting. The Disney thing was a mega whirlwind. I am a huge Disney buff, for those who don’t know. Not necessarily the movies, which I do like, but more the places (Disneyworld, Disneyland, EPCOT, etc.). My family has gone many times, and I fall into the Disney fantasy trap every time. So Matt and I only had time for a tiny visit, and it was a bit much. We had to go on ALL of the rides at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, and we had to do it in two days. The weather was perfect (mid-80s every day and sunny), and we managed to do almost every ride. My faves at Magic Kingdom are Peter Pan and Haunted Mansion. My fave at EPCOT is Test Track. I could talk about Disney all day, but the real reason I wanted to blog was to tell y’all: The fanny pack is back. My sister, Amy, recently decided that she wanted to find a cool fanny pack. I was mortified. I don’t know if I ever carried a fanny pack, but I know they don’t scream “cool.” Amy found a funky pack through LeSportsac. It was surprisingly cute, and I started to think about the practicality. I carry a purse reluctantly when I go places, mainly because I like to be prepared (Kleenex, lip balm, cell phone). I prefer mini-backpacks because then the weight of whatever I’m carrying is distributed evenly. But they aren’t all that popular these days, and the only company that really sells them is Vera Bradley. I have actually owned several mini-backpacks of the Vera Bradley variety, and they are cute, but the only other people I see carrying them are significantly older than me. So I feel a little uncool, which I wish doesn’t matter to me but does. My sister is super stylish, though, and I thought if she wanted a fanny pack then there must be something to it. So I bought one. As you can see, the fabric is way cute. Still, I was really nervous about wearing it. I thought everyone would be laughing at me (I don’t know why I cared so much about the opinions of families at Disneyworld), but I didn’t bring another purse so I had to wear it. And I loved it! It was so convenient and light, and my back didn’t hurt at the end of the day. I could swivel it around, depending on if I was standing, sitting, or eating. When I wore it in the back (which was my usual place for it) I felt a little like Lara Croft, with a tool pack around my waist. I was very pleased with my pack.

I don’t know when I’ll wear my dear fanny again, but I’m not going to give it directly to my mom as I initially planned. I think it will make a great accessory the next time I go to a county fair or swap meet. Any maybe someday I will feel secure enough to wear it someplace I may actually see someone I know.