As a kid of the 90s, I often heard the phrase “fashion repeats itself”, but shrugged it off. While it was apparent that some fashions of the time were taken from the 70s (flare jeans, clogs), it was mostly something that went in one ear and out the other. I just sort of kept it moving in my hodge podge of flannels, flare jeans, clogs, mini skirts - basically a nod to the past & present of the time.
It wasn’t until I became an adult in my 30s that I truly understood that fashion does indeed repeat itself and that there are just some items I, as my mother before me, refuse to invite back into my life. For instance, take bodysuits. Bodysuits provide that fitted, seductive look, yet, they just aren’t practical. I’d rather just wear a fitted shirt and avoid the potential disaster of fumbling with that snap after standing in an annoyingly long line for the restroom…but I digress.
On the other hand, there are some recycled fashion trends that I’m delighted to relish in, one such trend being the fanny pack. As a kid growing up in the 90s I took part in this trend with a totally awesome stone-washed denim fanny pack. It probably looked a lot like this. Hell, IS that mine? I may have had a neon color one too, because, you know, 90s. Who knows what I deemed important enough to store in my fanny pack, but I had one (or many), rocked it (them) around my waist and eventually moved on something else, as we tend to do.
The funny thing is, I didn’t quite realize I was fully onboard the fanny packs are back train until I was planning my look for OTR II last summer. A fanny pack became THEE essential piece I NEEDED to complete my look for the show. I had been admiring the look for a while and knew that was exactly what I had to have to enjoy the concert, look fly and be practical all in one. So, I went on the hunt. I finally settled on a purple one from Zumiez after searching both online and at a handful of stores. My look was complete, I looked fly and had a fab time. Click here and scroll down to see my concert look.
However, after the concert, I found myself still loving my new fanny pack, carrying it in my work bag & wearing it to run errands or choosing my purple pouch over a purse. My favorite part of embracing the fanny pack the second time around is how I choose to rock it. Wearing it across my body instead of around my waist has become a new kind of cool to me. A new way to appreciate the old & new at the same time. And I’m not stopping there, I’ve already added a faux leather one to my collection. If anyone would like to contribute a designer pack, I would graciously accept it!
My fanny pack collection so far.