Complex Numbers

Fickle Fashion

Warning: This entry may be offensive to British readers. (It's still 18+ here though)

The Rise, Fall, and Resurgence of the Fanny Pack  

The article is over two years old, and for all I know fashion has changed radically in that time (apart from the addition of face masks as an accessory).

The “fanny pack” sold for $10 ($95 today). For the next several decades, it remained popular among recreational enthusiasts traveling by bike, on foot, or across trails where hands could be kept free and a large piece of travel luggage was unnecessary.

So, it's useful. That should be enough to keep it from being shunned, whether it's ugly or not.

From there, it morphed into a fashion statement, marketed by Gucci and Nike for decorative and utilitarian purposes in the 1980s and '90s, before becoming an ironic hipster joke.

But of course, when something becomes a "fashion statement" rather than merely utilitarian, it opens itself up to ridicule.

In the late 1980s, fashion took notice. High-end labels like Chanel manufactured premium fanny packs, often with the more dignified name of belt bag.

Perhaps they were more aware of the British use of the word "fanny" and wanted to market in the UK.

Like most trends, overexposure proved fatal. Fanny packs were everywhere, given out by marketing departments of major brands like Miller Beer and at sports arenas and stadiums.

Yeah, that would have been the end for me, too. Now if it had been sponsored by someone who made actual beer, it might have been different -- but there wasn't a lot of that in the 80s.

In 2018, fanny packs were credited with a surge in overall accessories sales, posting double-digit gains in merchandise. The fanny pack may have had its day as an accessory of mass appeal, but it’s not likely to completely disappear anytime soon.

Which just goes to show that if something is actually useful, it will not completely fall out of style.

Trousers... you're next.