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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Saturday, April 20, 2024

Love it or Haute it: Fanny packs

The fanny pack has been coming back in a huge way in the past year, but it is still a somewhat controversial look. Despite gracing the runways and numerous celebrities' street looks, some still think that the fanny pack is an unnecessary accessory that would be better left in the closet. Today, Coco and Beans discuss the merits of the fanny pack and if it is truly a look that people should be rocking. 

Coco: The first time I started to notice the rise of the fanny pack was when I went to the Made in America music festival in high school. Everywhere you looked, there were fanny packs in all different colors and sizes. While I admired the practicality of fanny packs, I thought that they were clunky and ugly. The backpack I was wearing may have required more work to take items out of, but at least its unobtrusive straps were not ruining my outfit. My negative opinion changed once I saw celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadidrocking them. While I willingly acknowledge that this makes me a bandwagon fan of the fanny pack, seeing celebrities wearing the purse-belt contraption made me appreciate how it could be so chic and not just for high schoolers at a music festival. With further research, I saw fanny packs by designers like Gucci and Alexander Wang, and I was sold. These designer accessories actually add a level of sophistication to any type of outfit. They work with all types of outfits from business casual to athletic wear. While I am still not a huge fan of neon and metallic fanny packs unless they are being worn ironically to a party, I can genuinely say that I have come to appreciate the more refined fanny pack look. It allows you to somewhat low-key rock the designer label, while also having all your necessities right at hand. 

Beans: Fanny packs are in, and they are here to stay. They define the practical and fashionable runway look. Anywhere you need to bring your phone and a wallet, a fanny pack is the solution for you — so much storage without sacrificing a silhouette. They offer an avant-garde look without going so far out of the box that your friends pretend you don’t exist and your parents disown you. Coming in all shapes, sizes and colors, the fanny pack is the poor man’s Louis Vuitton and the rich man’s Louis Vuitton. Any kind of event you can imagine is the perfect place to pull out your fanny pack and start stuffing it full of essentials. I know my fit is never complete without a fanny pack pulling the whole thing together. It might take some style guts and some social glory to pull this look off, but when it works, it is a true home run. When I see my friend Coco rocking the fanny pack, it makes me proud to be her friend. Confidence with a touch of practicality. The homies love it, the parents love it and most importantly, I love it. So slap on a fanny pack and live your most mobile and fashionable life.