Fanny pack
A fanny pack (American English) or bum bag (British English) is a small fabric pouch usually secured with a zipper and worn by use of a strap around the hips or waist. The American and British names derive from the fact that they are often worn with the pouch above the buttocks, for which "fanny" and "bum" are the slang terms in each country respectively, although they may also be worn with the pouch at the front.
Bags attached to belts have been in use since antiquity in many cultures. One origin was the Native American buffalo pouch which was used instead of sewing pockets into clothing. Buffalo pouches may also be worn on the wrist or carried on the front of the chest via a neck strap or lanyard.[1] The European medieval belt-pouch is another antecedent which was superseded as clothing came to have pockets. The Scottish sporran is a similar belted pouch that survived because of the impracticality of pockets in a kilt.
The modern version made from synthetic materials came into use in the 1980s and they were especially in vogue in the 1990s, but are now often considered old-fashioned. Their use was satirised by the American humorist Weird Al Yankovic in his song White & Nerdy.
In 2012, calling them "belted satchels" or "hands-free bags", several designer labels sought to bring the accessory back by offering stylish and expensive designs selling for as much as $1995.[2][3]
Fanny packs designed for concealed carry of a weapon are available.[4]
In other cultures they are known as belly bags (in Germany) and banana bags (in France). Variations include the wristpack, which is essentially a fanny pack for the wrist.
Gallery
Artificial leather fanny pack with side-release belt buckle, belt slide for adjustment and top-open zipper compartment.
A woman wearing a fanny pack._Br%C3%BCder_(Pol_Limburg_006.jpg)
Medieval painting by the Limbourg brothers showing a lord wearing a belt bag with weapon. c1416.
A nineteenth century photograph of a plains indian showing a belted bag known as a medicine pouch.
See also
References
- ↑ Wandahsega, Larissa. "Buffalo Pouch". PotawatomiLanguage.org. Archived from the original on 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
- ↑ Glen Levy (11 February 2011). "Fashion Fail: Are Fanny Packs Really Making a Comeback?". Time. Time Inc. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- ↑ Rachel Dodes (10 February 2011). "With Fanny Packs on the Runway, Can Mom Jeans Be Far Behind?". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- ↑ Chris Ewens (1 April 2010). "Pack Mentality: Rethinking the Fanny Pack". usconcealedcarry.com. US Concealed Carry Association. Retrieved 14 June 2013.