Fanny pack

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For the hip-hop group, see Fannypack.
A fanny pack

The fanny pack (Canada, US), belt pack (US), belly bag (US), Buffalo pouch (US), hip sack (US), hip pack (UK), or bum bag (UK, Oceania), moon bag ([South Africa]), the Joe bag, or man bag, is a small fabric pouch secured with a zipper and worn at the waist by a strap around the hips or waist.

The name "fanny pack" is derived from the fact that they were traditionally worn facing the rear above the buttocks, for which fanny is a slang term in America. Despite the name, many do not wear fanny packs on their rear because they are easier to pick pocket and harder to access. In English-speaking Canada, due to proximity to the United States, "fanny pack" is the more commonly used term as well. In the United Kingdom and Anglophone Oceania, the term "bum bag" or "belt bag" is used, since the word "fanny" means vagina, rather than buttocks, in those countries.

Today, fanny packs are often worn by hikers and bicycle riders. Fanny packs are used by travelers and were more popular during the early and mid 1990s. They can be slung either forward, to the side, or to the rear of the wearer. One of the primary advantages of fanny packs is that they are hands-free. This makes them great choices over purses not only for travelers, but also for some people with disabilities, and those who have mobile professions.

Fanny packs reached the peak of their popularity in the late 1980s and early- to mid-1990s. Today, however, fanny packs are considered unfashionable by most people.[vague] "Weird Al" Yankovic, for instance, mocks the wearing of fanny packs in his song "White & Nerdy." Many consider the fanny pack a sure mark for an out-of-place tourist, invoking the traditional tourist stereotypes known around the world.

The handiness and ease of opening of fanny packs has also resulted in them being used as holsters for storing loaded handguns. Many manufacturers make fanny packs that are designed for concealed carry.

For some, their resurrection is a form of ironic retro fashion. In this way, the fanny pack has made something of a comeback among youth in recent years, this time termed a pouch, or less commonly Buffalo pouch. Many top designers such as The North Face, Gucci, Prada, Coach, Marc Jacobs, The Good Witch Closet, and Louis Vuitton have taken the opportunity to resurrect and redesign the fanny pack.

Recently,[year needed] due to the resurgence in fanny pack popularity, so-called "Fanny pack purists" have spoken out against a number of current manufacturers. This small, but vocal, population notes that fanny packs are still viewed with disdain in popular culture. Furthermore, they state that the recent upswing of fanny pack wearers is nothing more than mockery; a knowing wink at an accessory that is out of style, yet still cherished by many. Lorraine Dorsey, the self-proclaimed "Fanny Godmother"[citation needed] has stated that fanny packs are a utilitarian's dream and should be lauded rather than scoffed at. Additionally, she has announced plans to create a silk fanny pack with fourteen-karat gold accents and a power supply for an MP3 player. She has often referred to this as the "Holy Grail of fanny packs" and has declared that the realization of this dream will inspire a new generation of fanny enthusiasts while squelching imitators.

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