You seriously want that…a fanny pack?

Those were the words that came out of my mouth last week while doing some back-to-school shopping with two of my granddaughters—ages eight and ten. The eight-year-old was the one who spied the fanny pack and in less than the time it takes to say the words ‘fanny pack’, she had it off the rack and was wearing it on her shoulder like a crossbody purse. FYI: That’s how fanny packs are worn these days, which in my opinion, nullifies the ‘fanny’ part of things.

Anyway, when I asked, she nodded her head up and down vigorously, and said, “Yes, Nanna, I’m sure. I really, really, really want it.”

Her momma laughed and assured me this wasn’t a passing whim—that she’d been asking for one for weeks. That meant there was only one thing for this nanna to do. Buy the fanny pack.

The next day I spent three hours signing copies of my books at a local Barnes and Noble. They had positioned me at the front of the store, facing the entrance. A great location for this sort of thing, but it also gave me the chance to see for myself that our Landrey was far from alone when it comes to thinking fanny packs are all that and more. I estimate that eighty to ninety percent of the people—males and females—who came through the door were wearing a fanny pack. But just like Landrey, they weren’t wearing it around their waist, i.e., it wasn’t resting on their fanny. They were wearing them cross-body style.

“The bags have always been great. It’s the way people back then wore them back then,” I’ve been told.

For the record, I never wore a fanny pack. I never even owned one. I agree with what my young friend said. The problem wasn’t with the bag. They look just fine hanging off the shoulder. Around the waist? Not. So. Much. You may or may not agree with me on that. That’s okay. I don’t expect you to agree with everything I say. But I sure hope you will take my advice on how to use the renewed fanny pack craze to connect with your kids and grandkids.

You heard correctly. There’s a connection to be made with your kids and grandkids over a fanny pack. Or a rugby polo shirt. Or scrunchies and barrettes. Or take a few minutes to give yourself an online refresher course and ask them a question or two in Spanish or French or whatever foreign language you took in high school. In other words, let them know that everything old is new again and that what goes around comes around.

Dig out your old yearbooks. Flip through some old photo albums with them. Find a few things stored in the basement, attic, or up on some closet shelf that were yours ‘way back when’—things that were all the rage when you were a tween or teen and are enjoying their encore in the limelight of fashion and pop culture. For example, remember Farrah hair? You know—the feathered bangs Farrah Fawcett Majors wore and that never budged an inch even when she was fighting off some fiend as one of Charlie’s Angels? If you had straight hair in the seventies and eighties, you almost certainly had those bangs.

I could go on and on and on…and on. But you know what I’m talking about. So, use it to your advantage and theirs. Have fun connecting with your kids and grandkids over these things. Make memories by recalling yours. And if you’ve still got some stuff lying around gathering dust or taking up space, offer it to them. Chances are more than good they’ll want it, and how fun will it be to know the things you felt worth hanging on to are enjoying a repeat performance!

Love,

Momma D

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