An Actually Cool Convertible Fanny Pack

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The first time I wore a fanny pack was for professional reasons. I was covering a live sporting event and needed to carry a reporter’s notebook, pens, and my phone. A purse seemed like a strange thing to wear while interviewing sweaty athletes, so I strapped on a fanny pack and got to work.

I confess: It was a delight.

I had easy access to everything I needed, no strap dug into my shoulder or slipped off, and I didn’t have to cram everything into my pockets. But... I was wearing a fanny pack.

Since then, I’ve dreamed of finding a fashionable fanny pack to live the hands-free life I desire without making me feel like I’ve completely given up style for function.

Then it happened. Three years ago at an elementary school auction, of all places, I spotted the Vida Luna Bag by Rais Case. It’s made of a honey-colored leather and genuine Pendleton wool fabric, and it serves three functions: it’s a crossbody bag, a fanny pack, and a clutch.

The beautiful leather strap ingeniously converts the bag to each of its three forms, but it really shines when converted to a fanny pack. Unlike the long, pill-shaped fanny packs of old, this square-shaped bag folds down at the top, which feels more “cool makeup artist” than “sunburned tourist.”

I mostly wear it crossbody-style (but never as a clutch — the Pendleton fabric is too casual for a fancy night out), but when I wear it around my waist, women come up to me and whisper, “Is that a fanny pack? It’s... so cute!”