The Fannypack

Getting the Fannypack

Yes, I own a fannypack. It's an item that is so functional yet so uncool. The name even sounds uncool (who even says "fanny." Maybe it would be cooler if we called it a buttpack, bumpack, or even asspack. Well, those names just make me think of those padded garments that you can slip on under your clothes to give you a bum like J Lo. I think they even make jeans that have these pads built right in). If you want to go in style, buy a backpack, a purse or something, but by all means avoid the fannypack. In the past, I refused to even consider wearing one, even when visiting the places where these hideous items are commonplace and acceptable-- amusement parks.

So why do I now own one that I usually put on at least once daily? Yep, it's because of the pups. After I got the puppies, I quickly realized that I would need to take something with me on walks to hold dog treats and bags for poop. I immediately thought of a fannypack. And where could I find one? A thrift store. I love, love, love thrift stores. Some of my favorite clothes are secondhand. And purses--thrift stores have great selections. I'm not really a purse-to-match- every-outfit kind of girl, but I've made a vow to myself to hit the thrift stores instead of the malls when I do feel the rare need to pick up a cute little handbag.

On my visit to look for other stuff I could use for the dogs, I found my thrift store fannypack. It was originally a Wal-Mart fannypack. Yes, I can usually tell where items come from by looking at the label. My fannypack is by No Boundaries. Lots of stuff from Wal-mart and Target to be found at thrift stores. It's amazing how much better these clothes look on thrift store racks than on Wal-Mart racks. I love casual linen skirts and pants, and most of the ones I find at thrift stores say White Stag on the label--another Wal-Mart brand. Why do I even look at the tag, you ask? I'm not a brand name kind of girl. It's the fit I'm concerned with. Let's face it, a skirt from Wal-Mart is generally not going to be as flattering as a skirt from Talbots or Ann Taylor (other brands I often find at thrift stores). I must admit, though, that I am quite proud of myself when I can find something in my size from the Banana Republic or J. Crew collections at Good Will.

It was in good shape (the fannypack if you've forgotten after my digression), it was black (my choice color for almost anything from shoes and clothes, to backpacks, cd cases, laptop bags, notebooks, etc...), and it was $2.99. Perfect! It has several compartments. I place the treats in the front pocket, poop bags and a tennis ball in the next compartment, and my car keys and a travel water bowl in the next. I'm set to unfashionably walk my puppies.

What it Means

Ok, I own a fannypack. I know it's not a big deal. I know it doesn't define who I am, but it does represent a change in my life. There have been lots of changes, but I don't think I have payed much attention to them. Maybe I have been in denial. The fannypack helped me see that my priorities have changed or have been ignored. Putting the fannypack on brought even more home. It's hard to deny how big around your middle has gotten when you are wrapping something around it.

I am not 20 anymore. I am not 25. I am 29, at least for a few more weeks. Whoa! I am really an adult now. Yes, it is truly a bit shocking for me. I do feel and look older, and I guess I act older, but I'm having a hard time facing it head on. So many things are now adding up. I'm no longer confused about which section of the department store to shop in. In my mid twenties it was hard to find clothes that suited me. Should I shop in the junior's section? Well I was still young, but I was no Brittany Spears. Low-rise jeans paired with short, tight shirts were an impossibility for me. So, I'd head on over to the misses/ladies' dept. Old. Everything in that section just looked "old" to me, and most of it looked as though it was going to hide the great body that I still had at the time. I was walking near the clothes my mom wears for crying out loud! Where were the cute, age-appropriate yet young and flattering clothes? Oh, at the front of the store. Name brands with high price tags. What is a girl to do? Now, the junior's section is not even on my radar. I've become adept at finding the cute stuff in the ladies' department. And I must face the fact that what I find cute now may be something I thought a few years ago was only for "old" people.

If I sit on the floor for even a few minutes, I know that the first few steps I take are not going to be pretty. The same is true if I sit on one of my legs. I was browsing through some photos a couple of days ago that were taken at a wedding reception down in New Orleans in June. All the girls (face it, women) had on cute little dresses and all the guys looked quite handsome with their shirts tucked in. We were dancing, drinking, and just having a good time sitting around chatting. We had an even better time when we took our night-long journey down Bourbon Street. We were young, fun, and sexy. Of course the next morning we didn't feel so great. As I looked at these photos, I said to myself, "We look 'old'!" Here were full-fledged grown-ups. These are like the grown-ups I used to see when I would flip through my parent's photo albums as a kid.

Again, I know it is not a big deal--the fannypack or growing older. Now, I've just got to wrap that fannypack around my fat stomach and head into my new-found adulthood with purpose, positivity, and puppies.