26 May Ode to the Fashionable Bum Bag
As the popularity of the bum bag is growing, the time is now to dedicate an ode to the fashionable bum bag. In the post “When fashion meets function” you can see that this bag has many names like the belt bag, buffalo pouch, fanny pack, belly bag or waist wallet but for this post I will stick to the term “bum bag”. I am a huge fan of this purse as it just smoothly and fashionably hangs around your waist. I mean, Miss Coco Chanel did a good job by inventing the shoulder bag that would free your hands (read the Happy Birthday Chanel-article here) though this bag liberates both. Perfect for when you go shopping, are taking care of your children, are travelling or go to a party. Besides its practicality, the bum bag is also perfect to style your summer dress or to add the final touch to your plain outfit.
The precursor of this bag was the tie pocket, a long rectangular or pear-shaped bag that was tied under your dress around the waist with a ribbon. In the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century women wore very voluminous dresses so this “bag” was invisibly worn under the garmet and could be reached through a slit in the side of her skirt. As the 19th century progressed the women’s dress started to reveal the actual form of the body and the dress got tighter. As a result it was no longer possible to keep the bag unnoticed under the dress so the strap and the bag were attached over the garment. Obviously these bags were decorated with fine needlework and other embellishments to make a fashion statement with their bum bag.
I think not that much has changed as this accessory still allows you to create a dashing look. The bum bag in the pictures is one of my favorites in my bag collection and was a present from a very fashionable lady that bought this bag in the 80ties. The leather in combination with the coins give this purse an exclusive glimpse and a vintage look which is perfect to match with many outfits. The size is ideal to carry all my essentials like money, phone and lipstick. I wore this bag as well to the Fierce Fashion Festival last week and although it was nothing like any other festival I normally go to, the bum bag was my perfect buddy for the day. This accessory was the starting point of my outfit that had to be – in accordance with my own set of guidelines (check the article how to find the perfect festival outfit) – playful, exclusive, comfortable, on trend and prepared on weather changes. I believe that the Quay sunnies (get similar sunglasses here), Melz earrings, the leather fringe jacket, the suede fringe top, the leather Supertrash pants and the Nike Air Max are just the right items to live up to these requirements. And as you can see I have my hands free to hold my beer and put one of them in the air! So what do you think? Would you wear a fashionable bum bag?
– Photos – by Marlieke of Cotton & Cream –
P.s. You might also like Black – White Purses & Top 10 bags & streetlooks of Fashion Week!