[trending.] The Crossbody Mini Bag

Several months ago, I sent a direct message to a friend on Instagram expressing my desire for a designer fanny pack.  She encouraged me to treat myself to one if that was what I wanted.  I then informed her of the hesitations that stopped me from moving forward.

I grew up in the 80's when the fanny pack made its first appearance.  Back then, they were loud, ugly and were the accessory of choice for overweight tourists.  There was nothing fashionable or desirable about them.  But times have changed and fanny packs/belt bags are making a comeback in a major way.

  Several luxury designers have released belt bags that are the modern, trendy version of the fanny pack.  I'm interested but still hesitant. One concern I have is that they're meant to be worn around the waist.  My body often fluctuates and when I gain weight, it often settles on my midsection.  The worst thing one can do is wear a fanny pack or belt bag with a bloated tummy.  That's a huge no-no cause it'll draw too much attention to a problem area.

I thought I would have to give up on my dream of rocking a cute trendy bag this summer until I came across the perfect alternative.
Once I finally accepted the idea that a bag wrapped around my waist wouldn't probably be all that flattering on me, I kept my eyes peeled for an alternative.  It wasn't long until stumbled on the perfect summer bag.

Instead of strapping a small bag across my tummy pooch, I can rock a crossbody mini.  We all probably have a crossbody hanging in the closet, but it's time to sport the modern version. The updated way to wear a crossbody is so that the bag rests somewhere near or above the waistline (instead of below the hip).  This brings your bag closer to eye level making it more of a part of your overall look versus appearing as an afterthought.

Nothing screams "carefree" like a perfectly positioned bag that allows you to enjoy farmer's markets, festivals, outdoor cafes or a day of shopping with both hands completely available to explore the world around you.   To recreate this look, you'll have to get a little creative.  These shorter length crossbody bags aren't mainstream yet so you have to keep your eyes peeled.  The easiest way to partake in this trend is to use an adjustable length strap so you can dictate where the bag sits.  Keep in mind that smaller the pouch, the more you can play around with finding the perfect positioning on the body.   Crossbody bags with a chain strap are ideal because you can shorten the length and sport as a belt bag or you can wear it as a traditional crossbody.  More bang for your buck.