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• May 14, 2008
• Object Lesson

Hip Check

The fanny-pack has a golden moment. By Jennifer Oluwole

Few fashion items conjure as much contempt, brow furrowing, or audible chuckling than the fanny-pack. Let's start with the name: It's funny. Moms and tourists from Omaha wear them. But unlike cowboy boots or big blazers, this hands-free pouch's return to being back in fashion is a lot less frequent. Granted, we may have been the last ones to say we'd wear one, but one look at Ld Tuttle's Degenerate Pirite bag, and, yes…yes, indeed, we would.

Designer Tiffany Tuttle says the inspiration for this hip-hugging tote first came about on a hiking vacation with her husband in Peru. Having been the receiver of a slightly odd holiday gift—her hubby gifted her with a fanny-pack—Tuttle was psyched to have a fitting chance to finally use it. "One day he threw it over his shoulder and I saw that it suddenly became a cool hobo-like bag," says Tuttle.

With its ability to morph from campy carry-all to mini shoulder bag, Tuttle's creation seems a lot more chic than the fanny-packs of yore. In three sizes and the nifty addition of metallic or charcoal-gray leather, Tuttle's bag is more like a Must than a Don't. "I added a zipper to the back side of the Degenerate. That way, when it's over your shoulder, you can easily access the contents without having to flip it over." Smart and chic…we're definitely ready for a fanny comeback.

Ld Tuttle Degenerate Pirite bag, $390 (the large), available in Los Angeles at Creatures of Comfort, 7971 Melrose Avenue; 323-655-7855.

The fanny-pack has a golden moment.