It's so easy to make fun of fanny packs. They look dumb, they have a silly name -- there's even a whole Ben Folds "rap" song dedicated to Those of Y'all Who Wear Fanny Packs, which isn't exactly flattering. Normally the only place you'd see such an unfortunate garment is on the waists of unfashionable travelers in family movies from the 90s (people who also wear visors, Hawaiian shirts, etc).

But according to the NY Times, the "waist pack" might be coming back, thanks to some work by high-profile, well-respected designers.

One of those designers, Alice Roi, thinks bags should go "hands free" like technology. Jordan Betten, thinks that they're only cheesy when made from cheap leather.

Maybe. I understand that they're functional, and I've seen a few hipsters trying to pull them off (as the 90s continue to come back with a vengeance), but no matter what they're made out of, I still think they look about as cool as pocket protectors, or any other purely functional clothing item.