In our advice column, Ask the Strategist, we take your most burning shopping questions and scour friends, call up experts, and draw from personal experience to answer them. As always, please comment with one of your own — we’re here to help.
Question: Hi Strategist! Like every other creatively inclined, 20-something white girl, I have LADY BIRD fever and have been gorging on Gerwig for the last few weeks. My Q for you is, my girlfriends and I have had at least ten conversations about the very practical yet fashionable fanny pack G.G. is wearing in those promo stills from on set. Visible here and also around the 40-second mark in this promo featurette. Where can I find this thing??? I think it’ll do great things for me and my social life come August.
Let me tell you, girl, we have one thing in common: the urgent need for that bag. Not sure if you were following our holiday posts about what all of the editors over here were hoping to receive, but I actually requested this exact bag way back when. No one gifted it to me then, but I’m an independent woman and have since bought it for myself.
A little before that post, I found out about the bag through a whole convoluted effort where I told a friend that I was in the market for a cool fanny pack — or as the kids are calling it, a “bum pack,” or as the adults who don’t like the word fanny are calling it, a “belt bag” — and she told me about a customer who comes into her wine store wearing an amazing leather one. I got her to befriend the customer, ask about the bag, and pass along the message. And lo and behold, it was this very bag from Marlow Goods, a leather-goods and clothing brand started by Kate Huling, who along with her husband, Andrew Tarlow, runs such beloved Brooklyn restaurants as Diner, Roman’s, Marlow & Sons, Marlow & Daughters, and Reynard. A few years ago, Kate started the leather-goods brand to make leather accessories out of the extra skin from cows that they use for meat at the restaurants.
Anyway, I went on Instagram to check out what Kate had to offer, and there I saw it: that very picture of Greta Gerwig that you sent me! The bag you want is called the Lexington Bum Pack, and if you really, really want it, you need to buy it right now. Like, today. A couple of weeks ago, Kate announced on Instagram that she’s closing Marlow Goods, and whatever’s left is the last of what will be available. Ever. Already, most of the colors are sold out, but right now, you can still get it in black online. And if you live in New York City, I recommend trying to call or stop by her shop in the East Village (60 East 4th Street) ASAP because she has more colors in store only.
And if you’ve arrived here too late, we’ve collected some other bum packs that might work for you.
This bag by CHC is almost exactly like the Marlow Goods bag, but with a one-button close. It has two pockets divided by a piece of leather inside and comes in three sizes.
This is actually a wallet that attaches to a belt, so inside it’s got card slots, a space for your ID, a zipper for change, and a slot for cash.
Rachel Comey’s gotten into the fanny-pack game, too. This one’s crocheted.
This bag from Vere Verto is actually three in one, so you can have them all in use at once, like a tool belt, or slip off the components you don’t need that day.
Clare V. makes some of the essential fashion fanny packs that also happened to be used by a lot of women on set. It comes in a bunch of colors and can be monogrammed.
Something nylon from Rebecca Minkoff. This might look bigger in the picture than it actually is, so make sure to check the measurements.
Even style icon Céline Dion is making them!
On sale, velvet, maroon. What could go wrong?
And one from Opening Ceremony in a splashy red.
This classic zippered look from State has a small pocket inside for little important things, like cash and keys.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best women’s jeans, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, ultra-flattering pants, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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