The first time I saw a fanny pack, I was with my family on vacation in Yellowstone National Park. At first, I wasn't quite sure what I was looking at. Was it a belt? Was it a backpack? Within a few short months, the trend caught on. Everyone from Hulk Hogan to the short-shorts-wearing tourist at Disneyland was wearing one.

(If you're reading this in the UK, please substitute "fanny" for "bum" or for "belly." This post actually has nothing to do with what you think of when you think of the word "fanny." Not that you should be thinking about the "fanny" to begin with – this is a family-friendly site!)

But the fanny pack's success was blessedly short-lived. Once fashion editors and tourists got wind of the inherent problems of adding a ruck-sack to your waistline, and saw the bold neon-colored nylon fabric, the fanny pack was booted from the platform of popularity faster than you can "Jessica Simpson".

To sum up the foulness of the fanny pack, I'll leave you with one last thought -- progress is worth pursuing – however, combining a back-pack with a belt is not what I call progress.