Belt bags are nothing if not practical, which explains why they were already in use in the Copper Age. In fact, hip-hugging bags appear in some form in every culture through the ages. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics depict men wearing bags on belts. Since togas lacked pockets, Ancient Romans attached coin purses to their arms or belts. Ditto kimonos: in 17th century Japan pouches, baskets, or boxes called “inro” were attached to the robes with cords called “netsuke.” Native Americans crafted beaded buffalo hide pouches and medieval European Christians carried daily necessities and coins for the poor in alms purses.
The design of the modern Fanny pack or, “bum bag” is attributed to the Australian, Melba Stone who produced a bum bag prototype in 1962 but it was not until the late eighties that the bum bag became a popular fashion accessory. Although traditionally the bag was worn with the pouch at the front, the separate American and British names derive from the fact that they are often worn with the pouch above the buttocks, for which "fanny" and "bum" are respective slang terms in each country.
While the excitement surrounding fanny packs' space in the world of high fashion eventually cooled off, the late 2010s helped bring them back into style. According to the Hozen Collection, 2021 in particular is seeing a total resurgence of the popularity of fanny packs. A part of why fanny packs have reclaimed their popularity is because they're affordable. Sure, you can drop a pretty penny on a designer brand fanny pack, but you also have the option of thrifting them or perusing through the top wholesale fanny packs to find one that's reasonably priced.