When I was a kid, fanny packs were a thing of nightmares for me. Had I been born a decade earlier I probably would have rocked a neon one in style, but by 1996 they were decidedly out of fashion. The only problem was, I had to carry one on the playground (beginning in grade 1) so that I could have my Epi Pen and Benadryl with me in case of emergency. I was like a travelling first aid kit. At 6 years old my options were a hot pink Barbie pouch, a smaller fluorescent pink and black number, or my older brother's black and white Adidas bag that I would actually love to wear now.

Although I'm now a mature adult (hah) there are still many occasions on which it's not practical to carry a purse but I do so out of necessity in order to have my Epi Pen with me. And I know I'm not the only one with this dilemma. The first major wave of kids with food allergies are now adults with food allergies and our situational struggles have not disappeared but merely changed form. Fortunately the minimalist wave of fashion has churned up some stylin' fanny packs that I will gladly clip around my torso.

For this challenge I wore the Markberg fanny pack from the breezy, chic Livsstil Shop in Toronto. I styled it 3 ways; out and about doing errands, being active, and going for lunch with a friend (i.e. because it just looks so damn cool and who wants to carry a purse anyways?).

Errands with ease

On The (Pokemon) Go

Aside from playing Pokemon, it would come in handy while walking the dog, taking your kids to the park, or going for a power walk. It holds two Epi Pens so it's ideal for parents of kids with allergies as well.

Just Because

It was a super hot day in Toronto and I had plans to meet up with a friend. I decided to wear the bag again because it was not only functional, but it went well with my outfit too. We went to Harbour Front, I was at some points holding multiple coffees, and we did a lot of walking. I had my Epi Pen on me the whole time, but in this case it really felt more like a fashion statement than just a way to keep my necessary items close.

This photo set was produced by the talented Karrie Kwong, of KarrieKwong.com.

*The fanny pack in this article was provided to me by Livsstil Shop.