I put a lot of thought and care into my purse selections. I’ll spend hours scrolling through secondhand Pandoras or looking for the perfect Prada nylon bag, and I am regularly late for, well, everything because I tend to agonize over my purse selection. For me an outfit revolves around a distinctive purse, and I spend a lot of time thinking about what message I want to convey with my bag choice.
Something I don’t tend to consider as much—or at all for that matter—is the message my wallet choice conveys about me. This is a mistake, because my choice in wallets is almost certainly a truer reflection of who I am. My purses are carefully curated to give others the image I’d like people to have of me, but I lose steam by the time I get to wallet selection and my basic instincts take over, because really who will ever see a wallet anyway? My purse is what I want it to be, but my wallet is what I truly am.
So what am I, truly, then? A few years ago I regularly carried a ziploc bag inside my Balenciaga City bag, after my usual technique of putting my credit cards and ID in a random pocket of my purse made it hard to switch bags often. I delighted in seeing the look of surprise and disgust on people’s faces as I pulled my tattered ziploc “wallet” from a designer purse. That’s right: I didn’t even use a nice ziploc bag.
This story in particular makes me think that no matter how far I come in life, or how nice my things are, there will always be a part of me that is disorganized and completely unsuited to the task of being an adult. I am not classy or responsible or in possession of even the slightest bit of common sense, and my wallet always gives me away. Or maybe I’m reading too much into this and I just don’t care about wallets that much.
I’ve since given up the ziploc bag (fare thee well, old friend!), but my subsequent wallets haven’t really been much of an improvement. My favorite of the bunch was a Sailor Moon wallet bought at a comic book store that I carried for years. Now I carry a polka dot pouch that I bought for one dollar at a thrift store, and I don’t particularly like it. Perhaps sensing my dysfunction in this area, this Christmas my mother sent me a cute wallet decorated with a black cat. It’s not high fashion, but I will probably use it until it breaks, because after all, it’s just a wallet!
I don’t understand where my resistance to wallets comes from: I suspect it’s my utter disregard for anything I consider too adult or boring. I see myself as Sid Vicious leading the rebellion against the constraints of adulthood by knocking down outdated societal expectations of what a wallet should be.
OK I’m giving myself entirely too much credit here. More likely it’s simply laziness combined with a lack of exposure: I have never taken the time to really get into wallets and appreciate them on their own terms. In 2019 I’m going to make the effort though, since I have never encountered a shopping challenge that didn’t delight me. I’m going to make a promise here that this will be the year I finally get a nice wallet. Hopefully it’ll be as waterproof and user friendly as my old friend the ziploc bag, but I’m not optimistic. Sorry, I just really liked that ziploc bag, OK?!
I’m curious too—do any of our readers have a similar disregard for wallets, or is this just me? And for the wallet fans, what are some of your favorite wallets? I’ve done a preliminary scan and here are my top choices so far…
Chloé Marcie Flap Wallet
Balenciaga Everyday Wallet
Marc Jacobs Snapshot Small Wallet
Saint Laurent Vicky Wallet
Miu Miu Matelasse Wallet
Tom Ford Textured Leather Wallet
Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Wallet
Fendi Mania Wallet
Just use the cute cat-one your mother gave you! 🙂 It will do fine, and will make her happy to see you use it! When it breaks, then buy yourself a luxury one, but why bother with it when you already have a perfectly fine one, when you don’t even care that much! Also, I think “make mom happy” trumps having a flashy designer wallet inside your purse. 🙂 <3
I like that you own the contradiction but your “thorough” rationalization of why you don’t own a nice wallet even with the self effacing “I’m giving myself too much credit” sounds really obnoxious and hypocritical in contrast to your love designer purses. Be whatever you want to be but just admit your materialistic and the pressure of other people looking at your lack of a nice wallet has finally made you a full fledged designer consumerist.
First figure out what you open up a wallet for most often–credit cards, dollar bills, change, then pick the one that easily accesses those things. For example, I carry more currency than most, so ability to stuff a lot of bills in my wallet neatly is number one for me, and then ability to identify which credit card to grab in a moment is second.
You might try your Mom’s gift and see if that satisfies your needs.
There is something between a ziploc bag and spending $500+ on a wallet. I love designer bags but refuse to spend a lot of money on a wallet for the same reasons you’ve avoided buying one. I’ve been using a black leather Furla wallet that I got for $100, and it more than fits my needs.
I’m also using a Furla card wallet with a zipped compartment and loving it – it fits all my cards and cash. I think Coccinelle, Furla and Longchamp make such great wallets there’s no need to spend a massive amount of money. Rather get a nice-priced wallet and save some money to put into the wallet!
I can’t relate…I remember owning a nice wallet long before I owned a nice bag. I didn’t even have much money or cards to carry in it but I would be delighted when it was finally time for my mom to change her wallet so the old one would go to me!
One piece of advice though, don’t choose a classic long wallet if you don’t normally carry big bags, you won’t find it very useful.
My wallets are simple but well-made leather wallets. I like to splurge on my handbags.
I haven’t used a wallet in ages – I have everything on my phone except insurance cards which I keep in a small Claire v pouch – if I have cash I stick in the pouch or a pocket in the bag I am carrying
I like that you own the contradiction but your “thorough” rationalization of why you don’t own a nice wallet even with the self effacing “I’m giving myself too much credit” sounds really obnoxious and hypocritical in contrast to your love of designer purses. Be whatever you want to be but just admit you’re materialistic and the pressure of other people looking at your lack of a nice wallet has finally made you a full fledged designer consumerist.
And you should probably just admit that your sense of moral and intellectual superiority is equally obnoxious and hypocritical since you’ve taken so much time to read and respond to an article dedicated to handbags on a website dedicated to handbags.
This was the most eloquently written rude remark I’ve ever read…congratulations?
This seems to have a bit of a “mean girl” connotation.
This seems… excessive.
Have you considered a Chanel or LV wallet. Those are timeless.
I like that there is no Chanel or LV in this list. The world has far more interesting, beautifully made and carefully designed wallets from other brands and surely not everything has to revolve around those two brands. I didn’t see the point of using nice wallets too until one day I saw my friend’s Loewe wallet and I suddenly have to have it too. So tastes/preferences do change and maybe one day it might for you 🙂
Same here – it’s nice to see different brands take the stage.
Yes I completely agree, there are more designers and better designs than just LV and Chanel
The best wallet I have ever had is the Gucci Soho zip around. Sadly they don’t make it any longer, so i am still using the one I have even though it has a smudge on the outside where i tried to remove a pen mark. But it’s the perfect wallet with 16 card slots, zip around security, AND it lays flat when you open it! I keep looking for something similar to update with and have yet to find anything as good.
I know exactly the wallet you’re talking about, and it was amazing i had it and loved it for 2 years until i had my wallet stolen a few years back… sad and unfortunate but when looking for a replacement i couldn’t find anything in the setup so I started using an Old LV tri fold wallet my mother had stopped using. i have been on the hunt for a replacement for my gucci and i recently saw a mens wallet at prada that have a very similar set up, it is meant to be a travel wallet but its on my list as a replacement
Enjoy the black cat from your mom! I have bought nicer wallets but always come back to my little Cath Kidston change purse for everyday use. Fits the essentials easily and fits in every size bag. It’s a Queen’s jubilee edition and has Jack Russells, union jacks and crowns on it. Finally showing signs of wear. My heart will break when it wears out for good.
I got myself a Ferragamo Vera bow compact wallet as a holiday gift and I am in love with it. I feel so classy and adult. It also helps that my great grandmother wore their Vera box ballet flats basically every day so it reminds me of her.
I have a beloved Vuitton Epi leather Zippy that must be 20 years old. It’s scratched and battered on the outside but still in great shape and is the best for organizing my cards and all the little receipts and notes that I accumulate. When it finally wears out (zipper breaks, seams come undone) then I’ll replace it–so probably in another 20 years!
I also have a card case from LV in monogram print that I’ve had for 20 years. It practically looks brand new even though I’ve used it regularly. There is something to be said about the durability of their canvas items.
I’ve burned through a lot of wallets until I decided to take the plunge and buy a Chanel wallet. I’ve been using it for 3 years and it still looks pristine. The irony is that I can’t say the same re: my Chanel handbags.
I think around $300 is a perfect budget for a wallet. After all, a wallet takes a lot of beating rubbing against other stuff in your bag. I once read in Purseforum where people were advising someone to line their LV wallet with a plastic sandwich bag so the inside of the wallet won’t get dirty. Now that is what I call insanity. I don’t worship my belongings and kid-glove them on a daily basis, I use and enjoy them!
I’ve seen those same weird tips on saving your wallet. It’s okay if you want to sell your wallet after a while of use but otherwise…
I don’t baby my wallets and I’ve found the worst enemy of SLGs are keys. After getting a key holder, there’s really nothing much else that can severely damage anything. I’ve seen a wallet that was exactly like my Lumi Sylvia wallet – the color had been sold for a very short while so I know it was about the same age (2 yrs) as mine. And boy, it was rough to look at! The leather was SO full of scratches and dents and I could hear keys in her bag doing their deeds. On the other hand, my own wallet hardly had any signs or wear and I had been using it constantly for 2 yrs.
I’d like a wallet with a chain/strap, so I can easily carry it without needing to take my entire handbag.
YSL and Chanel WOCs are lovely 🙂
I think a wallet is as important as your handbag. You need to think about how many cards you carry and whether you use smaller handbags or larger ones. Do you mind if your cash is folded? Do you carry a lot of coins? I’ve tried smaller wallets but I always return to the full size wallet. My best tip is to buy a wallet in a bright color. The Tom Ford wallet is lovely and with a bright wallet I never have to search around for it in my handbag. IMO quality is excellent on Valentino and Gucci wallets.
I remember thinking wallets were a few hundred dollars away from an actual bag so I never got one until I eventually felt I had enough bags of various sizes that I should probably look into getting a nice wallet for myself. It started with the Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolore Zippy. It was the perfect wallet, canvas exterior for durability, lots of compartments for organization, and lastly, a zipper to enclose everything securely. I have the black version with the pink interior and I think that sparked the rest of my wallet collection which consists of either black wallets with pink interiors or pink wallets. It worked out because many pink wallets go on sale.
I have a Versace classic wallet, the Palazzo one. I love the fact that I am the only one to have it because usually everyone prefers Gucci, LV, Chanel or Prada. I love the leather quality and the fact that the Medusa is evident but not big. I have the red version so I can catch it immediately when I open my purse: https://www.versace.com/it/it-it/donna/accessori/piccoli-accessori/portafoglio-palazzo-con-zip-dzfoc/DPDE457-DVITX_DZFOC.html?cgid=141300#start=1
I find wallets very tricky to buy/get right, as for me it’s important to have all the details right as I have it in my hands throughout the day, every day of the year. It’s find to swap handbags whenever I want, but wallets need to work for all kind of occasions and places. My tips are, look for something that feels right in the hand, and something that makes sense for the way you use credit cards/cash/public transport cards/misc other cards, and something that fits into at least 50% of your fav handbags. For me, it’s important that my public transport card is easy to access as I don’t want to be fussing with a wallet out in the open. I also like a wallet that I can spare a key in.
Basically I find it challenging to find exactly what I want in a wallet much more than in a handbag. But, the right wallet does make my life easier! I’m currently eyeing off the Chloe Georgina wallet, but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet.
Miu Miu does NOT make good wallets. That leather will look bad so quick. Especially in colours other than black.
Surprisingly my wallet attracts more attention than my bags, every time I pull it, I get a compliment. I have an LV french wallet, it’s indestructible, I’d highly recommend it.
I’ve got my eye out for one of these wallets. Is yours the classic
monogram one?
No, it’s vernis.
I actually hate regular wallets and I have plenty of them. I kept trying to make them work for me and I’ve come to accept that they’re not for me. I’ve always loved coach wristlets and when I started getting higher end items I tried to make real wallets work. I always feel like regular wallets are too fat and in don’t even carry a lot of cards. Eventually I moved to LV mini pouchette as regular wallets which are smaller than most wallets and can flatten out/take up less space. I also liked Balenciaga coin purses which have been discontinued for a while. I just like all my junk in one place taking up as little space as possible.