Guide to Investing in Your Next Leather Wallet

Last year, worthy beneficiaries of the pandemic were the many charitable thrift stores and consignment shops, and online high-end designer sites that experienced a massive increase in donations and business due to months of millions of people continually doing quarantine spring cleaning and renovating our households.

We all spent 2020 either out of crazed boredom or seized the opportunity to reorganize, downsize, and commit to a minimalist lifestyle in keeping only those things that bring joy to our lives.

As we gleefully return to our public lives, certainly now is the time to replace or upgrade those missing wardrobe items with something more desirable.

In the leather space, we’ve decided to take a closer look at specific items that you may be considering purchasing for yourself or an upcoming gift for a loved one.  Let’s begin with a grown-up accessory that is both a necessary organizational workhorse yet speaks volumes to your personality and style: 

The Wallet

Now, my gentlemen readers, who can relate more to Seinfeld’s George Costanza who realized his back problems were a result of his “giant filing cabinet” wallet, perhaps this is a good time to reevaluate and de-clutter this important accessory to compliment the rest of your sophisticated lifestyle.

Think neat and minimal.   A daily wallet needs only a few essentials: a state-issued ID, a few business cards, health/auto insurance cards, a credit/debit card or two, and cash for the occasional events (i.e. tipping).  

Everything else stays in a home drawer until the appropriate time that a particular membership card needs to be presented (unless used regularly, like a gym membership card…maybe even consider a permanent home in a gym bag pocket).

For Ladies, the same rule applies, think trim.  

Women’s accessory sites advertise wallets that hold up to 24 card slots which supposedly accommodate a number of credit cards, gift cards, photographs, etc.  Too much unnecessary clutter edges on the border of hoarding and disorganization. 

A discerning woman views her wallet as serving two specific purposes.  One is to use as a tool giving VIP treatment to a few valuables by keeping them safe, streamlined, and within reach.  Secondly, as a statement-making piece to carry with pleasure while representing a woman’s impeccable style. 

Admittedly, there are a number of beautiful wallets made by high-end designers and our leather artisan peers that exude absolute luxury and timeless elegance.   So instead of listing our competitors, let’s discuss general considerations to keep in mind for your next wallet investment.

Types of wallets

The variety of wallet materials consist of:

·         Hard-shell cases (made of carbon fiber or aluminum or plastic) 

·         Canvas

·         Wood

·         Vegan leather

·         Premium and exotic leathers

Obviously, Beau Satchelle believes premium leather successfully fulfills both categories of functionality and beauty. 

While researching for your next leather wallet purchase, understand that most designer-mass-produced leather wallets are made from what the industry refers to as split leather or genuine leather derived from the inner layers of the skin and will come in various thicknesses depending on the tanning application. It is less costly and used extensively in lower-cost furniture and wardrobe accessories. 

Premium leather wallets, on the other hand, will be made from either full-grain leather or top grain leather both used in high-end products and will show leather imperfections and tends to develop a rich patina over time.

When it comes to exotic leathers once again mass-produced wallets makers normally use a method called embossing (using machine to stamp a design in cow leather) to get the textured look of alligator/crocodile or snakeskin.  There is a cottage industry of artisans who actually hand-sew wallets out of authentic exotics leathers that are amazingly durable and long-lasting.  

Hardware is another component to consider and is based on personal style.  Hardware can include Chains, zippers, magnets, buckles, rivets, snaps, gemstones, or, in a lot of cases, no hardware at all.

Men’s Wallets

·         Bi-fold wallets or Tri-fold wallets are bulkier depending on the owner’s need for storing contents, either wallet can be carried in a pocket or another bag

·         Long wallets  the type of wallet to be carried in a jacket (also known as a suit coat wallet, coat wallet, or breast coat wallet)

·         Chain wallets popular among bikers to keep their money secure in their pockets while out riding.  Available in all sizes styles including vintage and retro

·         Billfold or Cash fold wallets  – Those times when you have to carry a substantial amount of cash in a pocket and a money clip is too rigid 

·         Thin Bi-fold – the modern style is thin enough to fit comfortably in a front pocket  

·         Card Wallets built for simplicity usually can have one side or two to carry one or two cards and ID for quick errands around town or those casual evenings out when you less is more. 

·         Wallets with money clips depending on your taste the clips can be thin or thick to enhance the look of the wallet and hold your bills in place.

·         Checkbook wallets for those individuals who write checks and want to carry credit cards and ID in the same wallet who still use checkbooks

·         Passport wallets are multi-purpose in securing your passport as well as caring essential cards and ID

·         Travel wallets are made larger than a passport wallet and used to carry more essential items while traveling.  It can usually be carried with a handle or shoulder strap 

·         Wallets with coin compartments.  The younger the buyer, the less important this feature.  We know male associates who won’t even carry coins anymore and won’t accept the change from a cash purchase because of either not carrying a coin purse or doesn’t like weighing down their pants pockets.  Owning this type of wallet or a coin purse appears to be more popular with women and older generations.

Women’s Wallets

Women are quite comfortable carrying a few of the wallets mentioned above.   Here are additional types designed especially for Women:

·         Clutch wallet – designed to be used for evening wear

·         Phone wallet – has a crossbody look to it that can be worn with a strap and all essentials including a cell phone

·         Wristlet same as a phone wallet except the strap is carried around the wrist

Emerging design features in wallets that merge the traditional with 21st-century technology: 

·         Pull tabs in minimalist wallets to access cards more easily

·         Bitcoin hardware wallets looks similar to a USB that stylish investors will invest in an outer wallet for storage (leather perhaps)

·         Waterproof wallets made from synthetic fibers

·         RFID Blocking Technology as consumers

·         Increasingly moving towards a cashless culture, more wallets of all styles and shapes are being outfitted with this technology to keep cards safe from skimmers and criminals who use technology to swipe your credit card information.

·         Wallet tech trackers 

 
Exciting News:  Beau Satchelle will soon be introducing our collection of leather wallets on our e-commerce site just in time for the holiday season!   -AJ

 

Thank you to the following photographers for enhancing our blog visually!

Eak.K – Brown leather wallet

Goumbik – Card holder with cash compartment

XxlKoffer – leather wallet cases in variety of colors

Steve Buissinne –  Wallet in Back pocket

Kisetsuo – brown leather wallet black background

Kisetsuo – black leather wallet

Frank Vessia – Tan Bifold Wallet

Andrea Natali – Wallet for Suit Pocket

Kisetsuo Co – Blue Leather Wallet

Brad Starkey – Card Wallet in Front pants pocket

Emil Kalibradov – Women’s wallet

Charles Deluvio – Card Wallet on Gray Background

Christian Pérez – Apple Card Wallet

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