Wallets That Aren’t Plain Leather: A Sampler
17 Comments Published by Joel September 29th, 2006 in Clothes. Share ThisStylish and Crafty
• While there are plenty of folks selling wallets on craft nexus Etsy, Tiny Meat’s wallets are not only interestingly varied in their design, but also cheap—usually around twelve bucks!
Pictured here is the simply-named “A squirrel, a guy and a pickle wallet.”
Bonus Selection: You can’t beat buying a wallet from Tiny Meat that is covered in photos of tiny meat.
• Queen Bee Creations – Should your taste err towards the pastel and precious, Queen Bee has several wallets both large and small, starting around $26. The Ginkgo Wonderboy Wallet [pictured] is especially nice and available in a variety of colors.
• Poketo – These hipsterish wallets feature designs from a variety of artists, each in limited edition. The current “Tokyo” series, curated by Chako Suzuki, has some very lovely wallets indeed. Four wallets from the Tokyo series are shown here, each available for a very reasonable $20.
We don’t say “hipsterish” dismissively, either. Presuming you’ve come to terms with owning a wallet with a design on it, there are a variety of styles available that should complement every outfit…except maybe business attire. Don’t miss the $15 sale wallets at the bottom, either.
Unique
• Pantone Wallets – If you don’t know who Pantone is you’ll probably not be interested in these bright, glossy wallets. (Hint: They’re a company that defines color palettes for the creative industries.)
At $35 a pop from this randomly-selected Yahoo store they aren’t cheap, but the Pantone.com store doesn’t seem to carry many of the products themselves, so you’ll have to make do. I’ve gathered that these are in limited edition, with new Pantone-matched colors available each year.
• Bad Mother Fucker Wallet – Please, for the love of your pasty, white ass, don’t buy this wallet. Especially not when, for 35 dollars, you could get so many more cool wallets that feature original art or hand-crafted construction.
But still, here it is. If you absolutely, positively have to kill every motherfucking conversation in the room…
Seriously, though. If you really want to try to add a little badness to your ass, just get a chain wallet.
• The Bacon Wallet – I actually bought one of these. I sort of wish I hadn’t. You may love it though, and it’s only eight smackers. (But think how much real bacon that would be!)
No, I don’t use it.
• Stainless-Steel Wallet – NASA scientists left the space program so they could dedicate their lives to creating pans wallets! This far-too-expensive wallet by Theo Stewart-Stand is made from a stainless-steel cloth that might just act as a Faraday cage for all those RFID chips in your credit cards (but probably not).
Available for a whopping $95 from the MoMA store, it offers none of the protection of encasing your money in a hunk of pig iron, but hardly any of the weight, either.
• The Jimi – Less a wallet and more of a wallet replacement, the Jimi is a hard plastic case big enough to hold five cards and a few folded bills. That’s it. But since it’s not much bigger than your credit cards in the first place, the Jimi can easily be slipped into a front pocket, saving you from back pain and journeyman pickpockets.
The Jimi is available in a variety of colors from their store for around $15. Oh, and it has a removable money clip that holds one card, should you want to take it as slim as you can.
I’ve had my eye on one of these for years, but still haven’t taken the plunge. I won’t today, either, because the black “Stealth” model is on back-order.
Duct Tape
In ascending order of chic (such as it is)…
• Duct Tape Fashion – These are definitely hand-made models, but they are quite inexpensive—just $7 for a simple one and not much more for additional pockets. While you’re there, you can also get duct tape belts, hats, visors, guitar straps, and backpacks. But don’t.
• Duct Tape Wallet by Ducti – Sold by ThinkGeek, this duct tape wallet is actually pretty nice, with grommets and few rough edges. (At least in the pictures.) At $15 it’s twice as expensive as the Duct Tape Fashion model and approaching the price of other, traditional wallets.
Perhaps you should skip the pre-made duct tape wallets altogether and consider…
• Making Your Own Duct Tape Wallet – You already have the materials around the house (don’t you?) and it’s just the kind of survival skill everyone should have. When the Reckoning comes, you will be able to barter your hand-made wallets for canned goods and sexual favors.
Bonus DIY Wallet: Make Your Own Wallet Out of Playing Cards.
Round-Ups
• The folks at 37 Signals built a Wists page of wallets, some of which we’ve discussed here, but many we haven’t.
• Our friends at Uncrate showcase wallets from time to time. Here’s their list.
• “Wallets” tag on Del.icio.us.
Wow some of those are really cool.
I own a Safety Orange Jimi. It is a great wallet replacement. I bought it because I’m in a wheelchair and can’t stand sitting on my wallet all day and needed something front pocket. I also like to support smaller companies and the Jimi is made from recycled plastics, bonus.
Let’s not forget the Tyvek wallets by designer Dynomighty. I have LeJournal.
I constantly get compliments and comments on it.
I take exception to the dismissal out of hand of the Bad Mother Fucker wallet. Here’s why: Although having the model shown would be a little played out, back in 1994 when my parents asked what the adorable 19-year-old me wanted, I told them that all in this world I would want would be a wallet just like Jules Winnfield had in Pulp Fiction. Well, back in those days the malls weren’t ridden with kiosks full of Bad MF wallets. So my father got an old school wallet kit and leather burning kit and made me a custom Bad Mother Fucker wallet. It is among my favorite things in this world. So much, I love this wallet, that for a Father’s Day years later I made him a “Dad of Bad Mother Fucker” wallet in the same fashion. We both still use our handmade wallets. That’s why, when someone tries to kill a party by whipping out one of the mass produced, un-lovingly stitched BMF wallets, I just smile knowingly. For when the shit comes down, be it known by my father’s decree, that I am the true Bad Mother Fucker.
I own a leather, Jimi like wallet and wouldnt look back. Its such a nice wallet replacement expecially in these days where you dont carry much more than 20-40 bucks in hard cash.
Take your ATM card, a credit card, club or gym card, insurance card, and license and your set.
Dr. Marv: I think only “pasty, white ass” people are barred from the Bad Mother Fucker wallet. Clearly, you – even if you have a “pasty, white ass” – are qualified to own a BMF wallet. Especially if you can physically *make* your own wallet. You get a pass, dude.
Regarding wallets in general, I found a great one at a Brookstone or one of those upscale, high-tech mall stores. What I really like is an outside pocket for my work ID that I can quickly whip out and replace as I pass through security doors. (Yes, I’m supposed to “keep it visible at all times”, but f-that. I forgot the dang thing at home or in the care waaaay too many times.
MAKR. Jason Gregory does some really nice work with leather and laser etching. A bit more than the other wallets here, but amazing.
I’ve got a houndstooth card case that I use as a wallet replacement. It’s tiny and gorgeous.
http://www.m-a-k-r.com
Can’t recommend it enough.
OK, it iws still leather, but I have, and love, my French/ European wallet that I bought while living in Toulouse and Martigues.
It is the best example I have found yet of form and function. 1st because I have always had a thing for something designed for a specific purpose- this wallet has a pocket just for the parking ticket, and one next to it for the metro ticket. It is a trifold with space for the larger National ID and even larger Driving License. It had also been designed to allow space for your passport. And all this at a larger size to accomidate the larger Euro bills and a change pocket (with zipper). There are many windows built into it for any matter of Identification viewing pleasure.
However, because it takes it’s size horizontally, it is no thicker then an average “American” wallet. It fits in all my pants, and I have felt no unusual discomfort when sitting on it. I hope I have described it clearly, because it makes a very good wallet, and is deifferent from something you may see in the US.
I am on my second version. The first was a cheap purchase at a weekly market and the second a quality leather store for a little more but on sale in July.
I was unpleasantly surprised when my jimi came in the mail. Not only did my black plastic come scratched up, but it was waaay bigger’n i thought. Alls I can say is, make sure you read the dimensions on the site. It’s clunky. Never used it once.
Ready to give the Koyono a try, but does anyone know of a cool men’s change purse? Is that the oxymoronic phrase of the day? I like to carry around a fair bit of loose change, but I’m tired of wearing out front pant pocket.
Wallets are so passe. Money clips are where it is at. Wallets just make you look like you have a lumpy fat ass.
I’ve been using a Queen Bee wallet (red leather with a El Corazon loteria card) for about three years now. still looks great, and only kinda smells like my ass.
I bought that Bad ass motherfucker wallet, and it’s the biggest piece of shit wallet I’ve ever used. First, I am somewhat particular about my wallets – I like the leather on the softer side, I like small wallets, bifolds, very thin – so they don’t create a lumpy fat ass like Lil’T so ably pointed out. Anyway, this wallet is TERRIBLE in all regards. First, the art on the front – “BAD ASS…” – is printed, not sewed on like in the movie. Second, the wallet is made from no leather I’ve ever seen – it’s more vinyl than leather – very hard, ages ungracefully, brown baby shit color. Third, the wallet is HUGE – it’s def. bigger than most bifolds out there, and it’s very hard as well, so putting it in your pocket isn’t too fun. The inside of the wallet is low-class – like the money area and the CC area – they are all materially and don’t really look like they’ll last. Basically, don’t buy it.
I am now using a Guess Wallet – something like this – and I couldn’t be more pleased. It’s a small bifold, very nice soft leather, looks great, doesn’t show too much when in the back or even front pocket. And it’s pretty cheap too!
Correction – I just looked at the bad ass site, and it’s NOT that wallet. I must have bought the cheap-ass leather version. BOO. It stil cost the same, and I feel a bit ripped off. THen again, I did buy a wallet that said “Bad ass Motherfucker” on it, so maybe that shows me.
I just got a db clay wallet for my birthday, and I like it quite a bit. They’re made of gaffer’s tape of all things, so it’s also a good gift for any vegan males you may know.
http://www.dbclay.com
They’re pretty damn sturdy, but my only gripe is that they don’t have a divider in the cash-zone. I prefer that there are two sections for bills, so I can keep smaller notes in one part and bigger denominations in the other (who am I kidding, all I have are ones).
I stumbled onto this little wallet from another forum.
Its called an “All-Ett” and is billed as the worlds thinest wallet. I got the Junior model as it more closely matches the size of a regular wallet (length and width wise) and the Standard size is a lil ttle large from the looks of it. The sailcloth material is super strong and VERY lightweight.
Give it a look.
http://www.all-ett.com/index.html
Nice Mr. Show reference…
And to the dude who suggested money clips instead of a wallet; get a clue. Who carries cash anymore? Plastic looks stupid in a money clip, and you run the risk of damaging the strip. You’re far better off getting a slim wallet and carrying the very little you need in it, if you’re worried about your bulging ass. Money clips are typically for pompus asses who feel a need to show off how much money they have. There are much subtler and slicker ways to show off your affluence than waving your cash around for everyone to see.
Check out the money-band. It’s the ultimate minimal wallet.
it’s specially sized to hold all your cards (and cash, yes people still carry it).
I’ve been usinig them for years and I’ll never go back.
Simplist solution out there. Check it out:
http://www.money-band.com