Ever since the 1600s when paper currency became widely accepted, the wallet has been an essential part of everyday life. Even before that, when currency was in the form of coins, coin purses were used to carry money around – another form of a wallet that can still be seen today, although rarely.

We have been accustomed to these nicely shaped, well-made tiny purses for centuries now. Whenever any of us leave the house, the “phone, wallet, keys” trio is usually on our mind before we step out the door.

Wallets are a necessity, and that’s undeniable, but they also are an accessory, especially for women. Many times, when buying a popular type of handbag, you’d also look for a matching wallet. Womens wallets are as much about their purpose as they are about making a statement. From plain and elegant to sparkly and fun, there is a large variety of this product to fit anyone’s needs.

Material

As we said, wallets are a necessity and because of that, there is a wide womens wallet range. But, variety doesn’t equal quality. No matter how cute a wallet is, if it’s not quality made, then it’s not worth your money. It’s very important to invest in a wallet that both looks good and will last you a long time.

Let’s go over some of the most common materials used in wallet-making.

Leather

One of the very first materials to be used for such a purpose, a leather wallet is guaranteed to look good, feel good, and last a long time.

Leather wallets are best when they’re handmade. This means the leather is hand-painted and then hand-stitched to make the wallet. This process produces a unique product each time, but even though each wallet is unique, there is a guarantee of its quality.

Hand-made items are still held high above machine-made ones because of the time and attention that gets devoted to the product and each detail it has. It takes quite a while to make something by hand, so while this type of wallet will definitely last longer and look beautiful, it will cost more. Many shops use special threads and leathers to make their products and have experienced workers manufacture them, so it all goes into the price, alongside the time spent and the guarantee a handmade item carries with it.

Machine-made leather wallets are still a good choice if you don’t want to pay extra for a handmade item. Even though they’re made with standardised patterns and can sometimes feature some mistakes, they’re generally known to last long and look good, especially when bought from a known retailer.

One thing you should know about leather wallets is that they require special care. Just like our very own skin, real leather can dry out from frequent usage. Even though it’s specially treated so as to be protected, you still need to apply some type of moisturizer to it to keep it from losing it’s shine and cracking. You can also use wet wipes made for maintaining leather items.

Faux leather

For those who don’t feel comfortable using real leather, faux leather is always here to save the day.

Made out of special materials that mimic the feel and look of leather, faux leather wallets can look beautiful, although their durability is shorter than real leather ones.

Faux leather is prone to wear-and-tear, and it can easily crack after a while, while real leather wallets can last much longer. We all have someone in the family with an extremely old leather item that’s been passed down through the years and still looks good as new. You can’t hope for such performance with a faux leather item, especially something you carry around and use all the time, but they’re still a great alternative.

Faux leather wallets are very common, so you really need to pay attention when buying one. A trusted retailer is always the best bet, but even if you’re unfamiliar with the vendor, it’s not the end of the world. With proper care, faux leather wallets can withstand the test of time quite well.

The handmade rule applies here as well.

Textile

Another common material used in wallet-making, textile is most often cruelty-free, sustainable, and quite durable.

Textile wallets are great if you’re looking for something patterned. Laidback and casual, they’re a good option for those who are not fans of the sleek leather look. The fabrics used is much sturdier than the ones used for clothesmaking, as the usage is taken into account.

Textile wallets don’t have the maintenance issues leather wallets have, as textile doesn’t crack, but they have other downsides in this department.

The textile itself can fade as you can’t just wipe dirt off your wallet, so you’ll need to put it in the wash every once in a while. And frequent washing can make the colours bleak. Common for textile items, prolonged usage can also tear the fabric, and with wallets, this usually happens on and around the corners and in places that feature buttons or zippers.

You’ll also need to be careful not to expose your wallet to too much sun, though this is a rule for leather and faux leather wallets as well, and you’ll need to be careful not to get it wet, as they’re usually not waterproof.

Once again, handmade is better.

Style

There are a few types of standard wallet styles that are most common. Each has its own ups and downs. We’ll go over them together to further help you in the search for your perfect wallet.

Zipper

A wallet featuring a zipper can ensure everything you have in your wallet stays there. Easy enough to use, a zippered wallet can use the zipper as an accessory, adding a little charm or gem to the zipper pull, making it even more interesting. The downside with zippers is that they can get jammed, wether from frequent usage or because of something, like a banknote, getting stuck in the teeth. Zippers also need some maintenance to work properly.

Button

A wallet that closes with a button is very elegant and can also use the button as a fun little accessory to the design. It’s important to pay attention to what kind of button is used, though. A magnetic one is much better than the ones you need to press down on since it offers an easier opening and closing. However, because of this, it can also open up in your bag, spilling its contents everywhere. The other type of commonly used button is much better at keeping everything in place, but they sometimes are hard to close and may form a sort of indentation from the pressure, pushing the front side inward.

Fold

Using neither a zipper nor a button, foldover wallets are just that – wallets you fold to close and unfold to open. More common in men’s than ladies wallets, they can still be found on the market. Easy enough to use, they’re practical and look good, but pose a risk for accidental unloading of the contents.

Storage

Depending on the styles mentioned above, there are different storage options for each.

If you’re someone who loves to keep pictures in their wallet, a zipper wallet would probably not be the best idea, as they’re often made like clutch-bags, leaving no space for a picture to be displayed. A buttoned one or a foldover is much better in this department.

Bigger wallets naturally have more space in them for storing things such as business and credit cards alongside money, so if you’re one who carries a lot of these, make sure your wallet has enough space for them. Foldovers are usually smaller to make everything tighter, so you should probably skip on those.

If you carry a lot of change around, a buttoned wallet might not be for you. The presence of bulky items in a buttoned wallet might make it hard to close, exposing its contents to the outside. A zippered one would do much better here, as they usually come equipped with a zippered pouch in the middle that can easily store your change and the zipper closing won’t be affected by the bulkiness.

A Few Words on Colours

There are beliefs around the world that certain colours are better at “attracting money” than others, thus making some wallet colours a better choice, especially when it comes to wallets for women. If you are a subscriber to this theory or just want to try it out, here’s a quick guide on the matter.

Red

Often thought of as the colour of plenitude, health, and abundance, a red wallet is believed to attract money in many countries of the world. Red is also considered a very lucky colour, so if you’re feeling down on your luck, maybe a red womens wallet will help! On the other hand, however, there is a belief that red is the colour of fire, and that symbolizes “burning through” your money faster. It’s a bit confusing!

Black

Representing prosperity and wealth, black is also one of the colours that are believed to be beneficial for “attracting money”. This makes it a good colour choice for your wallet. Also standing for career opportunities, black is believed to bring more work and thus, fill up that wallet. Still, black is also considered a very unlucky colour in many cultures, often tied with bad luck. Curious!

Blue

Symbolizing the flowing water, blue is not thought of as the optimal colour for a wallet, believing that money will just “flow away” from you. However, there is a counter belief that blue is actually a symbol of abundance, so you might want to look into that.

Yellow

Yellow can also be considered good or bad, depending on how you look at it. It’s connected to gold as it’s most similar in tone, but it can also represent autumn, the season in which trees lose their leaves. On one hand, you have riches, but on the other, there’s loss. Tricky.

Final Thoughts

Although there are many beliefs about colours and what they represent, the most important thing is what you want and believe in. We’d recommend not to look too much into the colour theories and just go with what you like most. In the end, hard work is what pays off the most!

As for the material and style, they should match your habits and personal taste, but you should never compromise on quality. A well-made wallet can be your best friend through thick and thin, and that’s the most important feature of a good wallet – durability.

You can find women’s wallets online as well as in physical stores. Be mindful of where you get them from and the way they are made. Make sure they suit your personal style and are practical for everyday use.