THE JOURNAL
It used to be that, when it came to the gifting season, a wallet was a sure bet. A man might have all the money he needs to buy himself anything that he wants, but he would still need something to put it in first. Only, as with so many aspects of our lives, the digital revolution means that many of us no longer carry around actual tender.
The shift towards a cashless society has made notes and coins unnecessary, possibly even a hinderance to some. Even the cardholder is of limited use, with your plastic pal replaced. Our “wallets” – much like our calendars, security pass and entire record collections – are now kept in our pockets, only housed on our smartphones.
But there’s still something to be said for holding a physical object in your hands (one that isn’t your phone). More so, a wallet is a totem. It offers an insight into a man far more than a digital avatar does. Is his slim and ordered or stuffed to the gills with receipts?
Just like the infamous business card scene in American Psycho, the cardholder itself can be a status symbol. And there are holsters that even credentials in the finest bone, with “Silian Rail” lettering, would gladly jostle for a spot in.
A wallet can also be the perfect home for a keepsake. A ticket stub from an event worth remembering or a passport photo of a loved one that would just get lost on a phone’s camera roll. Instead, it can always be there with you. So, as a gift, a billfold could end up as treasured as the snapshot you sneakily stash in it.
Not to mention that cash we can see and touch is more tangible and therefore more responsibly spent. So investing in one can be a reminder of the value of currency itself. Plus, when it comes to a classy token of appreciation, nothing says old money like a wallet with a clip.