The Wallet Shoppe
Guides
Practical guides to wallets, leather, backpacks and bags, plus advice on clothing colors and everyday accessories.
Popular: What Is RFID Blocking · Grades of Leather · Leather Bag Care
Getting dressed: Clothing Styles & Color Matching · Getting Men's Accessories Right
Men's Clothing Styles: How to Match Colors and Build an Outfit
Practical outfit ideas for casual, smart casual and tailored clothes, with color combinations for black and gray, jeans, shoes, bags and accessories.
Are Expensive Wallets Worth It?
An expensive wallet can be worth paying for, but the logo tells you little about how it will wear. Compare construction, capacity, and repair options before buying.
Are Tumi Laptop Bags Worth It? Owner's Guide
Are Tumi laptop bags worth the premium? An owner's honest take on build quality, daily wear, and whether the organization and finish justify the price.
How to Make Your Bag Stand Out at the Airport
Black roller bags blur together on every carousel. Use a distinctive tag, handle marker, or well-fitted strap to recognize yours, then check the name tag before taking it.
Caring for Leather Bags and Backpacks
Clean, condition, dry, and store leather bags and backpacks. Choose care products for smooth leather, suede, nubuck, patent, or coated finishes.
What Type of Bag Should a Man Carry?
Briefcase, messenger, backpack, tote, portfolio, or duffel? Six bag categories compared on what they signal, what they hold, and which suits which kind of work or travel.
Are Tumi Backpacks Worth It? Owner's Guide
Tumi backpacks carry a steep premium. An owner's view of the organization, durability, comfort, and warranty, plus a less expensive alternative.
Spectacles, Testicles, Wallet and Watch
The cheeky rhyme explained: the Nuns on the Run scene, its use as a pocket checklist, and an earlier 1974 book title.
How to Spot a Fake Gucci Wallet (6 Tells)
Compare the seller, model, materials, markings, and purchase history before buying a Gucci wallet. No single logo or serial-number test proves authenticity.
What Size Is a Wallet Photo?
Looking to carry photos of your loved ones in your wallet? Real, physical ones, not just whatever is on your phone? Well, what size is a wallet photo, anyway?
Getting Men's Accessories Right
How to choose wallets, bags, belts and watches that suit your clothes, with practical answers on which wrist to wear a watch and how to fasten cufflinks.
Billfold vs Wallet: What Are The Differences?
Is a billfold the same thing as a wallet? Close, but not quite. Where both words came from, and which wallet styles actually count as billfolds.
Can You Wash a Messenger Bag? (4 Steps)
Can you wash a messenger bag? Usually, but check the label first. How to machine wash or hand wash one safely, and why it should never go in the dryer.
Are North Face Backpacks Waterproof?
Most North Face backpacks are water-resistant. Check the exact model and protect electronics separately when rain could soak through the fabric, seams, or zippers.
How Much Should a Backpack Weigh?
School, day-hiking, and overnight packs have different weight guidelines. Weigh the full load and use fit and comfort alongside the percentage, not as an afterthought.
How to Fix a Backpack Zipper
Identify a snagged zipper, damaged teeth, worn slider, or broken pull before choosing a repair. Some fixes are simple; others need a matching part or sewing repair.
How To Pack a Hiking Backpack (4 Rules)
Four rules for arranging a hiking pack: keep dense gear close to your back, cushion it, organize for access, and secure the load.
What Are Backpacks and Laptop Bags Made Of?
Nylon, polyester, canvas, leather and more: what backpacks and laptop bags are made of, what denier, ripstop, CORDURA and ballistic nylon really mean, and what keeps a bag dry.
Sling Bag vs Messenger Bag: The Difference
Sling bags carry pocket overflow; messenger bags carry a laptop and look at home in the office. The real differences, the pros and cons, and our pick.
Are Messenger Bags Bad for Your Back?
A heavy messenger bag can be uncomfortable on one shoulder. Reduce the load, check the strap fit, and consider a two-strap backpack for longer walks.
How to Wash a Backpack (Without Ruining It)
How to wash a backpack by hand: empty it, brush off dry dirt, wipe it down, then wash or spot clean the way your brand allows. With JanSport, North Face, Osprey, Herschel, Kånken and Dickies notes.
What Is Vegan Leather? (And Is PU Leather Vegan?)
What vegan leather and PU leather actually are, from plastic 'pleather' to pineapple, cork and mushroom leathers. Is PU leather vegan? Is it any good for a wallet?
Are Kanken Backpacks For Guys?
Yes, Kanken backpacks are unisex. Where the 'girls' backpack' idea came from, the schoolkid backstory, and the Kånken we'd pick for a laptop.
Are Wallets Obsolete? 7 Reasons They Aren't
Seven practical reasons to keep a small physical wallet, even if you usually pay by phone: backup cards, cash, ID, transit, and everyday organization.
Backpack vs Messenger Bag: Which Wins?
Choose a backpack for longer walks with a heavier load, or a messenger bag for quick access to a smaller daily carry. Compare fit, organization, and capacity.
The 5 Grades of Leather Explained
Full grain, top grain, genuine, bonded, suede and nubuck: what each leather label actually tells you, and which ones hold up in a wallet or belt.
What Is Vegetable Tanned Leather?
What vegetable tanned leather is (and isn't), how it compares with chrome tanning, why it develops a patina, and how to look after a vegetable tanned wallet.
How to Shrink a Leather Wallet (5 Steps)
Cards falling out of a stretched leather wallet? Our 5-step soak, reshape and dry method, when it's worth trying, and when to get it repaired instead.
How to Spot a Fake Coach Wallet (6 Tells)
Six ways to spot a fake Coach wallet or bag: seller and price, logo and color, leather, stitching, hardware and style number, plus what to do if you bought one.
![What's In Your Wallet? 21 [Un]Common Items](/images/migrated/1ffd7894-overfull-wallet.webp)
What's In Your Wallet? 21 [Un]Common Items
Everyone knows the Capital One slogan. Here are things people carry in their wallets — the practical, the sentimental, and the strange.
Do Magnetic Wallets Demagnetize Cards?
Can a magnetic wallet or money clip wipe your cards? What erases a magnetic stripe, which cards are most at risk, and why chip cards don't care.
My Backpack Smells Like Mold — Now What?
Found your backpack in the back of the closet and it smells like mold? Our step-by-step guide to emptying, cleaning, drying and deodorizing it, and when to give up.
Can Wallets Be Engraved? (4 Methods)
Wallets can be personalized by engraving or stamping, but the right process depends on the material and finish. Compare four methods before altering a wallet.
How to Clean (and Protect) a Leather Wallet
How to clean a leather wallet without ruining it: get the debris out, use a gentle cleaner, dry it slowly, condition sparingly, and stop it stretching.
What Is RFID Blocking? Do You Need It?
What RFID blocking is, whether RFID wallets actually work, how real the skimming threat is, and whether it's worth paying extra for. Our honest take.