Wallets

A wallet is a small (usually pocket-sized) storage device used to keep credit cards, cash, driver's licenses and other such items in one place. Wallets are generally made of leather or fabrics such as PVC. more...

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Some people who prefer carrying cash rather than cards use money clips, which are both small and simple. Hybrid money clips can also hold both cash and credit cards.

Wallets are usually associated with men, as a woman's version is usually known as a purse (this differs from the American English "purse" which is elsewhere referred to as a handbag). Men's wallets are usually sized to fit in a pocket, while most women's purses are meant to be carried in a larger bag, such as a handbag.

History

Wallets were developed almost immediately after the introduction of paper currency to the West in the 1600s. (The first corn paper currency was introduced in the New World by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1690.) Prior to the introduction of paper currency, purses (resembling simple drawstring leather pouches) were used for storing coins. Early wallets were made primarily of cow or horse leather and included a small pouch for printed calling cards.

The modern bi-fold wallet with multiple "card slots" achieved its uniform standard size in the early 1950s with the introduction of the first credit cards in 1951. Wallet design remained mostly unchanged throughout most of the late 20th century with the exception of the velcro wallet which was introduced in the 1970s. In 1995 the ALL-ETT billfold designed by Ken Obenski was introduced making wallets considerably thinner and more compact. Today wallet design has exploded into myriad shapes, designs, and colors from dozens of designers

Pickpockets

Pickpockets frequently target wallets, so some wallet owners attach them to their belts with small chains or place the wallet in an inside pocket which cannot be easily reached without the owner noticing. Another anti-pickpocket strategy is to replace the traditional leather wallet with one of the newer design thin wallets, effectively concealing the wallets location from would be pickpockets. Some travelers replace wallets with money belts, to further conceal and protect their belongings.

Unusual Materials

Most wallets sold in stores are made of leather or fabrics, but some individuals create their own wallets from other materials that one can easily find around the house, such as duct tape and playing cards.

Another trend popular among graduate students and indigents is to use Crown Royal or other assorted bags as wallets. The tie strings may be wrapped around the bag to secure the wallet's contents. It is believed that these wallets are an homage to Ernest Hemingway, who would use various small bags in his travels . This approach has notable advantages and disadvantages. For example, many people fail to recognize that the bags are actually wallets and may contain important documents or items of monetary value. The stigmatism, however, of such bags often cause people to mistake them as dime bags or other containers which hold drug paraphernalia.

Read more at Wikipedia.org