Wallets Yesterday and Today

Most of our wallets come in leather. It's the most long-lasting and the most attractive of materials. As a matter of fact, the very first wallets in history were made of leather. It became popular when paper currency became the trade currency of choice. This happened in the seventeenth century. In fact, the earliest paper currency, which preceded leather mens wallets but not by much, was made of corn paper in 1690 in the Massachusetts Bay colony. Prior to that, the only currency used were coins and leather pouches were what the people used to store them in. The earliest leather wallets came from the skin of cows or horses.

If the first wallets were for storing paper currency and coins, today's mens leather wallets are not that different except for the card slots that became popular after credit cards have been introduced in the early '50s. About the only notable change in wallets was probably in the '70s when Velcro became popular. Wallets today are available in various shapes, sizes, and designs.

There are leather wallets that can be strung around the neck with a leather string. This is to hide them from thieves' attention.

Men's wallets are really simple. A bifold is enough for them. For women, there has to be one for every occasion and for what they are wearing. Here are several traveling wallets for women:

* For women who are on the go, there's the handy front pocket leather wallet. This is flat and rounded making it easier to be carried around on the front pocket. Despite the space-saving feature of the front pocket wallet, it can hold cash, cards, change, and IDs. This is made made of Napa leather and they come in black and brown colors with combinations of other colors for a more stylish appeal. You can also get them with combinations of colors like pink, blue, and green.

* Tony Peroni's travel wallets is zipped on three sides and has a compartment for bills, for credit cards, and a coin pocket. It also has a front flap to secure the three inner partitions. These fashionable leather wallets are available in chocolate brown or black.

* Another kind of wallet, the Ultimo leather weekend wallet, is fit for trips. You can walk around without making it obvious you are carrying a wallet that can hold cash, cards, and other important things you might want to throw in. Of course this is made of fine leather, and they are available in cognac, black, and brown colors.

* The credit card wallet is your traditional all-in-one wallet. It has a clip to secure your cash and inner partitions where you can throw other things in. You may choose from warm colors of black, honey, and chocolate brown for your money clip wallet.

* Rustico's leather weekend wallet is also designed by Tony Perotti. It is made to be carried around easily. It has center stash for change and other things you may have with you. It also has an ID window on the reverse side and card slots inside. You can only find them in one color, the ever neutral brown.