Why (and How) To Ditch Your Wallet This Summer

Your constant companion is ruining the line of your summer slacks. Replace him.

A thick wallet can be a good thing. Cash is a good thing. A driver’s license is a good thing. A motorcycle driver’s license is a good thing. What’s bad – especially in summer, when thinner fabrics emphasize trouser shape – is a strange wallet-shaped lump in your pants. The math isn’t complicated: There should be exactly one bulge beneath your belt. What men need, come summer, is an alternative to the traditional billfold. Here are the three best options:

Money Clips

Photo Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

Available in a range of styles and price points, this is an old-school way to carry around a few essential credit cards and bills, and will be flat enough to slide into a front pocket of your pants instead of lumping up your back pockets. We’re partial to the low-profile sterling silver option from Tiffany & Co, which is more appropriate for Benjamin than George and makes a statement when you take it out in the bar. Want to up the gentleman factor? Get it engraved with your initials.

Cell Phone Cases

Photo Courtesy of Burberry

There are several high-end phone sleeves on the market (like this one from Case Mate, or this one from Burberry) with built-in credit card slots, allowing them to double as wallets – just make sure you don’t ever lose your phone, or you will be truly screwed.

Pocket Square

Photo Courtesy of O’Harrow

A smart trick if you’re willing to just carry plastic this summer: Wrap up your ID and a credit card or two in a bit of eye-catching fabric stuffed rakishly in your breast pocket. This might not be the best idea if you’re intent on bringing the bankroll to the barbecue, but it can be a godsend if you’re wearing a tailored suit. Just don’t offer your hanky to a crying woman.