Hint: It’s Not the Contents

I recently met up with a friend for dinner in Brooklyn. At the end of the meal, we both reached for our wallets to split the check.

As I rooted around the cavernous depths of my purse looking for mine, he flung THIS on the table:

You guys.

YOU GUYS.

I cannot believe I am still dealing with the “office supplies as accessories” situation. I thought we’d settled that! But here’s the real deal:

Girls do not want to see you MacGeyver’ing your wardrobe.

We are not impressed by your ingenuity; we are put off by, well… by your using a binder clip as a money clip!

You have money – you must be if you are carrying it around in paper clips, rubber bands, and who knows what else? Why not use some of it to buy something to hold it all?

Because real talk time: part of being a grown man is owning grown man accessories. Like wallets, for instance, and shoes that aren’t sneakers. Like a sturdy watch. And as with all these things, a wallet is also a great way to show off your personal style.

To replace my friend’s supply closet staple money holder? What about a nice side wallet ($55) from Chester Mox? My friend Derek of the great menswear site Die, Workwear (which, if you haven’t checked it out, do so immediately) introduced me to the Los Angeles-based brand, and I’m so glad he did. Their beautiful handcrafted goods are made to order,  and they use Horween leather, one of the last tanneries in the United States. I love how the color gets deeper and richer with age. Like your favorite baseball cap, this wallet will look better with age and some solid beat-it-to-hell time.

(A note on color: Personally, I like guys carrying wallets made of brown leather more than black, but again, the important thing here is that you’re carrying a wallet at all. Carry on…)

If my friend wants to stay true to the binder clip heritage (sarcasm implied) of his current pocket companion, a money clip will suit his purposes. This one from Etsy seller R Parish Woodworks ($22) with decorative Australian wood fits the bill.

Guys, tell me:

What style sin are you guilty of that you’ve really (really) got to do something about?