Luxury SLGs and Why They're Worth the Money

"Less, but better."

Most people start growing their luxury collection with SLGs aka small leather goods. They're a good way to dip your toes in the water of luxury without having to drop thousands of dollars right away. While that wasn't exactly the route I took, I have ended up with a small collection of SLGs over the years. I've had a lot of friends ask me if I think SLGs are actually worth the money because a few hundred dollars is still a lot of money to spend on a small little wallet. But I'm here to tell you why it's (surprisingly) worth the investment.



I don't have a huge collection of SLGs and frankly, I think what I own is more than enough. I don't foresee myself ever becoming one of those people that buys a bunch of SLGs just to have them. I don't find it necessary to match my wallet to my bag and personally, I think it's silly to spend that much money on small wallets and cardholders. I also find it kind of a hassle to constantly switch out my wallet, so for the most part I will use one for a very long time before I switch to another. That's why I can't imagine how anyone who owns 10+ SLGs ever finds the time to rotate their way through them. It feels a bit excessive and unnecessary to me to own that many. I think wallets should be practical, functional and hard-wearing, and that's why I've come to find that luxury SLGs are worth their money because of the quality attached to these goods.




I've also found that a lot of the luxury SLGs have a way of remaining compact even when packed full. I use a lot of mini bags so I like my wallets on the smaller side to save space. I've owned other small wallets in the past from high street brands and contemporary designers and for some reason I just don't find them to be as compact even if they're around the same size. I qualify a good SLG as one that can fit all my necessities (cards, cash, receipts, and change) without becoming bulky.



This was my very first SLG and I used this everyday for years. I probably got it around 2015 or 2016 and used it daily until sometime last year. For awhile this was the only luxury SLG I owned, and truth be told if I could recommend any SLG it would be this one. I did not treat this wallet lightly - I threw it around from bag to bag and to this day it still looks like new. This is the SLG that changed my mind on why luxury SLGs are worth the money. I've owned a lot of other wallets in the past, and with constant use they eventually started showing wear and tear. They started looking battered with cracks in their glazing and/or leather and inevitably had to be replaced. At the end of the day, I would much rather spend more money on one quality wallet that will last me forever than buy five different wallets over the years that end up adding up to the same amount of money. This Louis Vuitton Zippy Coin Purse was so good that my mom and sister each ended up getting one as well. 



This was the second SLG I added to my collection and I actually purchased it in Italy back in 2017. I don't think they make this exact model anymore but the one I linked is almost identical except it comes with an extra keychain ring. I don't have a lot of keys at the moment, so for me I don't really need this for the organizational factory. However, I like that it protects the leather lining of my bags from getting scratched from my keys, and it also makes for a handy little SLG to bring out with you if you're just running a quick errand and only need your keys, driver's license, and a credit card. There's a convenient slot behind the key rings where you can put a few cards and cash. Saffiano leather is a great material to choose for your SLGs because it's very durable/scratch-resistant. I've also had no issues with color transfer or stains on this key holder even though I got it in a light color and it's another piece that I don't treat gently. 



This one is a beauty but...probably my least necessary SLG purchase. I got this one in France from the Rue Cambon store and honestly, it was much more of a memento of my trip to Paris and the desire to make a purchase at the Rue Cambon store. It's hard to tell from the photos, but the leather on this is actually a black iridescent caviar leather with dark gunmetal hardware and it's absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, I don't use this one all that much and I actually find the construction to be the least practical since it's pretty much just one large opening for all your cards to go in so there's little to no organization and definitely not good for carrying change. I used to use this more before I got the next (and last) SLG I'm going to talk about because it's smaller than my zippy coin purse and bigger than my key holder so it was a good size for my super small bags, but I don't think I will be buying another one of these anytime soon and I'd recommend it the least out of all of my SLGs.



This is the most recent addition to my SLG collection and the one I currently use everyday. I had seen a few people talk about this card case and how flat it was, so I got it in my head that I wanted it too. Luckily, I found this at a Saint Laurent outlet store, so I ended up saving over $100 on it compared to the original price. And for reference, the goods sold at Saint Laurent outlets aren't manufactured for their outlets. They carry past season styles - so you'll see the current version of this card case that I linked has the Saint Laurent logo heat stamped onto the leather whereas mine is a metal plate. I've actually seen the heat stamping on other people's Saint Laurent SLGs rub off over time from use, so I'm glad mine is not heat stamped. 

This comes in a very close second to my zippy coin purse as my most recommended SLG. It really does stay so compact and slim. I can fit almost everything in here that I would fit in my zippy coin purse but this is so much flatter so it fits in even my smallest of bags while leaving space for the rest of my essentials. It is a tiny bit harder to access the items in the zip compartment because it really doesn't expand that much which is the only reason why it comes in at number two. If you can find this one on sale or wrapped up in a department store promotion, I highly recommend snagging it! This exact one is currently available on Fashionphile in new condition for $305.



So what do you think - will you be spending your money on luxury SLGs? Let me know in the comments below!

What I'm Wearing:
J.Crew Slip Dress - similar here
Madewell Earrings - identical here

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