Hey Chad – great question. And something men have been dealing with for eons. I'm surprised it doesn't come up more. How do I protect my shekels? Once you factor in the cell phone, it's a bit of an uphill battle against the never-flattering pocket bulge. I guess that's one of the reasons why we advocate for wearing a jacket so much… they've got all those pockets to keep things out of sight… great for pens, phones, pocket notebooks, and yes, wallets/card holders. So I guess the short answer is… wear a blazer and keep it in the inside pocket!
now you see it, now you don't - the sharkskin card holder in action
However. If you DO prefer to carry your wallet in your pants pocket, man, do we have one for you. Last month, we got these super-minimal card cases that are made out of sharkskin. Same shark we use for our tassel loafers and belt straps, with this semi-matte, almost velvety texture. The shape is the very definition of "low profile" – no snaps or clasps or zips to mess with. It's got two slots on each side with a slot in the top that's great for cash. Everything about it is a bit discreet - even the colors are quiet. And it'll tuck neatly into jeans or five-pockets, sports trousers, or dress trousers without a trace.
my own card holder
Personally, my everyday card case is this envelope card holder. I dig the origami vibe, and it fits a stack of credit cards or business cards perfectly. I carry mine in my inside jacket pocket, but as long as you don't stuff it to the brim, it can still go inside most pants pockets.
clockwise: sharkskin card holders, envelope card holders, and two-piece card cases
And the third card case you might want to think about is this two-piece card case, which is really two card cases in one! It's made by hand with no seams or stitching, it's just one beautiful piece of leather per side. It's a work of art. And it comes in a variety of colors if you're into that. Sometimes when I go on trips I take these and split them up so I can carry a set of business cards in the other side. This one is great if you're up for keeping your cards in your back pocket or in your jacket. The leather is a bit more rigid than on the envelope style so it remains quite low profile.
Thank you for such a practical, thoughtful question – seriously! I appreciate that you're paying attention to the details. I never wanna sacrifice function for fashion, and while the "lines of nice pants" are clearly pretty important around here, you don't want to go without a wallet, either. I think this way you can have your cake and eat it too.
