Vernon Howard exquisitely puts it, “You have succeeded in life when all you want is only what you really need.” He sure knows the score from being a successful teacher and an author of books about self-awareness and psychological growth!

This simplicity that he stresses can be related to the things that we put in our pockets --coins, handkerchiefs, bus tickets, train cards, and, yes, our bulky wallets. And this is where the money clip serves as an essential accessory to simplify our lives. It is not just to bring you the comfort of not carrying the unnecessary weight of your lumpy wallets in your pockets, but rather to give you a clearer understanding of your lifestyle needs.

Of course, wallets have a significant role in our daily lives. Aside from carrying cash, it holds our identification, debit or credit cards, and random stuff. We all know the mental satisfaction of inserting anything we think is important inside the sleeves of our wallets.

The habitual stuffing of fliers and receipts along with a lover’s photo can subconsciously please us temporarily until we forget why we have a vast collection of business cards from people we can’t recall meeting at all. Perhaps hoarding has always been our natural response to the anxiety of not wanting to leave anything that we think is essential to our way of life. But the truth is, it’s just a paradox of collecting things that we will eventually forget or not use anymore. So, live a simple life and start using a money clip instead!

It’s For Everyone

Apart from being just an iconic piece of a luxurious ensemble, money clips are made as a utilitarian tool crafted to function in our daily lives and for all walks of life. In terms of material, they are usually made of bent pieces of metal such as brass, titanium, silver, and gold. But because of technological developments, other money clips are now being manufactured out of carbon fibers, hard plastic, magnets inside leather pieces, and so on.

Several money clips were made not just for money bills but also for other belongings that support a man’s needs. Examples of these are the money clip wallets created with variations of minimalist compartments.

The most basic money clip alone can hold all your bills, cards, IDs, and receipts together. But for several manufacturers, the money clip wallet is created so we can still easily access those belongings without unraveling all of them apart. Many money clip wallets were crafted with card sleeves attached to the clip so we can still somehow organize the safekeeping of our cards from the money bills.

One of the most traditional money clip wallets is usually shaped like regular bi-fold wallets, except that it only features fewer sleeves for a limited number of cards and does not have a main compartment to carry more loads of cash. It is a simplified set of hand-sewn leather pieces that holds a money clip on its centerfold to keep fewer bills. This is very practical for men who want to stick to a money clip, but their profession and lifestyle demand a more accessible and organized storage of business cards and credit cards in their pockets.

Because of the broad spectrum of demand, money clip wallets were made in several shapes, colors, and materials. The most common variation is the ones with card cases or cardholders. A money clip with a card case is usually shaped like half of the regular wallets but thinner. Instead of being a foldable leather piece like money clip wallets are, card cases or cardholders are just a smaller and more straightforward rectangular leather piece that is sewn together with card sleeves.

Both money clip wallets and money clips with cardholders are clear examples of how a money clip can be modified according to any person’s needs. It is a simple tool that can be tweaked in many ways. It has a vast creative space for manufacturers to be more clever in incorporating simplicity into our lives.

Some craftsmen from different brands also gained popularity by providing more exciting features in their money clips. One of those variations is money clips created with knives attached to them. It works like a Swiss Army knife with only a pair of blades and other tools intact. It comes very handy for men who mostly do their work by their hands. Some brands even made money clips that can be worn on your fingers, like brass knuckles for self-defense, and some are made with bottle openers.

Purpose Influences Style

There are countless numbers of money clips that are customized for several kinds of hobbies and professions. But one of the most popular reasons why men use money clips is simply because how it doesn’t create a bulge in your wardrobe. Unlike the regular lumpy wallets, money clips can remain hidden inside a business suit or a dinner jacket. At the same time, it also relinquishes the stress of carrying your stuffy wallet by your hand because how it ruins the fabric of your suit.

Even in the early days, our forefathers widely used money clips because they could easily remain invisible inside our trouser pockets and breast pockets. Who would have thought that most of us would still see that as the same good reason why it is more practical to switch from wallets to money clips? And because of how more accessible and lightweight it is, it also affects our confidence in what we are wearing.

Money clips are a beautifully designed product that transcends time and fashion trends. It has a wide spectrum of niche markets that seems to be more consistent than other consumer products. But the most compelling feature that they all have in common is that they all believe that money clips are better than regular wallets.

Money Clip is Timeless

Bob Dylan was right about how “the times they are a-changin.” And that is because the evolution of cultural dynamics is indeed one of the most constant things. But deeper than change, society has a certain cycle that reincarnates a few old cultures that makes them permanent. And that is how we see the purpose of money clips emerging in times of technological development. Money clips are not just the cash keepers; it is also the present and the future.

Nowadays, several countries in the world prefer to use cashless transactions. Anyone can check out their bills with their debit or credit cards from online shopping to the nearest department store. Electronic payment methods are becoming widely used every day, especially now. And it will soon convince a lot of people to minimize the amount of cash that they need to carry in their pockets. Money clips are going to make a come-back a must for everyone.

Either to relinquish the stress of having your lumpy wallet ruin the drape of your trousers or to limit the number of cash that you can spend at the moment, we all know that the money clip’s practical design is more than just a menswear accessory. It will always be a utilitarian piece that holds lifestyle and culture together. Aside from its impeccable finesse and functionality, it is an excellent symbol of modesty and class. Its simplicity reflects that a man is a complete being without a fat wallet in his pocket.