The pandemic has unexpectedly changed some of my habits, sometimes in areas I never would have thought: like what wallet I carry. Although I’ve been happy with my zip wallet over the years, lately I’ve been wanting something smaller.
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I often wear my Lo & Sons Waverly belt bag when I’m out running errands — a change from pre-pandemic when I’d usually grab a larger tote. The zip wallet feels a bit too big for the belt bag. While it fits, it takes up more real estate than I’d like, crowding other items. My solution: try a card case.
There are many card cases out there, but I turned to Italic because my first experience with their products (a sweater that I reviewed here) was good. (I am wearing that same sweater now as I type this.) When I first wrote about the brand earlier this year, they had a membership model. But a few months ago, they opened up their products for purchase without a membership.
Italic’s Albee card case is quite compact at 5.3″ wide by 3.7″ tall. It has four card slots on one side, one large slot on the other side, and a zipped compartment in the middle. It comes in nine different color/hardware combinations. Most of them are smooth leather, but two are textured Saffiano leather.
I decided on the poppy orange with gold hardware, a fun pop of color that would be easy to spot in any bag.
The wallet arrived in a timely fashion — and somewhat as a surprise to me. I didn’t get a shipping notification, so didn’t know when to expect it. Here’s what it looked like when I first got it.
Italic Albee Card Case — $30
The other side has has one pocket.
The interior is cotton twill.
When Italic revamped their business model and their website a few months ago, they began including a little more info about the manufactures they work with. Italic didn’t name the manufacturers before. Now they do. This card case is made by Tannerie, a family-owned business that is one of the largest manufacturers of handbags in the world.
Italic says the company prioritizes sustainability and points to its investments in solar power. However, the description doesn’t include much info about materials, other than to say that this card case is made from calf leather and cotton twill. I’d like to know more about the process for tanning and dyeing the leather.
I’ve used this card case for about two months now. I find the number of slots just the right amount. I keep a little bit of cash in the zippered section, though finding exactly what I want can take a little longer since I have to fold up the bills. Even fully loaded up, the case is quite slim.
The leather feels soft. The zipper works well. The stitching looks straight. The slots aren’t too tight that I have problems pulling my cards out. And they’re not too loose that cards fall out. There’s no branding whatsoever, which I appreciate. I have no complaints. The price is right too at just $30. Comparable card cases run at least twice this price. And a luxury brand one, like this Saint Laurent case in a similar orange color costs 11.5 times the price and has one less pocket.
My card case after two months of use. Italic card case // Lo & Sons belt bag // Stila lipstick
Overall, I’m quite pleased with this card case. The craftsmanship seems good and it’s just the right size for days I want to be more minimal.
BTW, if you’re a woman shopping for other slim wallet options, don’t forget to look in the men’s section. (Why are wallets gendered? Let’s just consider them unisex already now.) There you will find this even smaller card case as well as this slim bi-fold wallet.
I bought my Italic Albee card case ears ago and I think I also had the same experience, it was a complete surprise when it showed up (fairly quickly). It’s a very good card case, though I don’t use it as often anymore since I ended up finding a small zip-around wallet easier to get in and out of.
It’s a cute case. Not as handy for cash, but good when you just need a few cards on you. I could see it being useful for evenings out when you want to travel lightly. (Not that I’m going anywhere much these days in the pandemic.)