Hi guys, so for my bag-people readers this one's for you. My high-end bag and SLG (small leather good) addiction doesn't normally translate to the ethical fashion world, except I hope for the most part Celine and other brands I support are paying their workers fairly. H&M they are not. But I get it, I'm lucky and most people are not looking to buy Celine wallets. However, if you're looking for a bag or wallet to be a workhorse for years (if not decades) then I recommend getting luxury accessories secondhand. That's how I got my 2013 Celine zip around wallet (from my favorite secondhand seller, Fashionphile). And well I'm doing this review for you today to let you know that used can definitely be better than new.
So I got my new medium strap wallet from my mom as a birthday present (I'm so grateful!). I've been wanting a new wallet because even though I love my pink zip around wallet, I really wanted a bill fold to hold cash. I don't do well when I have to neatly tuck my bills in a gusset, which is what I was doing with the zip around wallet, because I'm not neat (maybe my new blog name could be The Messy Blogger lol). I hated fumbling and unfolding all my cash, especially since most of the time the bills were crumpled. So when I saw this medium strap wallet, I knew it was the right one for me. It has more than enough card slots for me plus it has a bill fold.
But here's the thing, in this day and age of a highly competitive market, even Celine has taken to cutting some corners. One of the biggest difference between my 2018 wallet and 2013 wallet is that the card slots of my 2018 wallet are no longer all leather like they are in my 2013 wallet. Celine has taken to making the slots (at the bottom where you can't see it) out of nylon. My 2013 zip around wallet is all leather. It's not a big deal but that's a sign of a loss of quality. Also the leather quality of the zip around wallet is all around better. I've only had the strap wallet for a couple months and already there's quite a bit of scratches on the soft leather interior.
But in the end, I really like my new wallet for the added functionality. However, I'm keeping the pink one as a back-up for it's durability. But either way I'm set in terms of wallets for at least a decade now so this should be my last review of wallets ever (I hope!) lol.
Also here's my original review of the 2013 zip around Celine wallet and how it compared to Everlane's.
And you can find my other Celine reviews here.
{January 2021 Update: I still have my strap wallet and I love it! It hasn’t worn much and I’m impressed how well its held up. A winner for sure!}