Remember the first time you saw cargo shorts? The style was genius. Going way beyond the concept of a traditional four pocket layout by adding larger pockets on both sides. What did that mean for us? It meant we could carry even more stuff! We loved the idea of being able to hoard anything and everything inside of our cargo pockets. It was almost like you could carry a backpack’s worth of stuff on your legs. Make no mistake, the ladies found it handy too, as there was no need to carry around a purse on cargo pant day.
Much like the cargo pants fad, we used to carry around bulky wallets too. They were loaded with everything from debit cards to credit cards, business cards, award cards, and even a stack of printed photos. Wallets were literally huge in those days, even without a stash of cash folded inside of them. They were bursting at the seams and it was glorious. Technology and time catch up with all fads though and cargo pants were no exception. Before long, we no longer wanted to be weighed down by our pants. A belt wasn’t just style in the cargo pants era, it was a requirement to hold up our pants with all the extra weight we carted around. And we grew tired of it.
Today we yearn for efficiency, simplicity and most of all to move around with less. Our debit cards and credit cards can be stored on our phone. Many even have the option to skip car keys with the advent of door-mounted keypads that allow us to unlock our door from the outside of the car. Minimalist is the hip vibe. We do whatever we can to strip our life down to the essentials and nothing more. Even minimalist shoes have become extremely desirable to promote proper running posture. It’s no secret that less is more, but to truly achieve that minimizing our lives in every aspect is the task. Enter the minimalist wallet. Minimalist wallet you say? It may sound ridiculous, but it is most certainly the right idea if you’re considering the minimalist approach to life. When you enter “minimalist wallet” in a Google search, a plethora of companies come up and they all have something slightly different about their design. The principal is the same though: driver’s license, debit card, maybe a credit card for emergencies, and cash (if you carry cash). Simple, light and only the things you need most.
Proof Eyewear offers a minimalist wallet that I find to be perfect for every occasion and I use it daily. It is simple in design: two wooden slabs with a very strong silicone band around the slabs, that’s it. You can place stuff on the outside or in between the slabs and it is all held snugly in place by the aforementioned band. I have my work badge on the outside so that I can scan into the building at work, I keep my debit card on the other side. In between the two slabs are my drivers license and another card. That is, it. Very simple. I have everything I need. I can also add cash to tip the valet or waiter, just slip it under the band.
We tend to have everything on a card or through Apple Pay or Google Pay these days and photos are all digital too. It’s time to grab the old wallet that’s left an imprint on your pants (or a bulge in your purse), open it up and ask yourself how much of this stuff do I really use? In the end, I’d venture to say 3-4 cards in there actually see regular action. Why have a bulky wallet for 3-4 cards when you can minimize with a wallet that can placed in your front pocket or shirt pocket? Both of which are statistically shown to be less vulnerable to pick-pocketers by the way. After you throw away that old bulky wallet, open your drawer and place your cargo shorts in a time vault in your garage. Do not throw them away or donate them because fashion fads always come back around but remember, you do not need to fill those pockets with everything inside your house. Or perhaps they could become part of your Knockaround getup for mowing the lawn. Whatever you choose to do with them, the name of the game today is to be light on your feet and that isn’t a fad my friends, it is the future. Welcome to it.
