Totes Dagne: Accordion Travel Wallet

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Comprehensive Dagne Dover Wallet Comparison

Looking for a new wallet? Dagne Dover has some great options! I'm going to break them into three categories—small, medium, and large—and add a fourth bonus category for the smaller DD clutches with built-in card slots. I gave videos a shot for this post (with no audio/narration), and they're best viewed in HD. Click the 'settings' gear icon on the video to change the definition to 1080p HD!

Small: Card Case (full size), Card Case (Tiny Tote version), Accordion Card Case
Medium: Slim Wallet, Accordion Travel Wallet, Original Clutch Wallet Insert
Large: Original Clutch Wallet, Essentials Clutch Wallet
Bonus Category: Small Elle, Small Andra

Small Wallet Options

Dagne Dover Accordion Card Case: L 4” x H 2 ¾” x W ¾”
Dagne Dover Tiny Tote Card Case: L 4.13” x H 2 ¾”
Dagne Dover Card Case: L 4 ½” x H 2 ¾”

I used my Card Cases for about a year and the Lychee with Hearts Accordion Card Case for nine months. These smaller card case designs are ideal if you use credit/debit/gift cards/mobile pay for most of your purchases, and there’s room to store some folded-up bills if needed. I'd absolutely recommend either design based on my experiences using them!

The Card Cases included with the old Tiny Tote design are slightly smaller than the ones available for purchase today—additionally, the D-ring is located on the opposite corner. Some of the older full-size Card Cases did not come with a D-ring at all, if I remember correctly: I suspect it might have been added during the early 2017 relaunch of DD’s Coated Canvas products. Unlike its predecessor (the Tiny Tote), the Petite Tote does not come with a matching Card Case and key leash.

Medium Wallet Options

Dagne Dover Accordion Travel Wallet: L 6.75” x H 4.25” x W 0.5”
Dagne Dover Slim Wallet: L 7 ¾” x H 4”
Dagne Dover Original Clutch Wallet Insert: L 7 ¾” x H 3 ¾”

If you have a fair number of cards, cash, coupons, coins, and checks to wrangle and tend to carry a variety of bag sizes, the medium-sized wallet options might be ideal for you.

I've written an in-depth review of the Accordion Travel Wallet previously, and it's the wallet I'm still using now—click here for more information.

I haven't used my Slim Wallet yet, but I've heard so many good things about them from fellow Dagne addicts. It boasts a whopping ten traditional card slots, two slightly larger card slots, three large slip compartments for cash/checks/coupons, and a zippered compartment for change or a cell phone. If you need to carry a lot of cards and/or coins in your wallet, the Slim Wallet is the way to go!

The magnetic card holder insert from the Original Clutch Wallet has eight card slots, one large slip pocket for cash/checks/coupons, and a zippered compartment for change or a cell phone. The Original Clutch Wallet was discontinued several years ago, so you'll need to scour the secondhand market if that style is of interest. Be sure to verify with the seller that the magnetic card holder insert is included if it's not visible in the listing pictures.

Large Wallet Options

Dagne Dover Original Clutch Wallet: L 6 ¼” x H 5 ½”
Dagne Dover Essentials Clutch Wallet: L 9 ½” x H 6 ¼”

I'm a big fan of the Original Clutch Wallet's design (discontinued). Unlike any of the other wallet options, it was sold with both a wrist and crossbody strap. There was a point where an Original Clutch Wallet in great condition would sell for $200+, but the introduction of the Slim and Essentials Clutch Wallets seem to have reduced the demand—you can likely find one in good used condition for $100 or less these days. The zippered closure takes a little getting used to and the strength of the magnetic strip in the card holder insert can weaken over time, but I think the overall design is awesome. "Common" colors on the secondhand market include Onyx, Champagne, Linen, and Dagne Blue; colors such as Ivy, Oxblood, Sangria, and patterned designs are generally considered rare.

The Essentials Clutch Wallet is quite large—it's as tall as and slightly wider than the Small Elle, and its height and width are larger than that of the Small Andra (although the Small Andra has a far greater depth measurement). It has four card slots, two slip pockets with magnetic closures (which fit an iPhone 7!), a pen/lipgloss loop, a key clip, a wrist strap, and two large zippered pockets. You could conceivably run a removable crossbody strap through the pen/lipgloss loop and carry the Essentials Clutch Wallet as a crossbody, although the strap might damage the interior over time. While I haven't personally used my Essentials Clutch Wallet yet, I could see this wallet working for international travel or in lieu of a purse.

Bonus Category

Although they've been discontinued, I do still plan to write a review/comparison of the Small and Large Elle clutches in the future. The Small Elle has a single slot that can hold multiple cards, and it also has a key clip. The card cases fit with lots of room to spare, and the Accordion Travel Wallet fits but doesn't leave room for much else. (Alas, the magnetic insert from the Original Clutch Wallet is just a touch too wide to fit inside the Small Elle.)

The Small Andra has three card slots located under the front flap and also has a key clip. The card cases and Accordion Travel Wallet fit inside—see this post for additional pictures.

Did this post help you choose your new Dagne Dover wallet? Let me know what you got! Leave me a comment here or on Instagram (@totesdagne).

Please let me know if you have any questions or requests for additional comparison photos—I'll do my best to help. If you decide to make a first-time purchase through Dagne Dover, please consider clicking this link for $20 off your first $100+ purchase! (If you make a qualifying purchase, Dagne Dover will gift me $20 in spending credit as part of their new Dagne Rewards program!) The link will take you to Dagne Dover's home page, where a unique $20 off code should pop up after a few seconds.

If you're looking to buy used Dagne Dover items, please consider using my Poshmark, Mercari, Tradesy, and/or thredUP referral codes to receive sign-up bonuses for yourself AND to support me and my shopping habit. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Monday, October 29, 2018

Review: Dagne Dover Accordion Travel Wallet in Bone

In addition to the small Allyn and small Dakota, another item from the FW18 collection that seriously piqued my interest was the newly released Accordion Travel Wallet. I'd been using my Lychee Accordion Wallet for eight or nine months by that point and was excited by the prospect of having a place for my coupons and my fat stacks of $1 bills to lie flat. I originally ordered two colors—Bone and Oxblood—and returned the latter because it arrived with a small but noticeable indentation. I came close to ordering an additional one in Sienna to match my Allyn, but I waited too long and the discount code I planned to use expired last night. #oops

I enjoyed using my small accordion card case, but the first time I whipped out the accordion travel wallet to pay for something, I remember feeling so...sophisticated. So adult-like.

Elegant AF.

Here are some factoids and observations about the wallet that you might like to know:

Specs: L 6.75” x H 4.25” x W 0.5”, .2 lb weight

It fits 1, possibly 2 cards per slot (although I would recommend sticking to one per slot to avoid over-stretching the card slots and leaving harsh intentions against the bottom flap);
The small center section is the perfect size for a small stack of additional cards (or other card-sized items);
The back compartment fits an iPhone 7 or similar-sized phone in a thin protective case;
Bills generally lie flat;
Opening and closing the magnetic flap = a most satisfying experience;
The wallet fits inside many of Dagne Dover's smaller items. (See the next part of this post for photos!)

I do, however, have an issue or two with the wallet—particularly relating to the card slots.

I find it can be difficult to slide the middle card back into the correct slot, as the slot sort of closes up while the card is out. (I imagine this issue will improve over time and with further use.)
The external card slot is becoming less and less secure by the day—my card will actually fall out of the wallet after a few upside-down shakes or with just one aggressive upside-down movement, but adding a small piece or two of a grippy under-rug texture to the inside of the slot might help. (I'll add an update to this review with the results if I try that.)
I'm a big fan of the Ava, and this wallet doesn't have a designated 'place' inside the Ava like the accordion wallet did; it's too large for the phone/card case slots. Pinning the wallet against the center divider using the small Lola will probably be the way to go.

That being said, I am impressed with this wallet overall and plan to keep using it for the foreseeable future. The loosening of the external card slot is my one big gripe—otherwise, my experience has been pleasant.

One new feature I'd be excited to see in future releases would be to have tiny D-rings either tucked/flipped into the accordion folds or placed just under the curve of the flap, which could potentially allow the wallet to be carried on a thin chain when flipped outward. (And if they ever released this wallet in the Geo Mirage print from their SS17 collection? OMG.)

Out of curiosity, I tried placing the Accordion Travel Wallet in my smaller Dagne Dover items to see if—and how—they fit. Here's what it looks like in the Small Elle, Large Elle, Small Andra, Medium Andra, Small Lola, Large Lola, Ace Fanny, the Original Clutch Wallet, and the Tiny Tote! (Click here to see how it looks in the Small Allyn, here to see how it looks in the Petite tote, and here to see how it looks in the Small Dakota.)

Small Elle