Have you ever wondered what the differences are between the old and new Dagne Dover Essentials Clutch Wallet designs? Read on!
Dimensions: 9 ½ L” x 6 ¼ H”, 21 ½” - 23 ½” shoulder strap drop length
ECW "2.0" MSRP: $135.00 ($175.00 for limited edition leather versions)
The original Essentials Clutch ("ECW 1.0") was released on March 2nd, 2017 as part of Dagne Dover's re-designed Signature Collection. The design was later modified and re-released as the Essentials Clutch 2.0 ("ECW 2.0") as part of the brand's FW19 collection, with new features including:
Expanded zippered pocket compartments
Addition of crossbody strap
Additional side D-ring for crossbody wear
Additional card slots (increased from four to eight)
Interior body key clip moved to zip pocket interior
The overall width and length has not changed.
ECW 1.0
ECW 2.0
Key clip placement
ECW 1.0 in Nubian Rose, OCW in Linen, ECW 2.0 in Siren
The ECW 1.0 replaced the 2013 Original Clutch Wallet ("OCW") in 2017, and the 2.0 version re-introduces many of the features customers loved about the OCW design (more card slots, crossbody strap option, etc).
ECW 2.0 with alternate strap (Coach Dinky chain strap in Dark Gunmetal)
ECW 1.0 in Bleecker Blush with Coach Dinky 24 Chain Strap
ECW 1.0 with strap (Coach Dinky Strap in Gold)
The ECW 1.0 design has only one D-ring, but you can turn it into a crossbody bag by passing a strap through the black elastic lipgloss loop (as shown above).
I've also discovered a few 'hacks' to make the ECW 1.0 more practical. Behold!
Magnetic card holder from OCW
Accordion Travel Wallet in Bone — has magnetic closures
Access to back card slip pocket
Accordion Card Case in Lychee with Hearts — has magnetic closure
The Original Clutch Wallet still has my heart, but the ECW 2.0 definitely feels like a step in the right direction. I'd finally be sold on it if Dagne Dover re-introduced the magnetic card holder from the OG design—it was seriously a brilliant feature!
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Did this post help you choose your new Dagne Dover Essentials Clutch 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!
Let's begin with a little backstory on the discontinued 15" Totes (taken from my "Tote Size Guide")!
The 15" Tote was Dagne Dover's staple piece along with the original clutch wallet until the introduction of the Mini Tote in Spring 2014. It is named not necessarily for its overall width (approximately 18.5" inches at the widest point), but for the maximum laptop size the interior laptop sleeve can accommodate (15"). The key difference visually between the 13" Tote and the 15" tote is that the 13" Tote's handles can be easily folded down, whereas the 15" Tote's handles are rigid and stand straight up. The Tote was re-designed early on to be lighter and to fix various issues that arose with the handles. The most recent re-designed version, now called the Legend Tote, has slightly different dimensions than the Totes of this size that were released prior to March 2nd, 2017.
15" Tote Specs:15" L (at smallest point) x 12" H x 7" W, 8" handle drop, 3.4lb weight
Legend Tote Specs:14 ¾" L x 11 ½" H x 7" W, 9" handle drop, 2.9lb weight
While I usually prefer Dagne Dover’s leather items over their larger coated canvas totes, I’ve found myself using my 15" Tote often this year. My parents live a few hours away, and it seems to be the perfect size for the car trip and an overnight stay with them. Although a Large Allyn or Landon could also work for this purpose, the Landons don’t have as much laptop padding (I take my 15” work laptop with me), and I’ve found the Large Allyn is too large and has a tendency to slouch/tip over.
Pictured with XS Landon, S Hunter, Accordion Travel Wallet, and S/L Scout Pouches
One great thing about the 15" Tote is that you can fit a smaller purse inside with room to spare. I usually pack either a Small Andra or an XS Landon along with my 15” laptop, a thin folder, a Small Hunter full of toiletries, and a couple of Scout pouches for chargers and other odds and ends (plus an extra shirt or pair of leggings if needed). The fact that the main compartment zips up is also a plus.
Although it hasn't happened to me yet with these bags, I have heard from numerous people that the larger coated canvas bags tend to develop a slouch over time—sometimes, it's severe. I suspect it's happening to the re-designed Legends in particular, which contain less coated canvas material in the interior. Stuffing the bag with lightweight filler material while not in use could potentially help the bag retain its shape.
Color comparison: Lola/Slim Wallet in Graphite, 15" Tote in Steel Gray (I think!), Large Allyn in Slate, Ava in Steel Gray
I purchased this bag second-hand with minimal information, so I had trouble correctly identifying its color for the longest time. I assumed it was Graphite at first, but I later bought a Graphite Slim Wallet and realized that definitely wasn't right! I then figured it must be Slate due to its slight blue tint, but it turns out I was wrong about that too. The closest color match is actually Steel Gray—and after comparing the interior materials to my 15" Tote in Linen, I discovered my assumption that this was a Legend tote was also inaccurate! (Steel Gray came out a season or two before the coated canvas bags were rebranded/redesigned.) Oof.
Pictured with the Large Ryan Laptop Bag in Clay Red (SS19)
The only downside I’ve found is that because the bag is so boxy and rigid, it makes it a bit awkward to lug around in stores—it juts out so much that I worry I’ll knock over or break something! I recently ordered a Large Ryan Laptop Bag to try out in place of the 15" Tote, and although the compartments are great and it's a wonderfully functional bag, I'm going to sell the Ryan because the silhouette/aesthetic is not for me. (The newly-released large Wade diaper bag might do the trick; the width is more substantial and the structured silhouette appeals to me as well!)
Large Ryan Dimensions: 16” L x 12.25” H x 2.5” W
Large Wade Dimensions (not pictured): 16.25” L x 12” H x 6” W
Fun fact: my very first Dagne Dover bag was a 15” Tote in Linen. I'll admit I haven’t used it in years, but I won't part with it anytime soon—it’s too special to me. I’ll never forget how awe-struck I felt when I saw it in person for the first time. Based on the state of my Dagne-filled house right now, I'd say it clearly made an impression. 🙈
Did this post help you choose a 15" Tote or Legend Tote? Let me know what color 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!
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!
