Melanie Paris Khaki Compact Wallet

How much a compact khaki wallet this size actually holds

Measuring 14x9x2.5 cm, this is a wallet that sits in one hand, closer to a card holder than to a long purse. Unzip it and the compartments spread apart on accordion gussets: card slots line up on the right-hand panel, a zipped pocket takes the middle, flat sections open behind them. Nothing has to be dug out of a corner. If the size suits but the shade does not, there are other compact and flap designs in the same section.

Two fastenings, a strap and a zip

The camel strap runs through a gunmetal buckle and closes on a popper, holding the flap down over the top. Underneath it, a zip travels right round the body and shuts the main section on its own. The two work independently, which is worth knowing if you are the sort to leave a strap undone and still want the wallet closed.

The flap catches the light, the body does not

The khaki leans olive. On the flap the finish is pearlised and lightly glittered, so the colour reads bright there; on the body it settles into a matt grain whose texture shows best from behind, where the shiny edge of the flap draws a line across the top. The material is synthetic throughout, so it wipes clean with a soft cloth, barely damp; use a lighter hand on the flap so the sheen stays even. This one belongs to the Mélanie Paris range.

Checked details

Size, fastenings, finish and lining, gathered in one place.

A fan print you only see when it is open

The lining repeats a fan motif in green, burgundy and cream across the base and one of the patch pockets, and the flap hides all of it the moment the strap goes back on its popper. Keep that strap out from under anything heavy, since the crease sets into the camel material, and stand the wallet upright in an inside pocket rather than letting it flatten at the bottom of a bag, so the zip runs smoothly for longer. There is more to pair it with among the bags, purses and clip-on straps.