High design bikers wallet / keychain

August 28, 2009 10:39 AM

My girlfriend keeps losing her wallet & keys (separately). I want to buy her a biker's wallet & have her clip it to her purse & get one of those springy cord tie keychains. What are some high design/fashionable versions of these, preferably with a big honking chain attached, but rather a nice, modern, sleek cable. (PS - tip for NYers - use your digital camera to take a photo of the cabbie's license every time you get into a cab - it'll expedite the process of finding your stuff. Just call 311 & they'll connect you to the TLC.)
posted by MesoFilter to clothing, beauty, & fashion (13 answers total)

Dunno if it fits her definition of style, but these guys make some wallets with retractable cables.

Alternately, it would probably be pretty easy to buy a biker-style wallet and replace the chain with a cable.
posted by box at 10:53 AM on August 28, 2009

All of the Coach wallets in the "Poppy" Collection have a strap with a clip on the end.

I got one of the Coach Madison wristlets as a gift. At first I was all "Coach bags are for soccer moms!" but I started putting my keys and wallet inside it and then clipping it to the inside of larger purses. I can easily pull it out to pay for things at point-of-sales, it's nice to know at one glance I have all my important valuables with me, and it's easy to switch between purses.
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:56 AM on August 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

Not exactly what you are asking for, but there are many purses that have built in key leashes. I am a fan of Orla Kiely, and most of her bags have this feature (although I've seen them on cheaper bags, too). My current bag has one that's elastic and stretches to about 16 inches so I can unlock without taking them off the clasp. I seldom lose my keys, but would often panic that I had. The key leash solves that entirely.
posted by kimdog at 10:56 AM on August 28, 2009

I bought this and this and just got rid of one of the metal rings, stuck all my keys on the other ring and slid it right onto the D-ring so it isn't an endless chain of stupid-looking.

Mine holds everything: money folded up, change loose, cards in a credit card holder, and my phone too. Because it can go around my wrist, I often take nothing more than that (with my keys hanging off.) Note the whole thing can go in a giant handbag too, so it works very well.

If you wanted to actually attach it to a handbag, though, I don't know - I would do a 3-foot loop of ribbon with snaps at both end, slide it through the D-ring and snap it around one of the handbag straps. Anyone on Etsy could make you 12 of these in a rainbow of colours for like $10.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:56 AM on August 28, 2009

Dolce and Gabbana Wallet with chain.

Guess Metal Keychain; clips on both sides. $185 is pretty crazy for a key leash, though.
posted by Juliet Banana at 11:01 AM on August 28, 2009

Dooney & Burke Wallet with a strap leash. A lot like the Coach Poppies I linked earlier.
posted by Juliet Banana at 11:05 AM on August 28, 2009

I have a bad case of your girlfriend's problem. I got an even smaller Coach wallet/key contraption that's made of canvas so it also survives my numerous spills. I also have a heavy duty- canvas key and ID holder that college students carry. Not attractive, but since I've had it I have not lost keys, credit cards or ID. There is no perfect solution for women with this problem, or at least for me. The Coach pocketbook or ID holder come closest.
posted by vincele at 11:12 AM on August 28, 2009

thanks. interesting options so far. we're out shopping now and i'm posting from the pda in the bra store, so not all those pages loaded, but it gives me/us a good place to start. she wants to hit bloomies anyway so we'll check the stuff out there & check macys too if we have time (i wanna get some guy shopping done too).
posted by MesoFilter at 12:11 PM on August 28, 2009

Loc8tor
posted by Cosine at 1:02 PM on August 28, 2009

If you have about 15$ you can make the Guess Metal Keychain that JulietBanana linked to with materials from teh hardware store (cut to size chain) and the crafts store (leather, clips, heavy needle that can take a hammer, heavy thread)
posted by WeekendJen at 1:45 PM on August 28, 2009

If money's no object, check these out!
posted by black8 at 3:32 PM on August 28, 2009

Not what you were asking but...
When you buy/receive a new wallet, bag, keyring etc, hold it wrapped in your hands and bond with it. Ask your wallet etc to stay with you. I know it sounds whoo-hoo but it works very well for me. I used to lose mine all the time but since I have been doing this, I get a little tickle in my brain quite quickly after leaving my bag/keys etc somewhere, quick enough to turn on the doorstop of the cafe (or library etc) and walk back to the table where I've left it. It's like the bonded item sends out a little message. Of course, there is no little spirit in the item calling, it is just my subconscious working and taking care of my things for me.
posted by Kerasia at 5:18 PM on August 28, 2009 [2 favorites]

I use a clip-on key fob similar to this one (also see this one), to snap my keys to my purse. The dog-clip is a really useful feature, as it is so fast to attach and detach -- and very secure. It avoids sooo many mishaps! In the office when I don't carry my purse with me, I attach it to a spiral plastic coil around my wrist, or clip it to a lanyard. The clip makes it so versatile: you can attach it to anything
If you want to splash out and get her a cute biker's wallet, you could always attach a dog-clip (available from hardware stores) to one of the cute biker's wallets that they have at Amazon. I have a weakness for the Gothic ones, but they have a great range at very reasonable prices.
posted by Susurration at 10:41 PM on August 28, 2009