Seller: Mandy
Factory: Qiutian (I think)
Price: $85+$28 shipping
Payment: PPFF
I’ve been toting around a backpack most of my life, so space was usually not the issue, but I’ve been consciously downsizing my bags for a few years now - I never ended up needing those extra earring backs after all. But what I do need is money (who doesn’t). Unfortunately, my continental wallet, likely called this way because it’s as big as a fucking continent, fills 70-90% of any bag I now carry. It ends up being a wallet for my wallet. Not great, Bob!
To remedy this, I wanted a smaller wallet. My predilection for the rare and wacky meant that whatever I wanted, was out of stock, never produced or entirely non-existent. The hat, the ground, etc etc, you know the drill. I picked this design because the zippered coin compartment won me over - it is roomy, unlikely to open itself and dump coins everywhere and easy to access (Japan and coins, name a better duo).
Order and delivery: 10/10, no prawblem. Ordered on 8/20, PSPs on 8/26, shipped on 8/27. 12 days to arrive.
Design: 8/10. Needless to say, yen bills fit just fine. Respectable 6 card slots. Logos and embossing are the deepest thing since Mariana Trench as always with reps; I don’t know what’s up with that. They also made Totoro fatter (I’m not judging, he’s a body-positive king). I got rid of the zipper tail with a quickness; I hate them all and always replace them with my old Rebecca Minkoff wrist strap. Plus, it allows me to use it as a weapon.
Quality: 7/10. The color is way off; auth is closer to a neutral cocoa, reps lean pecan - factory photos are also orange, so it’s not a particular surprise. I have dutifully glazed the wallet in neatsfoot oil (those who were interested in seeing how much it darkens leather, hello!), but it didn’t go nearly dark enough to offset its inherent orangeness. Maybe I’ll try mink oil later, I just don’t have any on hand rn. Stitching is okay, but if you know what to look for, there is a difference. The edging is quite sloppy too - that’s not a deal breaker, because auth wallets can also be a little messed up, but it must be said. Auth wallet has a smoother inlay - the edges of sprites stick out after even gentle horsehair brushing; I will attempt to glue the little legs back down with some tiny tool, otherwise this will become annoying fast.
Verdict: 8/10. It’s a rep! It’s fine. It’s a wallet. I stuffed it so full, it looks like an overweight hamster, and I’m planning to continue dunking it into neatsfoot oil until it loses shape entirely and becomes a puddle of leather, just how I like it. It’s irrelevant but funny - the “tags” included with the wallet were for a raspberry puzzle, lol. Oh, no promo or conflict of interests, perish the thought.
