Small leather goods tell you the most about a bag line, because there is nowhere to hide. Open the wallet in the fitting room, or at the counter, and count the card slots with your fingers. Then look at the lining along the folds, where loose thread or messy glue shows first.

The Large Logo Continental Wallet comes in primrose and chambray, both with 17 card slots, a zip pouch and a phone pocket, and a wrist strap. It is the one I would keep for travel days. The Jet Set Travel Large Continental Wallet in light berry sorbet is pebbled leather with gold hardware and the same big layout. The Bryant wallet in moss is the quiet one, with a snap closure, an ID window and silvertone hardware, and it fits a small bag.

For the wristlets, the Jet Set Medium Convertible Wristlet in smokey rose and the Jet Set Medium Wristlet in black are my night-out pair: phone, keys and a lipstick, nothing else. The Jet Set Card Case Wristlet in light berry sorbet has four slip pockets and works as a tiny bag. Check the wrist loop and the zip pull, because those get the most use. The Greenwich trifold, the bi-fold, the zip-around card case, the billfold and the leopard coin purse are the same test in smaller sizes, and the silver double layered necklace closes the group as the one small piece of shine, with a 13.5 inch chain and a 2 inch extender, so test the clasp first.

What I would skip: the Small Studded Leather Wallet in luggage if you want a smooth, plain look. The gold studs are a lot next to quiet leather.

Watches, shoes and jewelry are where the outlet range gets a bit more mixed, so slow down and look closely. For a watch, press the crown, turn the strap in your hands and check that the case back sits flat on the wrist. What you are judging is finish: the bezel, the logo dial and the clasp.

The Janelle in rose gold has a large raised MK logo on a blush silicone strap, and it is the sporty, easy one. The Corey 38mm in silver has a CZ pavé bezel and a bracelet strap, which is dressier. The Pyper in black and gold, with a black sunray dial and crystal-accented hour markers on a leather strap, is the one I would wear with a blazer. Gold-tone watches round out the grid: the Slim Runway, the Mini Gramercy, the Mini Hally pavé and the Micro Melissa pavé, so press each crown and check the clasp.

For shoes, the Rhodes color-block suede trainer in primrose has an almond toe and a lace-up front, and I would wear it with wide-leg denim. The Amara pump in raspberry is leather with a pointed toe, and the Pixie jelly ballet flat in Milos blue is the playful pair. The Dorothy Flex leather pump is the blush pointed pair beside the raspberry Amara. Look at the sole and the stitching along the upper.

The gold double hoop earrings are brass with 14K gold plating and post backs. They are easy to layer, and I would test the post backs first.

I would start with the bag, because it sets the tone, then pick one small leather piece to match. Open it, tug the strap and look at the lining before anything else.

After that I would add one watch or one pair of earrings, and only if it earns a place next to what I already own. The Corey with its pavé bezel or the gold hoops would be my first pick, because both dress up a plain shirt without any effort.

The last step is the mirror. Hold the bag at your side, check that the hardware sits straight and the straps hang evenly, and walk once across the room. I keep thinking about Iman in gray flannels: one clean idea, worn well, beats five loud ones. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Tiny Bags, Pouches and Slim Wallets for Fall and Seiko Watches.