Now the small ones. A card case is what I reach for when I have decided I do not need bills, a coin pocket or a long wallet at all. Four cards, an ID and a pocket is the whole day, and it slides into the back pocket of jeans or the inside pocket of a blazer without any bulk. This is the group I would give to someone who hates carrying a bag.

The names here tell you the shapes. The Cassandre Fragments Flap Card Case comes in Lambskin and in Grain De Poudre Leather, and the Cassandre Matelassé Fragments Flap Card Case in Grain De Poudre Leather is the quilted take on the same idea. The Uptown Flap Card Case in Grain De Poudre Leather has a flap, and the Uptown Flap Card Case in Crocodile-Embossed Shiny Leather gives the same shape a glossier face. The Cassandre Card Case in Lambskin is the soft, simple one, and the Cassandre Card Case in Crocodile-Embossed Shiny Leather is the one that catches the light when you pull it out at a counter.

If you want one place for coins and cards, the Cassandre Matelassé Coin Card Wallet in Lambskin does both. The Jamie Bi-Fold Card Case in Lambskin opens like a tiny book, the Paris Credit Card Case in Grain De Poudre Leather keeps it plain, and the Tiny Cassandre Card Case in Matte Leather and the Tiny Cassandre Credit Card Case in Grained Leather are the smallest in the group.

Here is how I choose. Lambskin is the soft, smooth choice, grain de poudre leather has a textured surface, and the crocodile-embossed shiny leather is the dressed-up one. Slide your card case into your jeans pocket in the fitting room and sit down. If it shifts or digs in, it is too thick for you.

A chain wallet is a wallet that is also a little bag, and it is the group I would pick for dinner, a wedding or a night when I want to carry almost nothing. You put in a phone, a card and a lip color, and you let the chain do the rest. It sits against a slip dress, a black blazer or a plain white shirt and jeans, and it looks like you thought about it.

The Cassandre Envelope Chain Wallet comes in Grain De Poudre Leather, twice, and in Patent Leather. The Classic Cassandre Chain Wallet in Grain De Poudre Leather and the Cassandre Chain Wallet in Lambskin are the other two Cassandre ones, and the Uptown Chain Wallet in Grain De Poudre Embossed Leather and the Paris Chain Wallet in Grain De Poudre Leather give you different shapes under the same house name. Before you buy, drape the chain on your shoulder and across your body. Where the wallet lands against your hip tells you if it is comfortable for you.

The rest of the group is compact wallets, for people who want a real wallet with a zip or folds that still goes in a small bag. The Cassandre Matelassé Compact Tri Fold Wallet in Grain De Poudre Leather and the Cassandre Compact Tri Fold Wallet in Lambskin fold into thirds. The Cassandre Matelassé Compact Zip Around Wallet in Grain De Poudre Leather closes all the way around, and the Uptown Compact Wallet comes in Crocodile-Embossed Shiny Leather and in Grain De Poudre Leather.

What I would skip: a chain wallet if you carry a laptop, a water bottle or a book every day, because it holds too little and you will end up carrying a second bag anyway. For that kind of day, take the long wallet from the first group or a card case, and keep the chain for evenings.

Here is my routine for choosing. I empty my bag onto the table and sort it: cards, ID, keys, lip balm, phone. If I carry bills and a lot of cards, I take the long wallet. If I carry four cards and nothing else, a card case. If I am going out with a small bag or none, a chain wallet.

Then I pick the leather. Lambskin for softness, grain de poudre leather for a textured finish, patent for gloss, and crocodile-embossed shiny leather for a dressier look. The monogram Cassandre drew in 1961 still looks elegant and modern, and I think the best wallet in this edit is the one whose shape you will actually use. Try it with your real things inside, check it closes, and carry it for a day.