10 best women’s purses and wallets that are functional, stylish and made to last

Best: Large high street zip purse

Rating: 10/10

We were the first people to presume our best buy would come from one of the luxury brands on this list, who’ve made designing exquisite leather goods their USP after many years of experience. But Joules’ leather purse was so impressive, for such a good price, we couldn’t not give it the top spot. Classically beautiful, this tan leather zip purse has everything you could want if you’re after a larger rectangular style. The zip is great quality and wide (so it expands easily), in a beautiful gold tone. The real leather is buttery soft (and smells great), and the understated design makes it appear much more luxurious than the affordable price tag suggests. It’s also made in Great Britain and comes from a family business who prioritise sustainability in all its product sourcing. Practically? There’s plenty of card slots inside, a roomy coin purse and section for notes and receipts. This would make a special gift (to yourself or someone else), especially if you’re worried about sticking to a budget.

Best: Large zip purse

Rating: 9/10

Smythson’s popular panama collection is full of its most iconic designs that reflect the luxury leather brand’s 134-year history. This classic yet contemporary rectangular zip wallet not only looks good, it also has all the pockets and compartments you could ever need. If you’re looking to invest in a large wallet that holds everything but the kitchen sink, look no further. We particularly loved the quality, with a strong, deep zip and hard-wearing crossgrain leather that’s built to last. What this style had that set it apart though, was the vertical card holders on one side as you open it, so you can avoid any frustrating digging around once you’ve filled it to the brim.

Best: Budget purse

Rating: 7/10

Get the look and feel of a fancy leather purse for a much more affordable price with Fenella Smith. We loved this bright and joyful apple green zip wallet version that has a fun tropical palm print lining, but it also comes in seven other colours from classic navy to understated blush. It has all the functional slots you might need from a larger zip purse, and although we can’t imagine the quality will last you as long as some of the more luxurious purses on this list, it will certainly do the job right now.

Best: Medium sized purse

Rating: 9/10

It’s a testament to how good Smythson’s leather goods are that we were compelled to include two of its purses in our list. Mixing functionality with the finest craftsmanship, this medium-sized purse is actually like two styles in one. Open the flap section and you have plenty of handy card slots and notes slips, while on the other side you have a spacious, double compartment zipped coin purse. The beautiful crossgrain leather was first designed in 1908 to be particularly hard-wearing, so you can be sure this is a purse that will last forever. This style is smaller in size than the large zip wallets, but less streamlined so it really comes down to preference.

Best: All-purpose purse

Rating: 8/10

We felt this purse did everything really well, so we’re naming it our best multi-tasker, or all-purpose purse. Somewhere between a purse and a wallet, we found it’s not too big nor too small. It’s soft and malleable rather than stiff so it didn’t feel quite as bulky as some of the purses on this list, but it’s still got that practical and roomy rectangular shape. This one folds in half with a book-like design that hides at least 12 card slots and five larger slip pockets for notes inside. Then there’s a large zip pocket too, and two more pockets on the front and back for good measure. Looks-wise, the contrasting smooth and mock-croc mahogany finish is perfect for autumn and beyond, but it comes in classic black as well. Radley knows how to do leather goods, so even at under £100 you can have full confidence that you’re getting a style that will last.

Best: Small high street purse

Rating: 8/10

This small purse certainly looks the part, and if you’re after the designer appearance without the price tag, we’d start here. Yes, it’s high street, but you won’t find any flashy logos that tell you so. Made with real leather, the understated tan grained finish and gold-tone colourway won us over instantly. So, let’s talk about functionality. It’s much smaller than the large rectangular zip purses, but this one easily fit in our back pocket when popping out for a coffee during testing – a huge plus. And it also meant we didn’t amass so many old receipts in there unnecessarily. There’s still plenty of space for cards and enough coins for the local parking meter, with two inner compartments and a zip pocket, as well as a zip pocket on the outside for easy access.

Best: Luxury cardholder

Rating: 9/10

Like your average cardholder but, well, better. We couldn’t help but be very impressed with Aspinal’s purse offering, but this one in particular stood out for being something you can’t always find everywhere else. For starters, the cream croc-effect patent leather has such a premium feel to it, and our first thought was what a nice gift it would make (is it time to start those Christmas wish lists yet?). If you’re a card tapper and hardly ever carry much else with you, a slim card holder is all you need, and this one even has a small zip pocket for coins too.

Best: Highstreet cardholder

Rating: 9/10

& Other Stories is one of the high street destinations that always does leather accessories so well, they could easily pass for their designer counterparts. This understated leather mock-croc cardholder is no exception. The rich green leather and gold hardware combo is super stylish, although if it’s a different colour you’re looking for this particular style comes in 25 of them. There’s three roomy card compartments, perfect for stuffing with all your necessities and the foldover flap closure keeps them nice and safe too, compared to your average slip pocket card holders. We loved how simple and easy this style was, perfect for popping in your pocket wherever you go.

Best: Coin purse

Rating: 8/10

Want a small, practical purse that still looks luxurious and glossy, without the designer price tag? We personally found Whistles’ styles to be up there with some of the best. This smaller zip style we loved in particular while testing, because it held an awful lot without stretching too much, and it still fit in our coat and back pockets with ease. The shiny mock-croc leather is timeless, so whether you’re wanting something to slip seamlessly into your wardrobe or someone else’s, you can bet this will be a winner. Once open, the pockets are spacious despite its generally compact size, with a double compartment for coins, cards or folded up notes and receipts, as well as card slots too.

Best: Small luxury purse

Rating: 9/10

This bestseller from British heritage brand Mulberry basically does everything a large zip purse does in a more compact version. So if you’re looking for a compromise between size and practicality, you’ve just found it. A lot of thought has gone into this design, which we guess is what you pay for. Along with the durable craftsmanship and beautifully soft leather. Anyway, it has plenty of clever pockets to make the best use of space, allowing for a roomy double zipped compartment and eight credit card slots and a notes section. Because of how spacious it is, it’s not so streamlined when it’s full to the brim, but will still fit effortlessly inside most handbags and coat pockets.