MEMORIES:
The swinging wallet chain was an essential accessory for the skaters, punks, rockabillies, and other subculture revivalists of the 1990’s. Like the watch fob chains sported by zoot suiters 50 years earlier, the man’s wallet chain meant business - and flamboyance.
These latter-day wallet chains evolved from the chains that marked the typical outfit of the 1950’s biker. Clad in white tees, rough boots, and cuffed jeans, those fearsome characters hit the road packing enough metal and leather to intimidate grown men in business suits, not to mention suburban housewives and kids.
The wallet chain put the kibosh on any potential challenge to the wearer’s ego - or his style. Of course it had a practical purpose too – it deterred theft. Attached to your belt or belt loops was a leather strap, which connected to the chain itself. With your wallet attached to that chain, no pickpocket was going to get too far with your cash – not beyond fist range, anyway. Aping the style of the bikers, the scions of 1950’s youth culture put heavy chains through their belt loops to signify the presence of a weapon.
The rockabilly subculture kept the wallet chain in shadowy vogue through the intervening decades. Then in the 1990’s, wallet chains resurfaced, still conveying a rebel image but now in the form of a not-so-intimidating fashion accessory. Guys (and sometimes gals) used them to express counterculture cred. Surfers, hip-hop kids, grunge kids, all sorts of slackers made up the swinging-chain generation. Boldly-colored plastic chains could even be found dangling from ravers’ baggy pants – perhaps the ultimate evolution of the wallet chain.
Just as sober black American eagle wallets evolved into every sort of modern billfold design – flames, glitter, camouflage, anything fashionistas could concoct – chains varied too. From heavy metal links that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a tow truck to narrow tinkly chains you couldn’t swing a cat from; from short practical chains to clanking, nearly floor-length numbers - they all meant the same thing. The peacock had his feathers, the baboon his bright red behind. For the human tough guy - wallet chain!
