There’s a nice middle ground between carrying a full handbag and trying to fit everything into your pockets. Wristlets give the essentials a small place of their own, with a strap that slips around your wrist so the whole thing can come along without occupying your hand. They’re especially handy when the packing list is short — phone, cards, keys, a few small extras — and bringing a larger bag feels unnecessary.

A wristlet also has a useful second life inside the bags you already carry. Tucked into a tote, backpack, or larger handbag, it can keep smaller belongings together instead of letting them migrate to different corners of the bag. When you only need a few things, the wristlet can come out and head off on its own, making it easy to move between carrying more and carrying less without reorganizing everything along the way.

Small bags tend to shine when the occasion involves a lot more doing than carrying. Dinners, events, quick errands, travel days, and nights out are all easier when the things you need stay close without becoming another thing to keep track of. A fabric wristlet keeps that practicality in a compact form while leaving plenty of room for color and print to make such a small accessory considerably more fun.