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Back to School: Phone Cases, IDs and Keys

EXTRAS, RANDOM STUFFKim & Chloe-1 Comments
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Back-to-school symbolizes the time of year for re-uniting with friends, dreading waking up early, and shopping for supplies ranging from backpacks to pencils & pens to lunch packs to dorm room supplies. It can be the reason to try new styles, new colors, and new gadgets. We’ve found the latest trends and coolest back-to-school supplies for trendy teens, so whatever you are looking for, we’ll be bringing it to you all week long as we bring you the latest in back-to-school for dorms,  back-to-school fashion,  beauty,  phones & IDs, and supplies! It's back to school time! It used to mean shopping for pencils and pens, but now that you are in entering middle school, high school and college, you need MUCH more than a few pencils and highlighters (although those are still fun to pick out!) Now, you need to know what kind of backpack can hold 50 lbs. books, look cool and last a year. Well, maybe not 50 lbs, but it sure feels like it!. And, what type of cell phone holder can hold a swipe card, a key and an ID card? Back to school fashion means stocking up for fall. Don't worry, we've got the latest trends, tips, and products to make sure you don't have to worry about anything, except where to meet your friends on your first day back at school.

The dilemma: you want to take your phone, some cash, a credit card and an i.d. card and your key, but don’t want to have to deal with your purse. The answer: Jamie James Hamptons Cellfolio. When you just need your phone, pull apart the very strong Velcro. When you are heading out, attach the Cellfolio which holds some cash and credit cards. It’s perfect for school to carry an id card, swipe card, emergency money, etc. We also attached a key to the wristlet. And if you are not allowed to have your phone, just detach it and put it in your locker and attach it again after school. We love the ease and that you can use just the phone case or the case + the wallet attachment. We wish there was a cover for the Velcro when we were just using the phone case because this would solve all our cell phone dliemmas! Favorite parts are the cute leather color choices, our credit cards & ID are safe with the snap covering them, and that we can add a key to the wristlet and have everything we need for a night out, or we can just use it with our purse and attach the wristlet around the handle and always have our phone and ID and credit cards accessible and never have to dig through our purse!

cell phone case

cell phone case

 

 

Jamie James Collection  Hamptons Cell Phone Case, $35.00 and 25% off now through August 31 with CODE JJC

 

Looking for a phone case with superpowers? We found one for you! The name is bigger than the case! The Third Rail Slim Case for iPhone4 with Slide-on Smart Battery has a normal black exterior behind which lurks a phone case to save your day. Are you heading out and didn’t charge your battery or do you have a night game and your parents need to know when you’ll be heading back… but your phone is about to die? Thank goodness there is finally a solution that is easy and not bulky. We tested the Third Rail Slim Case at a concert and it allowed us to take pictures throughout the whole night, and we our battery would have typically run out before the night ended. Ok, it would be better if it came in pink, but we’d slide on this case if we knew we had a long night ahead of us. Here’s how it works. You slide the phone into the case, the slip the top on since the case is in two parts. That’s it for the case. It’s a hard case, but with a silicon / rubber feel, so it won’t slip. It makes your phone a bit longer, but not any wider or thicker, and only slightly heavier. The beauty of it is that the battery only has to be added when you need it, and that it can be plugged into your computer for charging. No need for an outlet. And it will still fit into your slimmest jean’s pockets. Trust us, we tried. Drawbacks are that you can’t charge your phone with the regular charger when the Third Rail Slim Case is on it. We wish the smaller of the two pieces was on the bottom so that it could easily be taken off for charging. And, we would like a color choice. Because we like our pink case. But for the ability to keep texting long after we’d normally be able to… we’ll take the fun out of functional and be practical. It makes Mom happy.

cell phone case

Third Rail Slim Case for iPhone4 with Slide-on Smart Battery, $89.99

 

The eyn iPhone Storage Case is another option for when you are heading out, but don’t know what to do with your credit card, cash and key. This solid color phone case that comes in girly colors: pink and aqua and, of course, black, is a hard case, but non-slip, and leaves all the areas accessible that you need: charging, headphones, etc. Although thick, it fits comfortably in your hand and has a wristlet that can be attached. It has a hinged compartment that opens with your thumbnail and is addictively fun to open and close. We love the mirror inside, even if it is sort of a carnival mirror. It still can save us from those “do I have anything in my teeth?” moments. The clip will keep our money and credit or swipe card safe and there’s room for a key too! It’s not going to fit in our pants pocket, but since it holds everything I need for a night out or a trip to the gym and fits very, very comfortably in my hand, it’s still going with us! Even when we aren’t heading out, we keep it on our desk and use the kickstand feature to watch learning videos, of course. Too cool!

phone cases

 

eyn iPhone Case, $29.99

Ok, ok, we know it. Earpieces are dorky. But Earloomz is out to change that. And they've got us convinced. With earpieces that are art, we took a look, and listen, and liked what we saw and heard.  And research supports the use of earpieces for 1 simple reason: safety. Not just for those around, but for yours too. It is impossible to talk on your phone and pay 100% attention to the road while you are driving, but according to recent polls, more than 60% of drivers admit to using cell phones when driving. As a result, 40 states have placed restrictions on cell phone usage or outlawed texting while driving to reduce driver distractions. In addition, the World Health Organization reported that radiation from cell phones can possibly cause cancer and people are looking for options who are not ready to give up their mobility. Most earpieces are geeky, we will be the first to admit it. But Earloomz, provides fashion-forward Bluetooth earpieces that are art. Lady Gaga or cheetah, anyone? And they are leading a national Hands-Free Initiative, “Be Aware” aimed toward providing awareness of cell phone usage and its dangers. To keep it simple: Don’t text and drive, don’t talk on the phone and drive, but if you do, make sure it’s hands-free. And because we believe you should always express your personal style, keep it stylish with Earloomz!

cool earpieces

Earloomz, $34.99

Such a simple idea it falls under "why the heck didn't someone think of this sooner?" The nickname for the Clé-á-porter is a key’s best friend, but I think it’s MY best friend every time I head in and out of the car! I HATE digging around my purse and in my backpack, but I seem to be doing it constantly. I put my keys in my purse, and I swear I put them in a pocket on the side, but they never are there when I’m fumbling for them with tons of books or bags or whatever in my hands. I know I should find my keys before I get to my car and that it’s safer to have my them in my hand before I’m in the parking lot… really, I know this. But it’s not happening. That is, until I started using Clé-á-porter. It’s so simple, it’s genius. You simply attach the leather strip with a swivel clasp to your purse handle or backpack handle. It loops through itself, and fits any size handle or loop and comes in red, black, silver and tan. You clip your keys to the end and your keys are always ready for you. No more fumbling. Now, if only someone could organize my books and bags….

clé a porter

Clé-á-porter, $16

How about your own style on your own iPhone case?  If you are into photography, designing, or customizing or just prefer to create your own look, then we have the perfect site for you to design your own phone case. Uncommon is all about you and letting you express your individuality in your iPhone case... which is what we love to hear. There are two options: use their amazing images and customize them even further with words or monograms, or upload your own image. What could be more simple than to create your own look on your own device? And this isn't some fly-by-night company that's printing on flimsy covers! Their exclusive 3D TATT printing process transfers the ink deep into the case's surface - kind of like a case tattoo - so your image doesn't flake off when your case gets jumbled around in a purse, backpack or pocket. Because your masterpiece deserves only the best!

phone case

Uncommon phone case, $34.95-39.95

And of course there is the ubiquitous Kate Spade phone case that we crave every season! This back to school season, it's this perfectly appropriate case:

back to school phone covers

Kate Spade phone cover, $40

How to survive High School (& other tales of triumph)

EXTRAS, RANDOM STUFFKim & ChloeComment
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Hannah Margaret is a college student, our guest writer, and blogger at hm. ~~ As a recovering theater-­nerd with a plump face and matching cardigans, here is what I have to offer in terms of how to survive High School. Your teen years are for the toughest and the most prepared. This is my attempt to save you from the same failures, humiliation and mistakes I suffered from, and lessons I learned about how to survive High School! surviving high school

1. First and foremost: know who you are. If you don’t know who you are, let’s be real that’s just about everyone, know who you want to become, just have a direction. Without some sort of grounding you’ll float and sway every direction. Maybe it’s just an idea based off a TV show (Gilmore Girls anyone? Rory was my idol.) or maybe an older girl on your softball team. Or even it could be an idea that you have made up in your head. Chase after that. Don’t let anyone tell you who to be other than yourself. I cannot reiterate this enough.

2. Always get your energy and your passion out in some way or another. I always write. In my case, there are so many words you shouldn’t, but desperately want, to be said to your nasty frenemy or that pest in the locker next to you but refrain. Instead I wrote it. Get the pent up frustrations, anger, jealousy, whatever you’re feeling, out through running, singing, art, really anything you’re passionate about. This was my saving grace as a snarky teen. Also, it allowed me to maintain my position as good student and kid, it kept me calm, cool and collected (a major feat for any teen). It’s all about staying emotionally level, aware and, though it sounds stupid, keeping it real.

surviving high school

3. One of my favorites: ask questions and be present in class. This proves to the teacher that you are paying attention (at least for that tidbit), and you are in the market to know more. At the end of the day, it’s your teachers that you want on your side. Graduating middle school, high school and college requires dedication to your studies. So prove it to the people in charge. I was accused numerous times of being the “teacher’s pet”, but who cares? I still, four years after high school, call and email my teachers if I need answers, connections or just want to catch up. It’s fantastic and useful.

4. Don’t be consumed with the social hierarchy (the class system, the gossip, popular vs. unpopular) that, ultimately, means nothing. When I was studying abroad for six months, the international students from all over the world asked me if American school systems where like what they saw the movies. Maybe I am overstepping here, but I think they really are. Sure the pretty girls and jocky guys seem to have everything together now but just you wait. There are people that are four lockers down from you, maybe someone you’ve never even spoken to, they are quiet and not cool, and they will be the next Bill Gates, Obama or Conan. Never, I repeat, never get caught up being the “top dog”. Always work on your own character and achieving your own after-­high-school goals.

In my senior year of high school, after years of being ignored and awkward, I made the ultimate rebound: I won Homecoming Queen. But just like I was saying above, my biggest mistake was putting too much self-­worth in the hands of my classmates. Four years later, as a senior in college, I can say that the award means nothing in comparison to the life I have lived abroad, to my achievements in college and to my future steps. Feeling like you are fulfilled and worthwhile comes completely from within, and even though I am in college and 21 years old, I must remind myself of that every day.

surviving high school

~By Hannah Margaret Allen. For a fantastically great posts and a well-traveled blog adventure, check out HannahMargaretAllen.blogspot.com

Union Jack Ideas ... it's not just the Brit's flag anymore!

EXTRAS, RANDOM STUFFKim & ChloeComment
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These Union Jack ideas show it's not just the Brit's flag anymore, it's a fashion statement. And since we just can't get enough of the Olympic Games and are all about Olympic fashion, watching the swimmers (go Missy Franklin & Ryan Lochte!) and gymnasts (our heart is breaking for Jordyn Wieber but we are cheering on Aly Raisman & Gabby Douglas!), London in general, and Will & Kate, we found the cutest and kitschiest Union Jacks around to keep us in the Olympic Spirit. We are loving it all, darling, but we are obsessed with sweet, modern Union Jacks. This cute Union Jack is a makeup bag and the perfect souvenir of the 2012 Olympics. The colors are adorable and the designer, Jan Constantine, was tapped to designed the amazingly simple, yet charming Olympian's rooms (see below). That simply makes her the queen of Olympic interiors - check out her pillows and bedding!

cute union jack

Union Jack London 2012 Zip Case, $55.11

Jessica Cushman is the go-to queen for all things Union Jack and Olympic Fashion. She's taken the British icon to new fashion heights, and we adore every pastel and bright inch of what she is doing.

Olympic fashion

 Jessica Cushman tote, $130

The union Jack is branching out in color and bling. Red, white and blue is as story as the old line royalty, and the new colors are all about Olympics, British pride and having fun!

olympic fashion

 Union Jack iPhone case, $37

Wear your British pride, and keep your Olympic fashion moving forward.

Olympic Fashion

Revolve Clothing, $44

Decals do their part to keep you organized and brighten your walls.

Olympic  Room decoration

Wall-Pops Union Jack Dry-Erase Calendar Decal Set, $19.97

With colors ranging from bright green to to copper to brown to black and white, there are super-pigmented sets to suit any color range you are looking for in an eyeshadow. And they just look pretty and bring a smile when you look in your makeup drawer!

union jack

Rimmel London, 5.69

Hopefully one of these plates by Jonathen Adler will one day turn up on eBay, because we find it charming and totally Brit with the corgis and crown -- with just the right amount of irreverence in the fonts and and colors. Perfectly Mr. Adler!

Jonathen Adler commemorative royal wedding plate

Jan Constantine is an Olympic interior icon who designed the Olympic Village Apartments. What could've been stodgy and stuffy is bright and welcoming! Fun fact: the beds are 5'8" long, but taller athletes can request longer beds! Think of all those basketball players and let's hope they are comfortable! At least we know the entire Olympic village is sleeping in Olympic fashion and style, which is just what the best in the world deserves.

Happy Olympic viewing and enjoy your Olympic fashion and sports!