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Updated: Nov 1, 2018 100 Comments · by

The Pros and Cons of Flair for Your Phones

Professionalism· Style· Tech

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The Best iPhone Cases | CorporetteDo you jazz up your iPhone or Android with a fashionable case, ringtones, and more? Do you think there are pros and cons to doing so? Reader M wonders what the best iPhone cases are, but I think there's a broader question here.
I am planning on buying the new iPhone but don't know what case to get. I thought a post on the best iPhone cases that are also fashionable would be timely. My current case for my iPhone was inexpensive and it shows. Not only is it falling apart but it essentially makes the flash feature unusable which means taking pictures with it is not an option most of the time. I don't want to make the same mistake the next time around.
Interesting question. We've talked about the best apps for phones before, but we've never talked about “flair,” which I'll use in the same way the movie Office Space uses when referring to the buttons Jennifer Aniston's character is supposed to wear to jazz up her waitressing uniform. Personally, as mama to a two year old, my sexy, slim little Samsung Galaxy S4 quickly got covered up in the big, bulky Otterbox Defender case. Sigh. But it's been thrown, dropped, and more, and the S4 keeps on ticking. I was concerned about functionality — in my old Samsung I used two batteries, swapping out one whenever I was running low on juice — the Otterbox generally makes that (and cleaning the phone) a huge pain. Fortunately, the S4 charges very quickly; I also bought an external battery. In general, though, I think the main considerations for an iPhone case would be: a) functionality — a case that prevented/inhibited my use of the camera would be a no go b) protection — phones are expensive! Even people without toddlers drop their phones and have accidents. c) happiness — maybe this sounds lame, but if I were to go for a fashionable, fun case, I would want it to make me happy every time I looked at the phone. Ditto if I were into fancy ringtones. I think professionalism/appearance DOES enter into this a bit — I might raise an eyebrow if I were working with a young woman who had a Barbie case, or a Miley Cyrus ringtone (particularly if it were playing throughout the day — I've always kept my phone on vibrate when working at an office), but ultimately it's just a tiny personality quirk. That said, I think they can be a great way to show of your personality — I would definitely think that a woman wearing the iPhone “clutch” case pictured above ($178 at ShopBop) would be a bit edgy and cool. Readers, how did you choose a case for your phone — what factors did you consider? 

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. ITDS

    I administer iPhones for my office. PLEASE, PLEASE get a case for your phone. It will protect it from breakage and make it identifiable when you leave it in the ladies room. Not that I think a professional should be carrying around a phone with a pink, sparkly or otherwise flashy case (please no Justin Bieber pics), but having a case that’s not just plain black is a good idea.

    • anon-oh-no

      my case is pink and im a biglaw partner. and i work with a biglaw partner who has a pink sparkly case that i envy.

    • Bunny

      My case is pink and sparkly and I’m the only female on staff in my office. No one has commented and I certainly don’t get treated with less respect.

    • R in Boston

      I think you only run into trouble with something like this when you are reinforcing what people already think. A number of women at my office have patterned and/or pink phone cases and no one really notices or cares. One woman, however, is generally not taken seriously and is thought of as just hanging around until she has kids, at which point she’ll leave and be a SAHM. People have commented on her pink, patterned iphone case because they just see it as confirmation that she’s not a “serious lawyer”, even though pink phones don’t make them think that about other people.

    • Maggie

      This is completely unhelpful for answering the original question but after having big cases and screen protectors on previous phones, I have been carrying my naked iPhone 5 around for a year and *knock on wood* despite some drops it only has some scratches on the back, which don’t bother me. I just really liked the slim profile and lightweight feel of the phone and didn’t want to ruin that, plus I find that screen protectors get dinged up pretty quickly, so I thought I’d give it a shot as is. However I will openly admit that I baby that thing and made a sleeve for it for when I have to put it in a bag without its own designated pocket. I completely understand why cases are preferred but it works for me.

      • AttiredAttorney

        Same here. Got a small crack in the back of the phone (hardly noticeable) last month, but otherwise, I’ve been case and damage free for about a year.

      • Turquoise

        I love a naked phone, too. I did the pouch thing for a long time but I use it too much now. I just make sure my bags have dedicated pockets. My personal phone is a Windows phone with the thinnest of cases on it, just to protect the corners during drops. Work phone is iPhone and that one’s in a nice black leather wallet case, but I hardly ever have to get it out anyway.

        And, fwiw Pink phone cases bother me. There’s a 50-something woman in our office with a pink sparkly case and it just seems really juvenile. Although, admittedly, if she were 27 I probably wouldn’t think twice about it. I’m sure there are lots of things about me that bug people.

    • JJ

      Senior associate in Biglaw and I had the hot pink Otterbox commuter case. I’ve had glittery cases, pink ones, etc. I guarantee that none of my coworkers think less of me based on my phone case (or at least, it hasn’t affected my reviews, who I receive work from, or my partner track). My phone mostly stays on silent at work, but if I forget then people near my office would hear my text tone is Chewbacca’s moan and my ring is the Game of Thrones theme song. Life is too short to give up all semblance of a personality in the pursuit of “professionalism.”

      • Susedna

        This is awesome. The only ringtone I’d advise against is the one that Irene Adler put on Sherlock’s phone… (BBC series “Sherlock”; the episode “A Scandal in Belgravia.”).

        • Alanna of Trebond

          I changed my fiance’s text message tone to that one for texts from me….

          • TCFKAG

            Did you then text him at times that you *knew* he would be in meetings or with his parents or something. Because, that’s next level trolling right there. :-)

          • Lily-Student

            I was on University Challenge (UK version of College Bowl) on Monday, and I’m seriously considering getting the audio ‘University, surname!’ snipped into a text tone!

    • Gov anon

      I have a pink case. I guess that means I’m not professional? I work with people who comment on everything and no one has ever said a word about my case.

    • Anonymous

      So, funny story. I was at a settlement conference once with my sparkly pink encased iPhone. I was also juggling a lot of papers, and when I stood up to get something my phone fell off my lap and landed, glitter side up, on opposing counsels’ side of the table. I was the only woman of the 8 or so lawyers at the meeting and the youngest by 10 or so years; the atmosphere in general was serious. One of the lawyers on the other side handed it back kindly, and no one seemed to raise an eyebrow, but I will say it was not my proudest professional moment. I change the case right after. Though, maybe the moral of the story is font drop your phone?

      • Anonymous funny story

        I was at a training for a big doc review with a bunch of attorneys from several firms this past summer and right in the middle of one of the trainings, one of the partner’s phone rang and his ring tone was “Call Me Maybe.” He was at least 50. It was hilarious. As soon as he was out of the room on his phone, like half of the room just busted out laughing. When he came back, he got teased a bit. But then we all got back to business.

        I really don’t think it hurts your professional identity for people to know you have a personality.

  2. Susie

    I got a plain black bumper cover for my phone after I dropped it and broke the screen. There is a little cartoon animal sticker on the back though.

  3. mascot

    I prefer a slim case for my phone and would dislike something as bulky as an otterbox. I’ve had good luck with an ifrogz case despite dropping my phone and letting my toddler play with it. I have to have a splash of color so I can find it in a purse. I think there are some really pretty cases out there that show personality but are still appropriate for the conference room. Rhinestone bling appliques read a bit juvenile to me.

  4. Diana Barry

    LOL. Never thought about a “fashionable” case. Mine is translucent and red, but I bought it for $3 on ebay.

  5. Marie M

    I second the Otterbox recommendation. It’s sad that my beautiful, sleek iPhone 5 is shrouded in a bulky grey case, but the Otterbox is indestructible. I recently tripped while exercise-walking and splayed into the street, landing in part on the phone in my front pants pocket. I have an awful L-shaped bruise on my thigh, but my phone didn’t feel a thing.

    • Kanye East

      I, too, hate paying through the nose for design, and then paying more money to cover the design with ugly plastic. But I got Zagg shields for both sides of my phone; now it’s protected, but I didn’t have to frump it up with an Otterbox.

    • Maddie Ross

      I had an Otterbox, but got tired of how big it was and switched to a “cute” glittery gold case. And then promptly dropped my phone and shattered the screen. $80 later, I now have another Otterbox. The guy at the repair place laughed at my gold “case” and mentioned how much he loves those — because it’s just more money for him.

  6. Nonny

    I have a plain, black Griffin case on my iPhone. I wanted something that would hide dirt and my main objective was functionality. I may jazz it up slightly when I get a new phone (in the next couple of months), but I want something I can pull out in front of clients and not feel self-conscious about.

    Threadjack:

    I am thinking of getting my SO a nice gift to mark his transition to fatherhood – something that he can either hand down to our child or that will otherwise be meaningful to him. Problem is, he doesn’t usually wear jewellery of any sort (other than a watch) so that sort of thing may not be appropriate. I’m having a hard time with this. I know I don’t have to get him anything at all, but I want to do something special because this is a big change in his life and I think it is important to mark the occasion. Has anyone else done something like this for their husband? Any suggestions?

    • Kate

      Would he like a piece of artwork, or a collector’s edition of a beloved book? This is a lovely idea.

    • An

      I had a nice plain black Griffin. It seemed to work ok until I dropped the phone and got a giant crack across the bottom of the screen near the home button. Still usable, but killed the trade-in value. Had to go buy an ugly Otterbox after that so the crack wouldn’t get bigger :(.

  7. Nonny

    Ack! I got moderated so am trying again. (I think it was because of the brand of my iPhone case…) Apologies if this posts twice.

    I have a plain, black Gr*ff*n case on my iPhone. I wanted something that would hide dirt and my main objective was functionality. I may jazz it up slightly when I get a new phone (in the next couple of months), but I want something I can pull out in front of clients and not feel self-conscious about.

    Threadjack:

    I am thinking of getting my SO a nice gift to mark his transition to fatherhood – something that he can either hand down to our child or that will otherwise be meaningful to him. Problem is, he doesn’t usually wear jewellery of any sort (other than a watch) so that sort of thing may not be appropriate. I’m having a hard time with this. I know I don’t have to get him anything at all, but I want to do something special because this is a big change in his life and I think it is important to mark the occasion. Has anyone else done something like this for their husband? Any suggestions?

    • mascot

      You could do a nice pen, piece of art, etc. My husband got an incredibly non-traditional gift, a Big Green Egg. I doubt it will survive long enough to be a family heirloom. It’s pretty practical since we eat/entertain at home a lot more now. Most, importantly, he loves it.

    • TO Lawyer

      I like the idea of a nice pen, or what about cufflinks? (I’m stealing a pair of my Dad’s to wear with my court robes so I think it’s something you can also hand down to a daughter)

      • Nonny

        I would totally do cufflinks for another man…but my SO only wears long-sleeved dress shirts about twice per year!

        He is all about the practical but usually buys himself the stuff he wants. I like the Big Green Egg idea (though I had to G00gle it!) but he just bought himself a brand new fancy-dancy BBQ this summer. Gah. He’s a tough one.

      • Nonny

        Love the idea…but sadly, he’s not a reader. He’s a Golf, Tools and Meat kind of guy.

        • R

          What about a nice set of tools or a fancy toolbox that he could eventually pass down to children? (Girls use tools too, and they don’t have to be pink-handled.) I don’t know how much space you have, but something like one of those big red Craftsman deals that are like human height?

        • Kelly

          If there’s nothing he wants or needs, or you have to think really hard about something he’d enjoy or find meaningful, why do a gift? It’s a nice sentiment, but it’s not a required gift-giving occasion (if such a thing even exists). Can you mark the occasion without giving a physical gift?

        • NYC

          Some folks will think I am crazy for suggesting this, but since your DH sounds like he might like this, I am going to suggest it. http://www.randallknives.com/ The knives are hand made in Florida and the folks who are into them are REALLY into them. My husband inherited several from his father and they are his most prized possessions. It can take years to have one made, but would be the type of gift you are looking for, I think.

          • Nonny

            Hmm, the special knife/special tool idea has potential, and I think he would probably like a special utility knife (my greatest gift-giving success with him so far was a titanium hammer). I’ll have to see what is available in Canada, though, as I imagine getting a custom-made knife across the border would be a loooooongggg and expensive process.

    • MU JD

      If he’s a tool guy, I would think a really nice tool would be something different and cool. I have a hammer that belonged to my grandfather that was engraved with his initials (not a fancy engraving job, just a do it yourself I assume) . I don’t use it, but I keep it on a shelf with our family photo albums. It makes me smile everytime I see it and think about all the great things he built with it.

    • KCMDC

      I asked my MIL what my husband’s favorite books were when he was little and then gave him those books with a personal note about sharing them with our daughter. He seemed pretty happy with it.

    • anonymouse

      Given the recent conversation about “push presents” I think it’s interesting there is no cutsy name for the male equivalent. 9en!s present?

      • mascot

        Ahem, without putting too crude of a spin on it, I think the term could apply equally.

  8. Lynnet

    When I finally broke down and realized that I needed a case for my iphone, I wanted something pretty. I looked at a ton of stuff online and on etsy, but since I was applying for jobs, I knew that whatever I got couldn’t have too much personality. I was also concerned about not using a pirated image (especially since most of my searches were on etsy). I ended up getting a case with cherry blossoms on the back, which I thought walked the line of professional but still fun.

    For my next case, when I’ll have a little more money, I’d like to get one from an original artist, like this:

    https://www.etsy.com/shop/friederikealexander?ref=pr_faveshops

    Or this: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrazenDesignStudio?section_id=11453741

    Or this: https://www.etsy.com/shop/stephaniekiker?ref=l2-shop-header-avatar

    One more: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DaVinciCase?section_id=11324816

    • Lady Harriet

      Those are beautiful! My college roommate (who now works in a corporate job) has a Starry Night case for her iPhone, which is really classy.

      I have a fairly low-end Android phone that doesn’t have a lot of case options. I was wary of getting a hard case, because I drop the phone a lot, and most of the designs were pretty cheesy too. I ended up with this: http://www.amazon.com/TURQUOISE-Illusion-Twisted-Tech-Packaging/dp/B005D5MMGC . It’s fairly plain, but the color and glossiness make me happy. It’s easy to take on and off the phone and has protected it well so far.

      • Lady Harriet

        Also, I usually try to keep my phone on silent at work, but my general ringtone philosophy is to only have things I won’t be embarrassed about. My general ringtone is the jazz tune In the Mood, and then I have separate classical music ringtones for each of my parents and an instrumental version of the Firefly theme song for my brother. However, my text/email sound is the Power Rangers wrist communicator sound (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk66tSt4ec4) It sounds generic enough if you aren’t familiar with it, and it makes me very happy. I feel like I’m off to save the world every time I get a new email!

  9. Sydney Bristow

    I have a black rubbery case that I really like. I can’t remember who the manufacturer is but it looks like it has tiny holes punched all over it. I went with black just because I like all of my electronics to match.

    I also always leave my phone on silent at work. If I forget and it rings then I’d probably be embarrassed because the song it plays is super loud but nobody would recognize it. It’s a song about my college football team, I love it, and I’m not changing it. I have accidentally had the alarm go off before, which is the Dr Who theme song. I figure if you recognize it then you’re probably cool with it.

  10. CKB

    I just got an iPhone for work and got a red leather case that has slots on the inside cover to hold business cards, swipe card, etc if I’m going to a meeting on another floor in our building. So far I really like it, except that I have to take out the phone to put it in my dock to play (not too loud) music in my office.

    My personal phone has a funner case – it’s blue & white doodles. However, for my next personal case I want something polka dotted. I love my ipad mini case which is bright green with white polka dots.

    I see nothing wrong with expressing yourself through your phone case, but the really juvenile cases probably aren’t the best for work. I’m thinking the ones with bunny ears & tails, for example. I’m not sure I’d classify pink sparkles as juvenile, but some people probably do.

  11. AMB

    I have a pale blue leather Kate Spade case for my work blackberry that says ‘all in a days work’. I love it – its clearly MY phone on a whole table of blackberries and I think its classy as well.

  12. TravelMoreRoads

    Echoing: Make sure the case has a little lip that rises past the edge of the screen – if the case edge is flush with the screen and you drop it, cracked screen. We had one vibrate off a table and break. Some cases that cover the screen mess with the touch screen functionality and are super annoying. They’re amazing just be on the look out for that issue. Kate Spade does make some cute ones, and JCrew had good ones too.

    Related: Any reports on the plastic colorful iPhones yet?

  13. Seventh Sister

    I have one of the Kate Spade hard cases for my iPhone. I really like it. I used to have the pink, black and white one, and now I have the pink, orange and white one.

    While I realize conventional wisdom would suggest a plainer case for my fairly staid office, but the preppy-ness of the design seems to outweigh the bright colors so I have no problem pulling it out at work. (I also have a bright orange wallet.)

    I’m in my late 30s, so I don’t think pink screams “little girl” the way it did when I was 25. It’s also super-easy to find in my bowels of my purse.

  14. fiona

    I might marry my Otter box Commuter, if I could. It’s slimmer than the Defender, and my phone survived a flight off the hood of my car at 60mph.

  15. Anonymous

    TJ: Can anyone comment about fit, quality, etc. of AT Eryn heels? Are they leather lined? Hunting as usual for good, basic, stylish, not too tall, etc. shoes for work. TIA.

  16. Anon

    I have had a couple different Kate Spade phones cases. I like the silicone ones – they aren’t too bulky, but I drop my phones all the time and have never damaged one. The one time I tried a KS hard plastic case it broke in less than a month. As a bonus, they come in cute patterns that aren’t too over the top.

  17. eek

    I have an Elago brand case that I like. It’s sleek and has a lip, so whenever I’ve dropped my phone, the screen’s been fine.

    As far as bling, I don’t really care.

    • Orangerie

      Yep – I love eLago cases. I got the S5 Slim Fit for $10 from Amazon… it looks great and I like that it’s inexpensive enough to replace after it gets dinged up.

  18. Miss Priss

    Speck cases are amazing! Super sturdy, smooth sides (great for jamming in tight pockets), and they have a no hassle one year guarantee. Which I’ve used twice as I’m the kind of person who drops my phone four times a day on to concrete. Also, they come in tons of bright colors and patterns. Professional and fun.

    • Veronique

      +1. I have the Speck Candyshell grip and I love it. The back is hard plastic but the inside is soft/rubbery, so you get the best of both worlds (excellent protection, easy to remove when I want to, stays put when I don’t). It also has a lip that extends past the screen to protect it. I have dropped it several times from waist height and higher on concrete, carpet, etc and both the case and phone look brand new. I got the version with the rubbery grips, which is easier to hold on to, but they also have smooth versions. Mine is fuchsia and black, which is both colorful and professional (imo), as the black tones down the bright color.

    • MaggieLizer

      +2 to Speck. I love that it’s slim so it doesn’t add a lot of bulk to my phone, but it still provides decent protection. I’ve dropped it a few times and the phone is fine.

  19. TO Lawyer

    I have a J.Crew case that is black and white and has hearts all over it. Maybe not the most professional option but I love it.

    • Magpie

      +1 J.Crew. I got my boyfriend (who has the worst phone drop problem ever) a leather case and it’s taken a beating well. I caved and got a silicone tortoise-print for myself, too, and that’s also been great… Not quite as sexy as naked phone, but especially on the iPhone 5 and up, those silvery edges are almost impossible to keep ding-free.

  20. Kathryn

    I really like my case, but I admit it doesn’t do much in the way of protection. It’s totally clear and sleek, and it was not expensive. I like that my iPhone still looksl like an iPhone. The brand is Luvvitt and I found it on Amazon.

    I have dropped my phone twice, and thank goodness it landed on it’s corner both times. The case protected it from these falls.

  21. taking off before wedding

    Wedding related threadjack:

    How much time should I take off from work prior to my wedding? I am definitely planning to take off the Friday before my Saturday wedding, but should I also try to get out of working on Wednesday and/or Thursday? I don’t know what is normal or appropriate (I am in biglaw if that matters). I’m hesitant to take off so much time before my 10 day honeymoon.

    My initial plan was to officially take off beginning on Friday but lay very low and possibly work from home on Wednesday/Thursday, however, people are starting to ask what is my last day in the office and I’d like to be able to give a more precise answer.

    • Diana Barry

      I took Weds, Thurs, Fri off, which was AWESOME. But I only had a week honeymoon, so I was out of the office about 1.5 weeks.

    • Susie

      I left a little early on Friday (5pm) to get to the rehearsal, got married on Saturday, and was back to work on Monday. For me there wasn’t anything I had to do for wedding preparation and I would rather be busy at work than sit at home wishing the day was here already, but this is just a personal decision. Do you have to assemble favors or anything like that? If not then ask yourself if you would be productive at work and if it’s worth having to make up those hours later.

    • Statutesq

      A wedding/honeymoon is one of the only times you’ll ever get grief-free or reduced vacation. Milk it for all it’s worth. That said, from a practical standpoint, you’ll probably be fine if you only have the Friday before off.

    • buffybot

      I work in NYC biglaw and I took the full week off before my wedding this May (and I was not a particularly hands-on bride, so it’s not like I was using all that time to DIY programs or tie bows onto favors). It was nice, though, because it did give me the opportunity to run various pre-wedding errands (pick up dress, manicure, etc) without worrying about scheduling, and gave me the opportunity to spend time with family and friends who were coming in from out of town. I did only take a week-long honeymoon, however, so I was only gone 2 weeks total.

      In part, I took the full week off at the urging of a friend (also in Biglaw, different firm) who took only Thurs and Fri off before her wedding the summer before — she felt like it was hectic, worried about getting things off her plate, etc. I would suggest taking at least Wed, Thurs and Fri off, just so you can get out of “work” mode.

      Btw, I’ve heard a bunch of people say that lots of firms will give you an extra 5 days vacation for your wedding — I didn’t pursue it, but it might be worth looking in to.

    • LH

      People are generally super understanding about time off for weddings/honeymoons. I work in a group where taking more than 1 week is unheard for a normal vacation and even then people give you a lot of grief about it. However taking 2 weeks for the wedding is universally understood. I actually took 2 weeks and 2 days – Thurs and Fri before my Sunday wedding and then a full 2 weeks after (although I did not leave for my honeymoon until Monday and had a lot of travel to get home so it was only a 10-11 day honeymoon). I’d definitely take Thursday and even Wednesday if you can. Even if you don’t need the time off to get wedding things done, its a nice chance to see friends and family who have started arriving (if you have a lot of out of town guests). The actual wedding flew by and I didn’t really have long conversations with anyone except the people at our table (parents + siblings) so it was nice to have a few days before to have dinners and drinks with friends and extended family in from out of town.

    • Veronique

      I was in a friend’a wedding last summer (public defender) and she took Tuesday through Friday off before their (I think weeklong) honeymoon. She did some work remotely on Tuesday, then was completely off the rest of the time. As others have mentioned, it’s nice to have time to run errands and catch up with friends and family. She also had her bachelor*tte party on Thursday night so out of town friends only had to make one trip.

    • Frustrated Academic

      I took the entire week before off (but had to travel to the east coast from the mid-west and it was a very DIY wedding) and was back at work on Tuesday. We then took our two week honeymoon four months later. Quite a few of the wedding guests came in early and it was great to spend several days with people before the friday\saturday events. Plus, there are so many little details leading up to the wedding that take time–I had the whole week and was still rushing around the day of!

  22. Anon

    Kat – I’m getting an add for greatglam dot com on the side bar featuring, um, scantily clad women (think seriously cleavage-revealing clubbing dresses). Not really awesome on my work computer!

    • Anonymous

      Make your window smaller so they don’t show up. Kat doesn’t control the ads

  23. Blue

    Check out society6 dot com for cute cases. They make them in hundreds of different patterns. I get compliments on mine a lot.

    • CountC

      +1 I have dropped my phone many, many times in my Society6 case and have not had any issues.

    • TCFKAG

      I also have a Society6 case and was worried that it didn’t look particularly sturdy, but I have dropped my phone A LOT (I mean, a lot) and its never been damaged. So – the case is sound. Plus, I *love* my design – (its “Her Natural Hair” if anyone wants to look it up on Society6) – there are lots of art prints that can be put on cases at Society6 that are fun, interesting looking, but still totally professional.

      Though I don’t really think people should or would judge for almost anything when it comes to iPhone cases – maybe don’t get “Bootylicious” emblazoned on a hot pink case in rhinestones – but really, having a little bit of personality show through in your personal tech is not the end of the world.

  25. ADL

    I have a pink Lifeproof case – similar to an Otterbox but not quiet as bulky. I like color b/c I can find it in the depths of my purse. I like that it has a cover and a back – I’m such a neat freak that all of the finger smudges and oil from my face were driving me crazy on an uncovered iPhone, not to mention my fear of dropping it and shattering the screen.

  26. Kate @ Savour Fare

    I would say that a case of any color doesn’t raise many eyebrows, and some graphics are probably fine (like a Jonathan Adler case) but when you’re starting to get into “bling” you better be making an intentional statement.
    I have the Otterbox Reflex (in a sort of teal color) and it’s great – slimmer profile than the Defender, but my iphone 4 has made it 3 years with two small children and multiple drops and no cracks.

  27. Ellen

    I have an IPHONE 3, and am thinkeing of getting the new Iphone b/c it suposedly has a better camera and a smarter i-chip. Does anyone know what I am suposed to do with the old iphone? I paid for it, but wonder if it is worth more then Verizon will give me on the trade in?

    What is the rest of the hive doeing? Willem said his nephew needs an Iphone and he will give me $50 for it, but I think it is worth more. HELP, b/c I do NOT want to get screwed by Willem or Verizon!

  28. BusyVP

    All depends on what you do and who you do it for. I work for a Fortune 25 company and my team supports customers. Cell phones are as much a statement as your briefcase, shoes, manicure, tie. They should say business during business hours. Conservative colors blues, darker reds, etc are fine – think classy. The nice thing is you can have a case for every mood. Save your Hello Kitty case for the weekends.

    Oh…And watch your ringtones too. A group of our corporate executives were attending a senate hearing. During the hearing my colleague’s phone rang. Her ringtone? The Willy Wonka song. No one ever talks about her without telling that story. It did tarnish her.

  29. Anonymous

    I have to make a plug for my case because I get compliments on it all. the. time. The bottom of it flips up to reveal a space for cards. I keep my work ID and a debit card in it, so all of my things are in one place. Yes, it makes the phone a little bulkier, but since I don’t carry a wallet around the office, it’s the most convenient way for me to carry everything. On the flip side, if I lose my phone I’m totally screwed, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. It’s also quite sturdy. I drop my phone a lot and haven’t had any problems yet. It’s made by incipio and I got it at the Verizon store when I bought my phone, but I couldn’t find it exactly online anywhere. I seriously get asked about it all the time. The cashier in our cafeteria finally went out an bought one after asking me about mine every day for 6 months!!

  30. Liz

    When I switched to my newest phone I ditched my old case – which, although protecting well was rubbery and therefore hard to slide in and out of pockets – for a black Incipio case. It’s fairly slim and protects my phone nicely from Cat or Toddler attacks.

  31. Sara

    I have the Hot Pink Otterbox because I am a klutz. Our IT department made me get an otterbox. If my phone rings, you will hear Hockey Night in Canada theme, Big Bang Theory or Dexter theme depending on who is calling. However, at work , my phone on vibrate. I work in big law and I am thought as cool for having the ringtones that I have.

  32. Denise Watkins

    I think cases and ringtones are a way of self expression. I have 6 cases for my iPhone 5. What they all have in common is that they’re red. Just like you switch bags depending on the outfit or occasion, the same with cases. I have an OtterBox if I’m spending time outdoors or on the golf course, a wallet style case when I’m trying to pare down for a minimalist clutch or jeans pocket, a case with a built in battery since there are times when you do want your phone to die and a few other cases that just caught my eye. When I see a woman with a bland black or brown case, unfair that it is I always look at their overall appearance and wonder about their style.

  33. midwest mom

    I have a Kate Spade and I love it… classic black dots on white with pink trim. It has held up wonderfullly dispite many droppings. I bought a cute Kate Spade orange and white case at Marshalls and it must have been a knock off – it lasted 4 months.

    Funny story – not that ring tones are an issue much any more but a few years ago my coworkers ring tone for her husband was “Let’s Get it On.” Ha… she forgot to silence her phone all the time… at least once a day we heard it. She was admin and centrally located in a cube.. oh my goodness funny at first but annoying shortly there after. I had to break it to her. Ha.

  34. ktime

    Iphone has a “ringer” option meant for deaf people that is a strobe light. It is awesome! Your phone is not buzzing on your desk like when it vibrates and even if my phone is in my purse on my office floor I see it “ringing ” in my peripheral. It also helps me find my phone when it gets lost in my car at night.

  35. M.

    I actually thought a lot about this because I like to be professional but hate boring colors. I ended getting a pantone cover in a dark blue for my phone. It is a pretty color but somehow seems slightly professional. That said, it isn’t a high quality case like Otterbox and I am a little nervous that it won’t hold up well.

  36. Rachel

    I’m really conservative on these types of things, and IMO phone cases should be conservative. I cringed yesterday when I saw someone pull out a bright blue sparkly phone case during a big meeting. 1. Never pull out your phone during a big meeting with a client. 2. Professional phone case.

    I think it depends though… sometimes I use fun cases when I’m in the office unless we have clients coming in. But when I’m traveling, meeting with clients, at a conference, etc? I always have a plain black case on my phone. Period.

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