iPhone Cases For the Rest of Us

Yes, I know the new iPhone is coming out soon. I’ve received at least a dozen pitches wanting me to cover the brand new cases for the iPhone 5. But here’s the thing: I’m not getting an iPhone 5. Because I have an iPhone 4s that works just fine, thank you.

Lucky for me iPhone case makers are still selling cases for the iPhone 4 and 4s. I sampled a few and here are my thoughts:

MAPi Tion iPhone 4/4s Leather Wallet Case

What I love about it: It’s red, one of my favorite colors. It’s stylish, made of leather, and feels good. The two slots for cards or cash on the back make it easy for me to just bring my phone/wallet with me on a quick dash out of the house. On one recent night it was all I brought with me to meet the girls for drinks at Adobe Cantina. Some of the ladies ooh’ed and aah’ed at my cute new phone case.

What is meh about it: See how the leather curves up and around the home button on the front of the phone? It frames the screen nicely, but sometimes it gets in the way of my big thumbs when I am texting, so my autocorrect goes insane. I may or may not have texted the phrase “Nora my butt is good” to someone who is not named Nora.

Verdict: At $45, the Tion is a good value for the price for its attractive look and extra function.

Pursecase

What I love about it: The whimsy! I mean, this is really cute. It’s a phone, it’s a purse! Under that little golden clasp is a stretchy slot for cards or cash. Also, the ladies who design and sell these cases are rocking their social media presence and they are very charming and helpful. I didn’t realize until I posted this photo on Instagram that this color case actually glows in the dark, because one of the founders added that in a reply.

What is meh about it: For me this is a “special occasion” phone case. I wouldn’t use it every day, and this color is a little too bright for my plain Jane sense of style. You also can’t stick it in your pocket when you’re going out for a run or a bike ride.

The verdict: At $42 (with free shipping during the month of September) the pursecase is a splurge but would make a great gift for that iPhone-addicted fashionista in your life.

I received both products for free to facilitate this review.