Sam Edelman Petty Booties VS Dolce Vita Cassidy Booties

 Ever since I picked up a pair of tan suede booties (on a whim since they were on sale for $20!) I realized I needed a pair in black also. I really wanted to find one before I left for my trip to Arizona so I ended up ordering the Sam Edelman Petty Bootie and the DV by Dolce Vita Cassidy Bootie both in black suede.

 I originally thought I would like the Dolce Vita ones better since the style more closely resembles the current booties that I have. Plus I had seen these in person before ordering them online though I had never gotten the chance to actually try them on. I had seen someone else do so and they looked great on her. The main issues I had with DV booties were with the shaft. While the bottom of the shoes were really sturdy and thick the shaft was so flimsy in comparison. It's a slip on style with no additional zippers. My current inexpensive booties are also like that but even they feel more robust compared to these. It almost seemed like after continuous wear they might start to tear. On top of that the shaft opening was just too big for me. While it would have looked better with tucked in pants, I wanted the option of being able to wear them bare legged for the summer. Additionally the suede had more of a worn-in texture that I didn't prefer.

 The Sam Edelman booties on the other hand pleasantly surprised me. Even though the style looked different than what I wanted I liked these better. These felt sturdy all the way around. They cut off at a more flattering part of the leg so that it was possible to wear them bare legged, and on top of that they had a zipper opening on the sides to make it easier to put on/off. I thought the different colored sole/heel would make it too casual but (depending on the outfit) I'm able to wear these to work as well. I will admit these were not comfortable right off the bat. They did feel a bit stiff, and still do to a point now. I've gotten used to them though and highly recommend them. I probably wouldn't wear these if I knew I would be walking around outside a ton, but I did end up wearing them to a cavern tour and my feet felt fine. (Though it does make decently loud heel noises so I wouldn't wear them again to the caves if I had a choice...it was a spur of the moment decision to go).

Unboxing/Review: ban.do Pencil Pouches

 Ever since I found out about ban.do through their popular "I AM VERY BUSY" planner (that always sells out) I've been keeping my eye on them. Besides planners they also sell quite a few other fun, cute items from tech to fashion accessories. If there was a store closer to me that sold their stuff I would probably be constantly purchasing their items.

I finally had an excuse to make an online order when a friend's birthday was coming up. I wanted something unique to add to his main gift. Since he works a desk job I thought an eye-catching pencil case would be ideal. Of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to add something for me as well. I think I spent a good hour going through all their merchandise before settling on the exact same pencil case except in a different design/color. The Get It Together Pencil Pouch retails for $12 on their site (a steal!), though I had signed up for their newsletter and used a 10% off coupon.

The pouches are exactly how they're pictured on the website. The only difference would be that the pink one is more of a true bright pink rather than the sort of lilac/lavender color it gives off in the photo. I tried to color correct my photos so it looked as close to what it looks like in real life, but even mine turned out with a somewhat purple-hue. I normally wouldn't go for such a color, but it's only on one side. Plus I actually think it goes well with the whole design. I ordered the white/pink one with their signature "I AM VERY BUSY" print on the front. I almost wanted to keep the "Stay Focused" one for myself too. The fact that those words are inside glasses frames didn't help the matter. (Next purchase since you know this won't be the last time).

The pouch is rather roomy that you could even potentially use it as a small makeup bag if you don't have a need for a pencil pouch. The inside is lined with a fabric with tiny red hearts. The only issue that I noticed after using this for a few weeks was that sometimes the zipper would get caught in the lining. Actually upon arrival one of the pouches wouldn't even open all the way since the lining had gotten stuck. So you do have to be careful when closing the pouch since fabric inside can easily move around.

Overall I was very satisfied with the products and packaging. Some other products that I might get in the future are the Hot Stuff Thermal Mug, Back Me Up! Mobile Charger, and the Zip Zip Keychain Pouch.