small business saturday

OMG, it's small business saturday! YAY! you were probably following along on instagram, but every friday, we featured our fave ban.do carrying shops around the us. to celebrate small business saturday we wanted to share a few more of our faves. and who knows, there might be a store near you. 

sparkle and Shine Darling (@sparkleandshinedarling)

over a year has passed since Adrienne Bosh opened Miami Beach boutique, Sparkle and Shine Darling. Her lifestyle store showcases everything gold, glittery, and glamorous from gift items, home accessories, children’s apparel, and fashion art pieces. She curated the store as a woman’s haven and intended for a space where every woman can add a glittery find to her life. Since its opening, Sparkle and Shine has been well recognized in Miami Beach. their Sparkle Darlings return time and time again to shop their always-changing inventory and many staple vendors including Ban.Do.

Riff Raff (@ShopRiffraff)

From cool furniture to cute jackets, Riffraff has transitioned from furniture to a fashion empire in Arkansas and online. We're a fast growing company of 23 women all under the age of 29! Riffraff is located in the heart of downtown Fayetteville, and has a finger on the pulse of the trendiest looks and the perfect gifts! The store is a big fan of having fun and interacting through social media with our customers! Follow along and watch our small business grow @RiffraffFayetteville! #RiffraffLove

The Merchant (@themerchantatl)

The Merchant founded 2013 in Atlanta, GA  is the crown jewel of a chain of paper and home decor stores.  The Merchant with it's emphasis on industrial chic and great gift lines  has a curated selection of books, jewelry, stationery and so much more.  Located on the west side of Atlanta and in the Inman Park area there is no end of found gifts and found images.  The Merchant team also brought Atlanta other award winning stores like Archer Paper Goods, Read Shop and Collier Candy Company.

Urban Girl (@urbangirlaccessories)

YaY! Urban Girl Accessories is a fun and fabulous gift shop with everything from clothing to candles! We believe in encouraging our customers to #shoplocal and we have become the neighborhood shop to go to when you need a gift for someone or a goodie for yourself-We have 3 locations throughout San Diego, California-xo

Duckies Shop of Fun carries toys, kids' clothing and just plain silly stuff in a brightly decorated, whimsical shop in the heart of Seaside, FL. Kids of all ages delight in our toys that spin overhead, rubber ducky disco ball and menagerie of sparkly, colorful, magical sections dedicated to unicorns, rainbows, mermaids and other whimsies. We hope our guests will walk in and feel "wowed," appreciated and basically, unable to keep themselves from smiling. Giving back to individuals in need, our community and area charities is a core component of our business, and we enjoy supporting vendors who do the same.

Founded in 1987 by Charles Anthony Kinnucan in Auburn, AL, Kinnucan’s Specialty Outfitter has since expanded into six states with 18 locations. Inspired by outdoor life and everyday apparel, Kinnucan's offers a vast selection of specialty brands and products including men's, women's, and kids' apparel, footwear, sunglasses, collegiate goods and more. 

Petals and Postings (@petals_and_postings)

Petals and Postings is an eclectic card and gift shop that opened in 1983 and remains, yet today, under the original ownership of Patricia Hirsch. The store front is located on the downtown Kalamazoo Mall, which upon completion in 1959 became the first outdoor shopping mall in the United States. Petals and Postings has most recently expanded to include internet sales at www.petalsandpostings.com. Kalamazoo is famous for Bell's Brewery, Gibson Guitar, A.M. Todd Spices and Pfizer Pharmaceutical all of which draw visitors from across the world, many of whom have visited the store and been very surprised to find trendy items from coast to coast tucked away in our sweet mid-western city. To sum it up, the store appeals to a wide variety of ages and has something for most occasions, making it the perfect stop to find the ideal gift.

So many new things to wear!

hey! what’s up? how are ya? we can’t chat for tooooo long, ’cause there’s an outrageous/insane/ridiculous amount of things happening right now. but we gotta fill you in and make sure you’re not missin’ any of this dope stuff! (“dope” is still a cool word, right?!)

clothes. lots of new clothes. have you seen all the new clothes yet?! and the new accessories?! some are designed by us, some are designed by our friends, and some are designed by us in collaboration with our friends. it’s very exciting! 

we made some more tees and sweatshirts using current designs and one new design (pink skies up ahead!). we spent a lot of time on these styles—making sure the fit and quality were juuuust right. the collection features flocked letters, foil letters, and one of our favorite floral prints. yeah, they’re a little more $$ than our previous line, but it’s just ’cause of all the extra tlc they received. and just like last time, we totally want you to #havefuninthis.

question: got something good to say or some feelings that you just can’t keep inside any longer?! you should probably put all of it on a shirt (or two). and wouldn’t ya know it, we just launched some blank apparel and iron-on letters that do the job perfectly. throw a few patches and pins into the mix and you’re golden.

we also released some amazing pieces from our friends. like overalls and a jumpsuit from dusen dusen. and the dreeeeaaaamiest denim from samantha pleet. plus, check out the standouts from family affairs, golden ponies, realm, and karen mabon! lookin’ for a bomber jacket? we’ve got a couple really cute ones that we made with our friends at sticky baby. we’ll be wearing one three days a week and the other four days a week. don’t ask which is which—we’ve already lost sleep over it.

wanna know what our rest-of-2016 resolution (yeah, definitely a thing) is? to never leave the house without a pair of statement earrings on! serioussssly though. at least we made it easy for ourselves. we’ve got earrings with pom poms, earrings with tassels, earrings in cool shapes, and more! all online. now. with some other totally cute accessories. 

not sure if you put this together while reading, but all of this new stuff means you can now shop head-to-toe looks on bando.com! which is huuuuge. it’s like we’re your mom, pickin’ out all your outfits for ya. pretty cool, huh?

aside from all the newness, you may have noticed some changes to bando.com. good eye. we switched up our navigation so that you’d be able to find what you want more easily. lookin’ for that #girlspopup tab? it’s gone! but don’t worry, ’cause all of that stuff is now minglin’ with the rest of our products. they’re all bffs and it’s beautiful.

ok, that’s probably enough excitement for now. but just realize this is oooonly the beginning. the rest of 2016 is shaping up to be just as (if not more!) in-cred-i-ble. and we want you to be there for every second of it! so strap on your boots, hang on to your hats, yada yada yada, and enjoy the ride!

wait, you guys did what?!

whoa. we just looked at our calendar and noticed it’s almost october (whaaaat?!). which means 2017 is super close (huhhhh???). anyway, the last few months have been a whirlwind at ban.do. we partied, we went to miami, we opened our new agendas, and lots and lots more. don’t mind us while we do a teensy bit of reminiscing…

ok, we’re startin’ with ban.do poolside. it was the first-ever major party we threw, and it was totally and completely epic! there was great music, great food, great company, and a giant pool of inflatables. we definitely couldn’t have done it without the line hotel and the venue report, so shout out to them! and, yeah, we’re already workin’ on new party ideas—maybe a giant hot tub party? is that a thing?

soon after, some of us we were welcomed to miami (without will smith unfortunately) and got ready for the cabana show. we hotel hopped, hung out by some VERY fancy pools, checked out wynwood walls, went to a few miami swim runway shows, and found all those really cute painted lifeguard stands! 

august 1^st marked national ban.do agenda day. yay! we had a super cool party in the penthouse that included tons of stickers, tape, pens, and donuts (thanks california donuts!). we found out a lot about each other—like who’s a sticker minimalist and who’s a sticker maximalist (obvs. important stuff). we also had a lot of fun seeing how you guys were deckin’ out your agendas! definitely impressed by all the #planneraddicts out there.

then a few days later, on august 4th, ban.do turned eight. eight! can you believe it?! so naturally we celebrated the best way we know how—with a trip to disneyland! we made our own shirts, hopped on a party bus, and were off! don’t ask how, but we somehow managed to keep a group of 23 together for most of the day. after a little space mountain, a little tower of terror, several churros, and a few dole whips, we were (very happily) exhausted.

guys. no, seriously, you guys. can we be real for a minute? it seems like just yesterday there were only a handful of us. now it’s like someone new joins the team every single day. ok, slight exaggeration, but ban.do is growing like maaaad. it’s really amazing. and wouldn’t ya know it? we’re still hiring tonssss! so check out our careers page stat!

whew! we’re ready for a nap. the past few months have been amazing, butttttt the future has a lot of great things in store too! now we don’t like spoiling surprises or anything, but it might involve one or more of these: some very special bags, lots of fun, head-to-toe apparel, and the world’s cutest kittens. any guesses? :)

How-To: The Perfect Poolside Bash

hey, poolside princesses! remember that epic pool party we threw last month at the line hotel with the venue report? well, here’s an inside look at the action—plus a rundown on how to throw your own totally epic bash.

first things first, you’re gonna want a pool. the bigger, sparklier, and bluer the better. we suggest one in the middle of paradise. maybe one of those infinity pools? have you seen those!? but really, any pool will do.

now it’s decoration time (aka put-flowers-everywhere time). we enlisted our go-to prop stylist, natalie shriver, to help us decorate and she put real and artificial flowers on the walls around the pool, under some incredibly cute vintage umbrellas, and even in our drinks! yes! drinking rosé is already fun, but drinking rosé with little daisies floating on top—umm, incredible. also, never overlook an opportunity to make a statement. a vintage patio umbrella is already amazing but adding a pineapple topper and taking advantage of the area inside to add flair takes it to the next level. and then there is mylar...MYLAR EVERYTHING. when in doubt, add some iridescent mylar fringe. 

here’s something you didn’t know you needed in your life until now: fruit totem poles. seed floral helped us up the ante with these conversation starters that are actually pretty easy to make. just create a base with plywood and a metal dowel. next, get a ton of fruit and drill a hole in the middle of each piece. stack the pieces on the dowel, and use a staple gun to decorate it with flowers (of course) and palm fronds. fruit is legit. flowers are legit. fruit flower totems are a pure expression of this legitness. 

inflatables…floaties…whatever you call them, this step is beyond crucial. throw hearts, ice cream cones, unicorns—anything you can get your hands on—into the pool. we didn’t even go in the pool at our party, we just marveled at its beauty. oh yeah, and snapped a ton of photos for instagram.

next up?! uh-mazing tunes. let's be REAL for a sec. if you can hire michael antonia of the flashdance to dj...hire michael antonia. straight up. if you can't swing it, you've got to put together a killer playlist. this really sets the mood of the party, so choose those songs carefully! because, you can’t have biebz playing when that new selena would be a way better choice. yup...we just went there. or, you could also play drake the whole time. we’re ok with that.

and the last step is EXTREMELY simple...invite all your friends over and CHILLLLLLL!!!

just a reminder: it’s august. so your time is kind of running out. (is it vacation season yet?) stock up on poolside essentials fast, and throw the coolest, funnest, most outta-this-world pool party yet! labor day weekend might be a great time to do it. we just checked our calendars and we’re free. hint hint. : D

also, a special thank you to everyone who made our party super special: the line hotel, the venue report, michele marie pr, michael antonia, roy choi, seed floral, natalie shriver, stila, kate somerville, emma straub, anese, zero uv, and all of our amazing guests.

*imagery via the super talented braedon flynn + cole moser!

So Much Newness!

NEWNESS! NEWNESS! NEWNESS! we just filled the store with tons of new arrivals including some stuff we know you’ve been waiting for. this fall is gonna be an absolute breeeeeze.

so you’ve got that agenda and are plotting out your every move—now what? take a step back with the 12-month planner. it’s like a mini-agenda that makes it easy to prep those big-picture goals or travel plans. and speaking of agendas, you know all that awesome artwork? well, we filled our new best year ever wall calendar with it! hang it in your bedroom and just marvel at all the #girlgang realness. 

after organizing everything that’s in your head, you gotta organize those supplies. introducing the get it together folio. it fits an agenda (or 12-month planner!) and pretty much anything else you could possibly need. pockets for cards, pens, sticky notes, notepads—the list goes on. and once you’ve got that all set up, you’re gonna want to drop it in our get it together backpack. this slim, structured bag will stand up straight even when it’s totally empty so you won’t have to worry about your stuff spilling out. score!

ok, we’ve got a confession: it’s getting to the point where we’re changing our phone cases as much as we’re changing our outfits. totally normal, right?! well, with the new confetti bomb and lady of leisure cases, we’re not about to change our habits anytime soon. floating confetti or super sleek leatherette? super sleek leatherette or floating confetti? sigh!

summer’s winding down and we’ve been pretty bummed out. but then we realized what this actually means—a vacation’s in order! you gotta take one too, even if it’s just to hang out with the getaway luggage tag and passport holder. they’re now available in both lady of leisure and bingo patterns.

remember the ban.do power bank? it’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet that’s serving up unlimited helpings of hot electric charge. well, we made a black with gold glitter version. yeah. it’s really pretty. also in makeover news: our back me up! mobile chargers. they’re now slimmer and have a removable top that keeps that 8-pin extra safe.

whoa whoa whoa. you thought we’d leaving you hangin’ without some new flair?! of course not! the love potion and chill pills keychains are three-dimensional wonders made of the softest silicone ever. they have a key ring and clip so you can hang ’em wherever you need them most.

whether you’re heading back to school or workin’ it in the office, you’re totally gonna own the rest of 2016. we promise. check out all the fall newness (and more!) online NOW.

Meet the 2016-2017 Agenda Artists!

we had so much fun on national agenda day! between giving away agenda swag all day on snapchat to an agenda decorating party in the penthouse, we were totally in #planneraddict mode. we used stickers from both of our sticker books and the #girlspopup, gel pens, and TONS of paper tape to make sure every member of the #bandogirlgang had what they needed to make their agendas totally personal! speaking of personal, let's take a minute to get up close with our 2016-2017 agenda artists!

maddy nye (@maddynye) is based in minneapolis, mn, and is a lover of the marvelous, offbeat, and wild. we're 100% sure they love her right back. maddy designs a really adorable stationery collection called yours madly that you should totally check out. and her hair is the most perfect shade of red.

jordan sondler (@jordansondler) lives in new york city, and did we mention she's the nicest gal around? it's totally true. her work spans digital, print and three-dimensional forms, and she has a particular interest in pattern. jordan also has a penchant for german candy, cacti and playing with clay. her clients include nickelodeon, adult swim, nylon magazine, urban outfitters, scout books and a bunch more people who know what's up.

kate roebuck (@kateroebuck) is from chattanooga, tennessee. she lives in a little house with her baby-sidekick, husband and kitty-boo; lady. (she’s a pirate, and also the sidekick to her baby— which makes her, her sidekick’s sidekick). she is passionate about pizza, and by passionate she means she just loves eating it: frozen or fancy, she doesn’t discriminate ;). on any given day you can find her in her studio (with her sidekick) painting and designing pattern, usually while listening to drake because… well duh.

Kailah (@kailahogawa) is from hawai’i, which means she loves to surf, eat mangos and spend time under the sun. she now currently lives in orange county, ca where she continues to surf, eat mangos and spend time under the sun. most of all she loves to explore and create art—working as a graphic designer by day, and filling her free time as an illustrator.

katie turner (@katiecturner) is an artist and illustrator from tulsa, oklahoma. she received a bfa in illustration from parsons school of design and lived in new york for nine years before moving south to nashville, tennessee in 2015. katie’s work has been called whimsical, quirky, and fresh, with a teenage flair. specializing in book and editorial illustration, as well as surface design and patterns, she's illustrated books, magazines, greeting cards, stationery, and more!

sandi falconer (@sandifalconer) is an illustrator & screen printer living in gravenhurst, ontario, canada. she also has a stationery company called tough luck. she likes cold beer, hot coffee, jumping in lakes, bothering her cat, and watching too much tv.

gabriella sanchez (@_gabriella_sanchez) is a multidisciplinary artist based in los angeles. she received her bfa in fine art in 2011. while at university she spent her time making weird art videos and installations. she also took every graphic design course offered because, well....she wanted to make those dolla' bills. after graduating gabriella moved to paris where she worked as an au pair and freelance graphic designer. it was at that time that she was given her first commercial illustration project by the french magazine, le particulier. following her move back to l.a. gabriella landed an in-house designer position at the women's lifestyle brand, ban.do. during her time there she learned a lot about the hustle and how to properly throw confetti. since then she has established a design and art studio under her own name and was quickly commissioned for illustrations, lettering, and patterns from clients such as nike, the white house, tumblr, nordstrom, tinder, it's on us, giphy and more. oh, and she looooves gif animation. like obsessed.

allie newman lives and works in nashville, tn, where she draws really awesome things. allie created the ban.do girl gangsecret code, which means she might also be a spy, but we're not allowed to talk about it. allie swears that diet cokegives her superpowers. if that sounds magical to you, you'd be right. because allie is magical.

leah reena goren (@leahreenagoren) grew up by the california beach and lives and works in brooklyn. she escapes to rockaway or fort tilden every free day in the summer and draws inspiration from plants, the sun, the ocean, and colors and moods that are bright and free. leah graduated from parsons school of design with a bfa in illustration, and her many clients include anthropologie, chronicle books, the land of nod, loeffler randall, penguin random house, and vogue. she likes her work best when it’s loose and fluid and feels like it was made effortlessly. after collaborating with leah on our exclusive girls just wanna have fun pattern, we can say that hanging with her is totally like cruising along the coast, top down, wind in your hair: easy breezy!

The #girlspopup is forever

BE THE BOSS!

our new collection is all about being the BOSS, and we believe that the first step to bossdom is feeling like one. that’s why we updated our notebooks + file folders with new patterns and sizes, blinged out our drinkware, and made serious BOSS supplies to help you get it done. looking cute and staying organized just got crossed off your to-do list.

we’re OBSESSED with our rough draft mini notebooks, but you know how sometimes you just want a little more space? meet to our new rough draft LARGE notebook. featuring all the things you loved in a mini (a classic gold spiral,a thick cover and a fun new centerfold) but with so much more room to work through the toughest of writer’s blocks. congratulations are in order - our rough draft notebooks just graduated.

we couldn’t leave our mini notebooks in the cold though - we put a few of our favorite agenda patterns, lady of leisure and i am very busy in ice blue, and jade marble on these classic notebooks so you can update your look. we pulled a couple more complementary patterns for our good ideas notebook sets and file folders too, just to keep you on your toes. Those basic office supplies are gonna be soooooo jealous.

and you know what's cooler than being cool? having the coolest bag in the room - literally. our new insulated lunch bags are the perfect size to stow your sandwich, a water bottle, and TONS of snacks. and how cute would these look COVERED in stickers? you'll look super cool while you keep your lunch even cooler. girl’s gotta eat, but how cute would this look if you took it out at night too?

pastel, neon, holographic, metallic...there's definitely a pencil in our new compliment pencil set that fits whatever style you're currently vibing. each old school beauty is printed with a fresh complement that will boost your confidence by at least 110%. don't worry, these pencils come pre-sharpened so you can start writing down your dreams the second you open the box. more of an ink girl? try our write on pens - with buttery smooth ink and covered in some of our current favorites: lady of leisure and bingo. we've got new patterns for our pencil pouches, too. your new supplies will be right at home.

you are gold, baby. solid gold! and now our iconic thermal mug is too, and it totally looks like a gazillion bucks, right?! We added a bunch more thermal mugs too: love potion (because everyone knows, some potions are HOT!), lady of leisure (because duh, that floral), and i am very busy in ice blue (because HOLOGRAPHIC foil!). If you prefer your drinks chilled, we’ve got new sip sips for you too - in pretty floral or one of our favorite mottos.

the whole boss collection is up now, and it’s pretty amazing if we do say so ourselves. It will totally transform your desk into a dream desk situation, especially if you mix and match items with your agendas and accessories. but you better check it out quick...we have a feeling these are going to go fast.

The Agenda Class of 2016-2017

are you ready for your whole life to change? yeah, you totally are. the new ban.do agendas are here and they're better than ever! whether you're a full on #planneraddict or someone who's just got big plans, trust us when we say you've gotta have one. just see how hyped the #bandogirlgang just got thinking about agendas in this super legit video we filmed in our new penthouse!

ready to meet the new ban.do agenda? it's your all-in-one personal assistant, BFF, #1 fan, wing woman, game changer & keeper of dreams. and it's better than ever: more stickers, more notes pages, laminated tabs, a new size, a pocket, secret code, a coloring page, tons of art inside and out, and so much more! we’ve got 5 styles that are totally exclusive to our website, so scoop those up before they disappear!

and don’t forget about the agenda accessories!  we've done all the work for you to kick your agenda lifestyle into high gear with our agenda starter packs! spiral clips and a reusable snap-in to-do list for all your important things, a neon pink gel pen and paper clips, holographic paper tape, and of course, stickerssssss! all wrapped up in one rosy pouch. need more? pick up a brand new sticker book featuring holographic letter stickers and artwork from some of our favorite #bandogirlgang members, then grab a sticky note set that’s STRAIGHT.UP.MAGIC! oh, and we’re dropping the cutest paper tape and gel pens (oh gellll yeah!) for writing down all your hopes and dreams, too.

and we know a true #planneraddict (or really, anyone that loves cute stuff!) can never have enough agenda accessories, so we stocked the #girlspopup with even more stationery goodness! We’re talking more paper tape, more pens and pencils, desk accessories, PINS and OMG, so many stickers!!!

THE #BANDOGIRLGANG HEADED TO SXSW!

THE #BANDOGIRLGANG AT SXSW! from ban.do on Vimeo.

last month, three of us (christina, kelly, and cate, to be exact) headed to austin for a whirlwind weekend at SXSW! if you follow us on instagram and snapchat (snapbando, y'all!) you came along for the ride! but if you didn't, no stress. we put together a little video for your viewing pleasure, and we're sharing some of our favorite highlights with ya, below!

the school of self expression

we collaborated with our besties at valley cruise press to make the official pin for the school of self expression (which you can snag in our #girlspopup), an interactive and multidimensional classroom created by our genius friends at refinery29… along with other perfect study swag! we interviewed r29 creative director piera gelardi on our snapchat (snapbando!), and she took over our instagram for a day with really pretty pictures. plus, we co-hosted a big giveaway on social because we're givers!

popsugar's empowerment with kirby johnson

our looking good makeup bags were front and center at our girl kirby johnson's event in the girls' lounge, which we loved! kirby shared her tips for living in a world of selfies. the first step? take off those filters!

sxstyle

so many great influencers like glossier's emily weiss and liketoknow.it's amber venz box talked about style at SXSW and just for showing up they all got their own work it out gym bag and water bottle!

other highlights? so many!

• the parties! from mashable to vimeo to funny or die x s'well to nylon x clinique, we danced until we dropped.
• saying hi to our girl jenny slate!
• hunting down the best queso in town. el yum.
• coooool sightings like the mirrored room at fast company, the mr. robot ferris wheel, virtual reality, and innovation everywhere...
• ...and pretty sightings at the girls' lounge, the kendra scott house, and pretty neon lights everywhere!
• the shops on south congress: alan’s boots, lucy in disguise with diamonds, and sooooo many great eateries!
• speaking of eating: donuts at gourdough's and donuts at voodoo and cupcakes at hey cupcake! and the ice cream sammies at the coolhaus truck… droooool!
• oh! also food trucks! we could've stopped by every single one.
• the kit & ace girls are the cutest, their matt crump installation was dreamy, and we loved the "don't be basic" sign they made!
• listening to the birds at the hotel san jose! you guys, we had no idea the birds in austin are so chatty. we felt like we were in a jungle!
• making tons of new besties… and running into besties from LA and making plans to hang out once we got back!
• spotting jake gyllenhaal and trying to figure out how tall he really is. (our guess? shorter than he claims to be!)
• enjoying a beer and chocolate chip cookie after a long day of networking in our hotel room at the hotel san jose. the chill house spotify channel had the perfect tunes for putting our feet up!
• the energy of everything happening!
• photobooths! especially our friends vannagram & co. it's a photobooth in a van!
• oh, and all our uber drivers were austin locals and so fun. so many conversations happened while en route to having other conversations!

thanks for keeping it weird, austin! we'll totally be back.

xo, the #bandogirlgang