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

#girlspopup is forever

it's official: our online #girlspopup is forever! to celebrate, we've given it a whole new look and stocked it with everything we want you to have for summer.

so, what is the #girlspopup?! well, it started as an actual shop in the back of our party house in LA, and now baby's all grown up and super legit! personally curated by our very own jen gotch, our one-stop shop is packed with an ever-changing inventory of exclusive ban.do collabs, vintage finds, and work from artists and brands that jen's totally obsessed with right now. it's a big high five to girl power and a love letter to our #bandogirlgang (that's you!).

ok, so what's new up in this #girlspopup? let's start with outdoor fun!!! you know, the most fun possible when the sun is out and all you wanna do is go outside and soak up some rays. that means inflaaaaatables in every shape: a pineapple! a pizza! a watermelon! a swan! a rainbow unicorn! your snapchat's gonna be blowin' up, girl! there are a bunch more goodies in the #girlspopup outdoor fun party (um, pink party visor?!), so check. it. out!

remember when we launched apparel in the #girlspopup and everyone went crazy with happiness and straight-up joy? well, brace yourselves for round two. we've launched a new capsule collection of tees and one very soft sweatshirt that are perfect for summer and all year round, and made to have fun in. #havefuninthis, y'all! the fun is coming, and it won't stop! there's a special treat for fans of the bachelor, and you're gonna want to be a member of the hot tub club aaaaand a leisure queen…. or at least get very busy relaxing. 

we've also stocked the #girlspopup with alllll the sunnies a girl could want… like seriously, you're probably going to become one of those people who wears sunglasses inside and we are totally down with that. from pineapples to cat eyes to hearts and more, you might as well make it easy on yourself and grab about 5 pairs!

splish splash! to make all your baywatch dreams come true, you've gotta grab a suit by private party! you can even get our iconic phrase i am very busy on one of 'em. or pizza, or mermaid (which you totally are), or champagne campaign, in which you run for president of our favorite fizzy drink. bring on the head turning!

you didn't think we'd forget about flair, did you?! nah. we've got all the flair a gal could want in the #girlspopup, so you better pick up 37 pieces… or at least a solid handful! and speaking of grabbing all the pretty things, we've got jewelry on lock! and we're not talking about your mother's jewelry, we're talking gold pineapples, a hot sauce ring, a babe necklace, and so much more. get your bling on, girl!

go get all your faves before they're gone… and keep checking back! this #girlspopup is gonna be poppin' up forever!

2016's got nothing on us

2016 has been a really, really big year for us… and we're just getting started. check out some of the highlights!

we set some major quad goals at the top of the year, and everyone from kaley cuoco to nina dobrev is getting in on the action!

when it comes to love potion, we don't skimp! we took it in large doses on valentine's day, and we plan to drink up all year long… because love, you guys.

step aside, gosling! herbie our happy heart hit the market and has quickly become america's #1 heartthrob. (it helps that he's a heart.)

we said goodbye to the party house and moved on up to the penthouse of our dreams. don't worry: we took all our disco balls – and our roller skates – with us! (p.s. get our keychain in the #girlspopup!

outdoor fun is here and it's blowin' up! our latest line is all about being your ultimate version of fun… and it's all kinds of social media gold. so many good things happened and we're not even halfway through the year! 2016 is going to be the best year ever!

Follow the Leisure

follow the leisure! you guys, outdoor fun is here like warm sunshine on a perfect spring day! other than basically being the spirit animal of ban.do, outdoor fun is: cruising down the coast with the top down, lounging by the pool while some hunk brings you french fries, snapchatting your epic pool party, sunshine and spring break and summer and frolicking and drinking and kicking back and pool parties and beach days and… the list is literally endless. whatever your ultimate dream vacation looks like, we’re here to make it even better! and sooooo instagrammable.

so what's our outdoor fun lineup?! let's start with inflatables! sure, taylor swift has an impressive collection of inflatable swans, but does she have an inflatable heart? no, but we’re 99.9% sure she will once she reads this. so go ahead, lie there and float on our beach, please! jumbo heart inner tube like the queen of hearts that you are and watch your pool party get next level.

you also gotta hang with the cutest little airhead at the pool: our beach, please! jumbo heart floaty, also known as summertime herbie! bring herbie with you to the pool or beach and get ready to strike a billion poses together. he also makes the perfect snapchat face swap partner. ya feel us?! 

(p.s. want even more inflatables like t. swift's swan, a slice of pizza, or a giant rainbow unicorn?! the #girlspopup is a candy store of inflatable dreams. check it out!)

what else do you need to bring with you? our beach, please! giant beach towel! if you’re reading this (which um, you are), you're officially banned from taking your shower towel to the beach ever again. just imagine the photographic possibilities alone: you, stretched out on one of these insanely fun beauties, piña colada in hand, looking cool as hell. you’re welcome.

ok, brace yourselves: our super chill cooler bag in watermelon that became a national obsession now comes in two more totally iconic and vintage-inspired shapes: rainbow and happy face! we even added a little gold smiley face zipper pull for the sake of being extra awesome. (pro tip: our cooler bag not only keeps your drinks cool, it also doubles as an insanely cute purse.) we also made the cutest just chill out cooler bag in the most perfect shade of pink! it's super roomy, it comes with a pocket on the outside for straws and drink sleeves, and it’s funny as hell. what more do you need?

oh! you need one of our too cold to hold drink sleeves! slip on one of these retro-inspired sleeves with new fun phrases and have the cutest drink on the pool deck!

you guys, there's so much more (new sip sips, getaway duffles, carryall duos, oh my!), so you just gotta shop the whole lineup and see for yourself. k, we're gonna go float down the lazy river… see ya there!