30 Dec PAPER BEATS DIGITAL – 5 CHIC DIARIES FOR 2015
Yesterday I awoke from a ham induced food coma and tumbled out of a pile of wrapping paper and chocolate coins to find that it’s almost 2015.
2015 people!! Do you know what this means? It means we will be living in the very year that Marty McFly travels to in Back To The Future 2.
I have a few questions, I’m sure you do too. Firstly, where is my hoverboard? Secondly, why doesn’t my Vauxhall Zafira have a flying mode? And why can’t I make a family dinner in 3 seconds?! Aside from those queries – and considering we’ve got until October for the double necktie fad to come in – I’m pretty happy with how 2015 looks, due to the fancy smart phone that’s in my pocket which would have blown my mind back in 1985.
But for all the fancy technology that a smart phone brings, still doesn’t bring the sweet, sweet satisfaction of circling dates, writing lists and crossing things out when they’re done. And for that, you need a shit hot, real life diary that will impress clients at meetings and become an old friend as the year goes on.
THE MINIMALIST
Julia Kostreva white foil planner £20
This diary, by San Fran designer, Julia Kostreva is about as chic as it gets. Perfect for creative types, it doesn’t have lines to hinder any doodling. The cover is foil stamped by hand and lightly embossed. Julia has all sorts of other lovely things on her site, including sexy large format prints and open dated diaries that you can start at any time.
THE DISPLAY CASE
The Delfonics Linen Diary £15.63
If you’re going to get organised, a little bit of German won’t go astray. “Eine Geschichte Ein Leben” means “a new life story” even though this impeccably designed diary by cult organisers Delfonics, is actually from Japan – where they take stationery very seriously. I discovered them on a trip to Tokyo and they are super hard to find outside of Japan. The lovely linen case has a clear plastic cover which protects the fabric as well as creating the perfect place to display a photo or a hand written note.
THE TOME
Another Japanese contender, the Hobonichi Techo Planner has 1 page per day, plus all sorts of useful and bizarre information within its 450 pages. It is bound in a way that lets it open to 180 degrees at any page (left-handers rejoice!) and the paper used is thin, strong and resistant to bleeding so it isn’t bulky, and you’ll even be reminded of the daily phase of the moon on each page. They have thought of everything.
THE POSH TOTTY
If you’re feeling flush, you could spend a cool £140 on a classic Smythson cross-grain lambskin diary. And you should totally choose canary yellow because it’s awesome. And while you’re at it you might as well spend an extra £30 on having it customised in gold foil with anything you like up to 15 letters. Mine would say THE ART DICTATOR.
THE CYNIC
Perpetual Disappointments Diary £13
This diary, in all its brilliant, droll misery comes from Asbury & Asbury a husband and wife designer/writer duo in Cheshire. Along with simple functionally designed diary pages, are pages for notes like Ideas You’ll Never Follow Up, an address book section including space for People Who Never Call and cheery phrases translated into French, German, Mandarin and Spanish like “Do you have any very cheap wine?”.
All images via the sites in the links. Top image from www.juliakostreva.com.