Ted Baker iPhone SE Flip Case Review
Way back in 2014 I reviewed the Barbour Quilted Flip case from Proporta. Using it with my iPhone 5s. I have loved this case literally to death over the last couple of years, using it day in and day out. Recently I pried out the plastic insert and superglued in a replacement metal one, but that did frankly terrible things to my phone signal. A new case was needed!
Daisy had coaxed me into a mild Ted Baker habit recently, and as luck would have it Proporta, makers of the Barbour case, seem to have strengthened their relationship with the Ted Baker brand and drastically expanded their range. Amidst them is one of the nicest mid-range iPhone cases I’ve ever had the pleasure to own: the Ted Baker iPhone SE Flip Case . The hint of teal really hooked me, I once purchased a pair of Levis simply because they had one teal pocket lining. I practically begged Proporta to send me one, and thankfully they obliged. I paid them back in kind, by snapping a few lifestyle shots and, of course, gushing about it here 😉
It’s worth noting that I still don’t have an iPhone SE, or a newer iPhone. I cling desperately to my 5s, the size, styling and form-factor of which I really love. Fortunately the SE provides a market for new cases that fit the 5s, so as luck would have it this shiny new case was exactly what I needed.
The Ted Baker Flip follows Proporta’s standard design for flip cases; a flip cover consisting of an inner and outer material sandwiching a lining and stitched together, and a plastic insert glued inside to actually hold the phone. This has been the formulae for Proporta flip cases for as long as I can remember, and that’s not a bad thing; it works.
The plastic inner casing protects the phone’s edges from scuffs and scrapes, while leaving the buttons, ports and speakers freely accessible. It also grips extremely tightly, requiring quite a bit of force to remove the phone once clipped into place. The plastic is either a rich, dark green or black, my eyes don’t want to confirm which. Either way, it fits with the rest of the case.
The flip cover hinges at the bottom this time, eliminating the common annoyance of a cover flipping down over the camera. It can still be folded back on itself for placing calls. It closes loosely with a magnetic clasp. Not a particularly strong magnet, mind, making the clasp feel like an afterthought. It’s cut from imitation leather, and it’s quite convincing in terms of look and feel, lacking only in the leather smell. A brown stitch blends in with the exterior, keeping a refined and minimal look.
The inside has a turquoise, imitation suede accent which has to be my favourite feature; contrasting beautifully with the dark brown outer cover. A turquoise inner stitch line completes the contrast with the outside.
The telegraph print on the inside is simple and abstract. Very Ted Baker. It’s clearly a scene from Arizona, or somewhere similar, hued blue to match the case interior. After a month or so of use, a couple of flecks of the print have come off where they would be pressed against the plastic inside, but nothing alarming. The case has been stuffed into my jeans pocket almost every day since I got it, and has held up reasonably well.
Another sign of wear, the Ted Baker emblem on the front beginning to fade, is a little disappointing since I loved the teal embossed text, but it doesn’t affect the function of the case.
On the back is a generous camera cut-out with enough room for camera and flash, I’ve had no trouble with the case appearing in the fringes of my photographs and having the flap at the bottom has made taking snaps much less frustrating than they were with my beloved quilted flip.
Inside are a couple of pockets for cash, cards or tickets. I always put my train tickets in here since my phone is always to hand on a journey, so having these pockets was an absolutely necessity in a case. They’ll also suit for some folded up, emergency cash, or more if you choose you leave your wallet at home and travel light for an evening out. One downside, the way the internal material is folded over inside the pockets, means it’s possible to get a card or cash jammed inside, and I’ve done so on several occasions. Also, the pockets will be a little tight in a new case, but they relax with age.
Overall I flip’in love this case and I’ll no doubt use it until either it, or my phone, falls to pieces.