The best and worst decision I've ever made was downloading the Starbucks app. My tastebuds have never been more satisfied, but my wallet feels the pain of my white chocolate mocha addiction. I've already gone through the five stages of grief and fully accepted I'll be coughing up a portion of every paycheck to the coffee giant for the rest of eternity to fulfill my caffeine addiction; there's no going back once you experience the thrill of earning a free drink. So when I saw Starbucks's new holiday collaboration with Ban.do, I got ready to spend even more cash.
Starbucks and Ban.do have teamed up to release an exclusive holiday collection that includes drinkware and other fun accessories that hopefully someone will be filling my stocking with this year. The collection has holiday themes thanks to the touches of classic Christmas colors and stripes, but flowery prints and pops of pink make the designs feel fresh and not cheesy (which means you can use them long after Christmas is over, heck yeah). Starbucks is usually in the spotlight this time of year for controversy around their annual holiday cup, so it's fun to see them releasing something a little different, especially since the line with Ban.do is so adorable.
The lifestyle brand has worked with Starbucks on merchandise collabs in Asia since 2017, but North America got its first taste of the cuteness the two can cook up with the fall line Starbucks and Ban.do released in September. The fall collaboration was clearly a success, and the holiday release is building on that win with merchandise that's even cuter than the previous line of products. Starbucks's website describes the holiday line as having "the look of a perfectly gift-wrapped gift, with a dose of Los Angeles vintage glam," and after taking a look at the products, I wholeheartedly agree — the aesthetic is very Hollywood vintage chic. Take a look at some of the products and see for yourself.
Can you not picture Lauren Conrad sipping out of this flowery mug ($13) as she overlooks her Laguna Beach home? I can also see myself drinking out of it in my bed, but that's neither here nor there.
If Busy Phillips isn't drinking her nightly margarita out of this to-go cup ($15) on the next episode of Busy Tonight, I'll be shocked and dismayed.
You can try to tell me I won't see a video of Kylie holding this tumbler ($20) on her Instagram story sometime in the next month, but I won't believe you.
Okay I think I've made my point about the major glam vibes coming off these products, but I'm just really into the fact the Ban.do and Starbucks can help me have L.A. energy everyday. If all it takes to make me feel famous is a flowery cup, you can bet I'll be buying one ASAP. Plus, investing in reusable cups is an environmentally friendly choice, and I'm definitely more likely to reuse a cute to-go cup. It's really a disservice to the whole world if I don't buy at least one item from the line (see how I convince myself? Incorrigible).
Extra bonus? The line's pencil pouch ($14) and pencils ($10) would also make great stocking stuffers this year, so even the non-coffee lovers in your life can get in on the fun. The line is available for purchase starting today at participating stores, which is my way of saying if you haven't started driving towards the nearest Starbucks yet, get going. I'll see you there.
This first-time mom wants to have a home birth, but is she ready? Watch how a doula supports a military mom who's determined to have a home birth in Episode One of Romper's Doula Diaries, Season Two, below. Visit Bustle Digital Group's YouTube page for the next three episodes, launching every Monday starting November 26.
