FANCY BOX: December 2013 [Coco Rocha]

here is my very first - and much much delayed - Fancy box review :)

i decided to take the dive and get a new subscription box because well... it was December and you never know what extras or specials could be included.

and i'd been eyeing Fancy box for a very long time. i decided to go with Coco Rocha because her past boxes contained items that were most appealing to me. i also considered Jennifer Love Hewitt's and Kelly Rowland's boxes. i didn't go with JLove because she occasionally picked items related to cooking and i don't can't cook. Kelly Rowland's was tempting but i couldn't see myself using all of the items. 

plus there was a 30% off promo code so it pretty much sealed the deal.

the cost breakdown was:

Fancy Box       $39.00

Discount            (11.70)

Shipping             17.00            (booooo i know - Canada is really not that far)

Total            44.30 USD

so even with the discount, it's not the most affordable box out there. the Coco Rocha Fancy box description states that the boxes have more than a $80 value. so it's a gamble, like all other subscription boxes.

i placed my order on December 2, 2013 for the December box. since this order was placed before the 26th, it was shipped on December 30 (Fancy's cutoff date for the current box is the 26th). it arrived on my doorstep January 3, 2014.

the box is pretty huge! here is a picture to illustrate the size, as well as my current collection of unopened Fancy boxes:

the leaning tower of Fancy boxes

upon opening the Fancy box, i see some black tissue and then... some more tissue. these ones were 'inflated' (what's the term here?) to keep the things from moving around too much. on the VERY bottom of the box is where i found all of my items.

keep reading to find out more about my first Fancy box experience!
p.s. all retail values listed below are in USD.

you get these little cards for each item you get, along with some notes from Coco on the back:

1) Greeting Cards for All Occasions by Rifle Paper Co. - "Go Get 'Em Tiger"
Inspired by vintage playing cards and perfect for a friend or significant other.

this is quite a neat-looking card - it has a 'Papyrus' feel to it: a unique, well-made card that i can't ever bring myself to purchase. but i guess $5 isn't really that bad. except it is blank inside, so it's all on you to write something clever.

retail value: $5

2) Moleskine Ruled Notebook - "Brilliant Violet"
The Moleskine Mini Notebook has 56 acid-free pages (28 leaves) with rounded corners. It is so lightweight you'll forget about it - till you need it. Whether you're a veteran Moleskine aficionado or new to this fabulous world you can't pass up this new simplicity for thoughtful journaling.

i do often find myself looking for something to jot down some ideas or to make a quick list. opening the 'Notes' app on my iPhone can literally take too long.. my phone has way too many blogging photos on it so e v e r y t h i n g  i s  s u p e r  s l o w .
this is the perfect size to throw in a handbag. it even comes with a small pocket in the back for you to slip cards/receipts in.
now all i need is a mini pen to go with it.

retail value: $6

3) Quay Sunglasses - "Kitti / Tortoise Shell"
Specs:
Polycarbonate Frame
Polycarbonate Lens
100% UV protection

Dimensions:
Width: 14cm/5.5"
Height: 5cm/1.9"
Nose gap: 1-4cm/0.3-1.5"

these sunglasses aren't your typical cheap plastic sunglasses. staying true to the name of the model, these sunglasses are very cat-like. i am not quite sure how i feel about them - they may indeed be too fancy for me. but i can maaaaaaybe see myself busting these out on a summer road trip. maybe.

retail value: $40

4) Sovanna Earring by Senhoa 

Golden Shade Swarovski crystals, evoking the rich essence of luminous sunlight hitting the stirring streets of Siem Reap. Sovanna is a homage to the promises of the coming dawn.

okay seriously hands down - my favorite item in the box. and of course, the most expensive. these earrings alone exceed the "> $80" Fancy box value promise.

i thought these were absolutely beautiful the second i took them out of the velvet bag. but it was after reading the card about the company that really amazed me.

"Each Senhoa jewelry piece is individually handcrafted by a survivor of human trafficking or a young woman vulnerable to sexual exploitation."
if that is not one of the best reasons ever to buy jewelry, i don't know what is.

i love the color and shape of the golden Swarovski crystals. definitely gorgeous to wear to a fancy event with an updo or more subtly with my hair down.

retail value: $85

oooh the color is so purdyy

so i must say i love this box. the highlight and most valuable item were the earrings and they are very pretty indeed. the total value of this box was $136! that's quite amazing. the notebook is very cute and practical at the same time. the sunglasses and card may not be as impressive to me, but still very interesting and different. this was definitely a great first impression.

i must say that i am itching to open my next Fancy box. maybe it's because it's a change of pace from all the makeup bags which makes this so exciting! there's so many things that could possibly be inside!
i believe there is a t-shirt in my next box because i recall the Fancy team asking me to pick a size... guess we will just have to see!! must. breeze. through. January. boxes. stat!