My Kate Spade 17 Month Agenda - First Thoughts

I wanted to share a review of my new Kate Spade dayplanner.  I've been using it more and more and this past weekend I transferred all of my appointments from my Lilly Pulitzer agenda for the rest of the year.  For the next 12* months this book and I will be inseparable.   It is set up very similar to the popular Lilly version including a weekly detailed option, this is my favorite for writing down appointments and daily tasks.  I like to write in this section in pencil to keep it neat.  Here is a Monday - Sunday look at how the pages are set up.

 There is a section in the front for notes.  I use this for valuable mileage information for work along with other tidbits that I need to know but can't always remember. There is also a celebration section before the notes where you can list important birthdays and anniversaries by month.

 I love the pocket in the front of the planner.  My last Lilly had one as well and I usually keep post it notes in it when I travel from one clinic to the other as well as receipts that I need to keep track of.

 For added cute, there is a sweet saying or "words of wisdom" on the first page of each new month.

 Here is the monthly view at a glance page.  The blocks are a decent size and the pages are thin so you can see the lines from the weekly view pages.  The lines make it much easier to write if you have a tendency to slant your handwriting like me.  I love the notes section on the left side, the Lilly agenda featured this too but I realize that I love setting little goals for myself each month using that little column.

And here is a view from the top, pretty gold dots and pink elastic to keep it closed.  The pattern is in fact called "gold dots" - truth in marketing.

Here is some information to better compare the two.   The Kate version is more "binder-like", think slightly slanted like a grade school 3 ring binder.  The Lilly planner is perfectly even like a small book.  Lilly agendas are usually brightly colored with fun illustrations and a sticker page to really spice up some of the calendar days---it just looks so, happy.  My one complaint with the Lilly agenda is that it's a little heavy for it's size and contains additional sections that I didn't use.  The Kate is more polished and more understated for work.  I don't love the"binder style" though, I wish it were even on all sides.  The outside of the planner doesn't feel quite as durable as the cardboard used for the Lilly version, I'm not sure how well it will take daily abuse, especially going in and out of my purse several times a day.  It is neatly organized, lightweight, and a good size for squint-free reading.  The Kate planner is $36 compared with the Lilly Pulitzer Large Agenda at $28. Both can be purchased at Lifeguard Press and I highly recommend them for future shopping.  My final thought is that you really can't go wrong with either style, I'll be able to determine my personal preference by the end of 2014.

*Both versions last 17 months, I plan to use my Lilly agenda through November 2013 and carry the Kate dayplanner exclusively in December 2014.