It's only been a few weeks since some of us got our hands on the iPhone 4S, which has opened the opportunity to re-evaluate our phone's aesthetic. Having gone from the 3GS to the 4S means it's time to shop for a new case or protector. Here's how I narrowed down my choice of skins by material. It boiled down to hardshell, leather or wood.
Out of these three materials there were three particular brands I was looking into.

Wood: Like we've explored before, it's kind of fun to disguise our tech in yesterday's nostalgic designs. That's the same feeling I got when I saw a friend's Trunket skin. It evoked a retro feel and I never get tired of seeing tech paired with natural materials like wood. One fallback I had to consider was the amount of protection a wood case provides if I were to drop my phone. In the end, it's charm lay in being more decorative than functional.

Hardshell: Because their products are designed specifically for Apple products, Incase is always a go-to source for iPhone accessories. I liked both the Bird's Nest Snap Case and the Perforated Slider Case. Both are made of a durable rubber-like material that provides enough protection for when you drop your phone.

Leather: I've been quite taken with small leather goods lately but never thought of applying that to my phone. SGP offers an eco-friendly yet stylish skin that provides more protection than a wood case and a more unique look over a standard snap case.
In the end, I decided to go with leather. It gave the right amount of style and protection that I'm looking for, and enough versatility from always gravitating towards plastic cases.
What type of material do you prefer to skin your phone with?

Shaw's Original Fir...
The elephant on the back of the wood case just about sold me immediately, though all of them are very interesting. Maybe a different one for each day of the week?!
I like the mophie juice pack, extra battery you can flip on when needed.
The elephant is super cute.
cute cases, but you made the right choice in terms of practicality! :)
According to the SGP website, the cases are not leather but a premium, high-grade, eco-friendly faux leather urethan (their spelling) that looks, feels and smells just like natural products.
I have the Pad and Quill book for my 4S (from their etsy.com store: http://www.etsy.com/listing/86375389/little-black-book-vol3-for-iphone4-blue). Not only is the phone snug and protected, but closed it does indeed look like a notebook, which makes me feel a little more secure when I'm walking around with it in my pocket.