Boy, these days. It’s not even a matter of function. Now it’s a matter of what looks good.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — For Denise Albert, choosing a cellphone has nothing to do with ring tones, instant messages or megapixels.

“To me, it’s what it looks like,” said Albert, a 53-year-old campaign fundraiser from suburban Powell. “I want a good design. Period.”

Albert represents a fashion trend marketers are tapping into as they offer mobile phones with sleeker designs and in more colors, such as blue and pink, and accessories ranging from charms and stickers to crystals and tiny designer purses. While some accessories are for necessity — such as in-car chargers — others are for personalization.

“Where we had A or B, now we have A through Z,” said Neil Strother, research director for mobile devices at The NPD Group market research firm…. Source: USA Today