When it comes to electronics, I always want the latest and greatest technology, and I’m willing to pay a hefty price for it. Cell phones are a particular weakness for me. I’m constantly in search of my ideal phone. I can see it in my mind’s eye—thin, light, and sleek, small enough to slip into a pocket or small purse, but large enough to hold comfortably in my hand. It emits a quiet, sophisticated ring designed to attract attention, but not annoy, and when I pull my fantasy phone out to answer a call, people around me cast admiring glances that acknowledge my good taste.

Such a stylish phone seems impossible to find. With each new generation of cell phones, glossy advertisements promise me that finally the ultimate tool has arrived. They assure me that the newest, latest, and greatest cell phone combines my requirements of design, style, and functionality so that I can answer calls, text and email messages, and take photographs. And in something close to an annual ritual, I believe these advertisements, buy a brand new cell phone, and before too long discover that my perfect gadget does not live up to all that was promised.

The closest I’ve come to finding my fantasy phone was last summer when I purchased a black Motorola Razr. They had just come on the market, so they were expensive, but the phone was stylish, slick, and had all the features I wanted. Within the first week of owning my Razr, I had a dozen people stop me on the street, in bars, and even in the parking lot of Home Depot to admire my phone.

I loved being one of the few people who owned the black Razr, but before long, I discovered that my beautiful phone was far from perfect. The screen stays dirty, no matter how often I clean it. I can’t enter appointments quickly or easily, and I’ve never been able to figure out how to check my email.

Not everyone is willing to shell out big bucks for a trend-setting phone. A friend of mine determines a price bracket long before she looks for a phone. Style comes into play once the price has been determined and she chooses the cutest phone within her price range. Several of my male friends pointed out that button size plays a factor in their selection of phones. If the buttons are too small for their fingers to key the numbers correctly, then the phone won’t work for them, no matter how cool the design.

My friends tease me, saying that I’d be willing to forgo food if it meant I could spend the money I saved on a new phone. And while I do like my phone to look good, I firmly believe that a cell phone’s most important feature is it’s functionality. In other words, if the phone doesn’t work well, then its style is irrelevant.

As my quest for the most stylish cell phone continues, new models tempt me with slick ads full of promises to deliver high quality function within a polished and slick exterior. In the past few months, the Razr’s price has dropped significantly, making it more of an entry-level phone and causing me to more aggressively contemplate my next purchase. After all, it’s hard to be a harbinger of style when you’re sporting the same phone as your mother.

Freelance writer Catherine McEaddy holds an MFA in creative writing and is the founder of dotted i communications, a copywriting and editing service for businesses. Her DC Style column about trends and style appears monthly in DC North. When she’s not shopping for the perfect cell phone, she can be reached at dcstyle@hillrag.com.