Personalizing your cell phone is not only a fun way to hone your individual fashion, it is a smart way to differentiate your equipment and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Cell phone covers range from the pragmatic and simple, to the over-the-top and down-right bizarre. Cushy cell phone 'forest creatures' saddle the mobile units of thousands of hipster teenagers. On-the-go executives swath their Blackberries and Palm Treos in soft leather covers designed for ergonomic convenience.

You can design your own cell phone cover through some services, utilizing pictures or even images you download from the Web. Turn a particularly brilliant art class photo, wedding picture, or sports snapshot into a face plate sheath for your phone. You can purchase pre-made face plates from all the major manufacturers, including Nokia, Motorola, and Kyocera.

Bear in mind that there are literally thousands of major cell phone types out there, and not all covers fit all phones. Experts suggest that candy bar phones may be the easiest to shield with covers, since they do not retract or unhinge like flip phones and slider phones do. That said, there are quasi universal covers out there.

Transferring photographs to a face plate template may result in a washed out or grainy image if you are not careful. It may be easier to purchase a personalized cover through an online auction. Handmade cell phone covers and prints may smudge easily or degrade after coming in contact with water or other liquids.