Instant DIY Phone Stand with a Sunglasses Case

In 1993, at Gate B14 of JFK airport, a college student named Erica balanced her huge flip phone against a sunglasses case just to watch her flight info, but no one noticed what happened next. That basic black Ray-Ban shell wasn’t just storage-it snapped open at a sharp angle, cradling the phone perfectly upright, hands-free, without slipping. The trick: by folding the rigid sunglasses case into a V-shape and resting your phone inside the hinge, the case wedges the phone at the right viewing angle, even on shaky tray tables. Erica realized the textured fabric lining kept the phone from sliding, and the stiff outer shell was strong enough for both heavy and slim models, nothing needed but the case itself. For thicker cases, she pinched the sides in to tighten the fit, and for larger phones, she left the case just slightly ajar. That flight back in 1993 landed with Erica still watching her phone, perfectly propped by nothing but her borrowed Ray-Ban case.