Moleskine Cahier Journals

Moleskine Cahier journals are the thinner, cheaper version of the classic hardcover, and for studio work they are actually more useful than the original. Cardboard cover bends back on itself so you can fold it open and flat on a desk without the book trying to close. Pages are thin enough that a 64-page notebook fits in a back pocket. Coming in packs of 3, they remove the preciousness that makes people afraid to write in expensive notebooks. I use 1 for sketches, 1 for meeting notes, and 1 stays in my bag for whatever comes up. Kraft brown cover takes well to stickers and markers, and after a semester of use the worn-in look has a quality that a pristine leather journal never achieves. Moleskine charges $15.95 for the 3-pack, and the Cahier is the product that keeps the brand relevant for students who can't justify $25 on a single notebook. Binding is glued rather than stitched, so they don't last forever, but that impermanence is part of why they work. Fill 1, finish it, start the next.