Women all ages have them, but will they last? Handbags are some women’s life! So, why buy cheap when you can get a classic handbag? Classic handbags will last longer than a trendy temporary bag. The only problem is that the classic bags cost a lot more than the trendy ones.

Designer bags such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Fendi,

Chanel, Dooney and Burke, Coach and Christian Dior are the most advertised bags for women. Since the price ranges for these bags are from $500 to $4,000 and up, you may be wondering who can afford them. The designer bags are worth every penny because they will probably be around longer than any of us.

These bags didn’t just pop up over the last couple of years, Louis Vuitton started in 1854 as a trunk-maker in Paris and they has been the number-one selling handbag since 1896.

If you’re thinking it’s just a bag, then you have lots to learn. Louis Vuitton and other designers don’t just create a bag, they create classics. My mother bought one for $140 in 1991. That same handbag, the Speedy 25, is in Louis Vuitton stores for $595 today. When I took her bag to the Louis Vuitton store on Rodeo Drive, they couldn’t tell the difference from her bag and the new one. The leather hasn’t changed, and the handles are the same color as the new bag. Louis Vuitton even offered to clean my mom’s bag with their leather protection, for a fee of course. Trendy bag designers don’t offer cleaning for your handbags. Sure you can take your bag somewhere to get it cleaned, but it’s very different. The customer service is great with the designer bag stores. Unlike going to Macy’s to buy the trendy bags, you’re lucky if you can pick a bag in the pile that’s usually located on the floor. From the designer bag stores, your handbag usually comes from the back, meaning no one else has touched it.

As Louis Vuitton maintains its classic bags many designers have struggled to duplicate Vuitton’s long-lasting styles. Some trendy bag designers such as Guess have tried to use better leather and they are charging $275 for those bags. Is the difference just the fact that Louis Vuitton has the name and reputation or the fact that their leather is actually better? It’s not just the leather that makes the difference. You can buy a leather bag and it could last as long, but it will not be recognized or remembered after 15 years. Other designer handbags are just as good as Louis Vuitton, they just haven’t been around as long.

Is it really worth it to spend hundreds of dollars on these bags? These designer bags will last for years and it is worth it to save your bags. They will continue to be in style. The monogram Louis Vuitton bag is unrivaled when compared to other designer bags. The monogram bags are the most popular handbags and they can be spotted miles away.

Women who already have these handbags understand that there is a certain feeling that they get when they walk around with their bags. The feeling is different when you have a cheap trendy bag. Instead of spending $50 here and there on cheap bags, why not save up your extra money and make it a goal to buy a designer bag?

Once you’re ready to buy your bag, don’t be fooled by the knock-offs. Louis Vuitton says that they only sell their bags at the stores or on eluxury.com, so if you see one elsewhere chances are it’s not real. It’s humiliating to have a fake designer bag when people can tell the difference.

How to spot a fake?

The Louis Vuitton logos or monogram bag is in line. The LV is in line and the other symbols are in line all around the bag. But the first and second rows are not in line, they are more on a diagonal. Just make sure the logo repeats itself and there are not strange looking symbols. The best thing to do is go to the Louis Vuitton store because you’re guaranteed to get an original.

Other knock-offs are stamped “made in China.” But Louis Vuitton is made in Paris, France. There are other factories but the stamps read “made in Paris.”

For other designer bags, the logos are duplicated for Gucci and Coach. The Coach bags are harder to figure out, but the Cs on the “real” Coach bags are lined up and no Cs are cut off like they are on the knock offs.

Gucci has changed their monogram bags by making their Gs smaller and using symbols to connect the Gs. The knock-off Gucci bags has big Gs that are stamped all over the bag.

The hardest thing about many of the knock offs is the fact that they are made out of real leather. The safest way to not buy a knock off is to purchase your designer bag from the actual store or website.