How to Bag an Authentic Designer Handbag

The hottest trend out there at the moment is designer purses. Everyone has one. From Lindsay Lohan to Victoria Beckham, a stylish bag is under the arms of all of Hollywood's fashionable elite.

You have been saving up all month to be able to go to the store and buy that cute Dooney and Bourke bag you have seen calling your name through the department store window. But how do you really know that your hard earned bucks are really getting you a truly original and authentic handbag?

Rip offs or look a likes are rapid on the streets, it's almost like buying illegal fireworks or drugs. You go to a boutique and ask if the bag you want is in stock and the saleswoman leads you to a rack of obvious low cost fakes at a rock bottom price, in amusement you stare back at her, then she smiles and says "Well my colleagues just got back from a trip in New York and bought back some authentic Coach purses would you like to look at one? " "Sure." I replied. Then she brings out what appears to be a large black and grey clutch and everything seems to look authentic including the price which she says she will give up for $75.00. Now in the department store or Coach outlet, this purse would bag you for around $400.00. Wow then I'm getting one heck of a deal!

You run off to work the next day and compare handbags with your colleague except in the light you can see the difference. What you thought was real leather really isn't, the C's embroidered on the bag are a little different shaped than the one she's got. You know hers is an original and that she paid an arm and a leg at the Coach store up at the mall, now you know you have been ripped off!

Here are few tips that will help you to tell if a handbag is a fake.

If there are letters on the outside of the bag that don't relate to the original such as a Louis Vuitton which should have LV embroidered on the outside. If it has different letters or no letters at all, it is probably a fake.

If you turn to the inside to look for the tag, the full name of the purse should be in either leather or gold plated lettering.

Of course fake leather versus real leather. Most designer handbags by Coach, Louis Vuitton, Dooney and Bourke, and Kate Spade are made from real authentic leather.

Watch out for non- commercialized boutiques and flea market vendors. They tend to be able to go to China Town or rip off distributors and buy at wholesale. They are able to sell the purses for cheap. Trust me you will not find an authentic Coach for under 50.00. If you do let me know the store, I'm going to buy one.

Be leery of EBay and other online auction sites, what you see isn't always what you get! There are a lot of scam artists out there preying on women to pour last weeks pay out on their knock off purse.

Show caution when making an investment in your handbag, yes with that amount of money it's an investment. Something you hope to have for years to come and to maybe pass on to someone else. The best place to buy an authentic handbag is through the manufacturer or their dealers directly. Try to avoid third party re-salers.

With that in mind, have fun shopping for the latest style in handbags that will have people asking when you walk down the street. "Nice Bag!"