Handbag, purse, satchel, bag, tote, sack . . . all are names for a woman's (and some men's) most important accessory. The one thing least likely to be forgotten or left behind. The one thing you need to carry your "stuff!" They come in all sizes and shapes, can be made of almost anything you can think of, from paper to straw to canvas to plastic, from metal to mesh to cloth, from calfskin to lambskin to crocodile and ostrich. It's still a bag and you need one (maybe many more than one!)

So what makes a bag an Unusual Handbag?  Quality, style, craftsmanship, material and a certain cache: authentic designer handbags. These bags can range in price from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars. Although there are new designers all the time, the established names are legendary: Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Chanel, Balenciaga, Tods, Burberry, Dior, YSL, and the less well known and almost cultish Chloe, Ghurka, Bottega Veneta, and Miu Miu. Leathers either amazingly soft and supple or carefully textured to withstand the weather; meticulously crafted signature fabrics; rare and costly skins like ostrich, crocodile, python and other snakes; gold, silver, and titanium mesh; careful attention to details like stitching, hardware; sleeper bags that can be almost as coveted as the bags themselves; and, of course, the all-important logo, either subtly hidden somewhere or boldly emblazoned for the world to see. Carefully planned for and purchased, and passed from mother to daughter, or collected and hoarded by the wealthy and the celebrated. THESE are Unusual Handbags.

With all this going on, there are always those who would cheat and copy:  the fakes (mostly from China but not exclusively.) Whether called "replicas" or "imitations" or "inspired-by," the fact is they aren't the real thing: they aren't made the same, they don't feel the same, they don't wear the same. They are fakes, and making them and selling them is illegal. Some people don't care and buy them knowingly. To each his own. But, sadly, there are many who pay good money only to find out later that they bought a fake. Sad. Don't be mislead.

It IS possible to find, admire, and buy AUTHENTIC designer handbags, even on the internet, and sometimes at a discount. Just be realistic: If a website is offering a new $2,000 Gucci handbag for less than $300 . . . it can't be real. Some brands just are not available except at company-owned boutiques and high-end department stores (Louis Vuitton is a great example.)