Designer handbags are a must-have fashion accessory for any woman's wardrobe, but why? What could possibly possess a perfectly sane woman, being of sound mind and body, to spend hundreds of dollars on something that at its heart exists to hold "stuff"?

After all handbags exist to hold miscellaneous stuff some of which is useful, some not.

An authentic designer bag is apart from any other because of its quality and design. It also surrounds the woman carrying it with an aura of status. Handbags from top designers are generally made from the finest leather found anywhere in the world. These bags are not mass produced in high volume, low quality factories. Designer handbags are made in limited editions adding to their exclusivity, their premium price and their well-known capacity as a status symbol.

Each cut, stitch and rivet is carefully placed in each bag, which is why you'll notice there are never any seams of leather sticking out in the handles and the custom silk or satin fabric is always perfectly sewn in the interior. These are bags designed to serve a function, but more than that, they're bags designed for the exclusive purpose of quality.

Beyond the quality and exclusivity, though, designer handbags bestow prestige upon the bearer. When people see you carrying an expensive designer bag, they try to get a peek at the brand or guess the designer's name. The bag shows itself to be one of those awesome designer accessories that they would kill for. Segue to the next point: Resell value.

Suppose you weren't convinced that you wanted to go the tariff for a designer handbag and found yourself at a yard sale with a bunch of bags each marked $5.00. You will not find a designer bag among them. This is because a designer bag appreciates with age much like fine wine. Handbags and wine eventually qualify as vintage and as a smart investment. Even though used and showing the signs of use, the designer bag will only depreciate in value if it is ripped or stained (and even those flaws can be repaired by a good seamstress, tailor or shoemaker known for working with these fine accessories).

If you take good care of your bag, you'll be able to sell it a year or so from now and get close to what you paid for it. Just make sure you don't lose its certificates of authenticity. The last thing you want to do is find yourself scrambling after the fact to verify the authenticity of your bag. Nobody ever actually believes you the first ten times.

Now on to the next segue: Don't buy a knock-off if you are seriously considering purchasing that designer bag. Phony designer handbags are extremely easy to spot by any proper fashionista who will secretly mock you for carrying around a $25.00 bag pretending that it is a $1,200.00 classic Chanel. When it comes to handbags, authenticity rules. These designer bags have become even more popular since the pseudo bags began appearing in droves in recent years.

With the flood of pseudo designer bags, manufacturers have improved their craft of making their fakes more resemble the true designer handbags in every detail. But one sure giveaway is the very leather the bag is made of. High end leather is soft and creamy to the touch. There will be no marks or bumpy areas on the leather of the real McCoy. Every metal piece on the bag will be stamped with the designer's name. The interior fabric will not only be of the highest quality, it will bear the design house logo, and the vast majority of designer handbags come with a certificate of authenticity.

Go out their and find that perfect designer handbag that was made just for you. Good luck.