How did purses become so popular? Before the 14th century, they really didn’t exist. It started with a small pouch made from leather. Their purpose was simple: to allow people to carry around their money safely and easily.

This early purse was simple in its construction. Usually, it was just a round piece of fabric folded in half and sewn together. A thin leather strap was attached which could wrap around the purse to hold it closed.

Purses progressed over the next few centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1950s that there was any sort of dramatic change. This was when designer purses started to make its presence known. High end accessories started appearing from well known designers such as Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

Nowadays, there are even more popular designers lending their names to these fashion accessories. Kate Spade, Prada, and Coach are among the most well known manufacturers of high quality designer purses.

It’s not difficult to understand their popularity, when every celebrity and star has one slung over her shoulder. Not only are they highly fashionable, they tend to make women feel more self confident knowing she’s carrying a designer purse.

Only the highest quality materials and best workmanship are used when creating designer purses. Since there is so much that goes into making a designer handbag, it’s hardly surprising to learn that they cost so much that an average person couldn’t hope to afford one.

If you decide that a designer handbag can fit in your budget, use caution when you’re shopping. There are a lot of unscrupulous vendors out there who will try and pass off a knock off as the real thing. It’s important that you’re guaranteed that the purse you’re buying is the real thing before you pay out a huge sum of money. Your best insurance is to shop only at a well known store or the designer outlet itself.

If your paycheck won’t stretch far enough to buy an original, then your best bet would be to look for a replica designer handbag. These are more affordable accessories that look very much like the original. Of course, they don’t have the attention to detail and careful construction of the original. But most people really can’t tell the difference.

As women’s purses have evolved over the years, one thing has remained the same. Their main purpose is still to carry your money and other essentials in a convenient manner. But these days, it’s not what you carry; it’s how you carry it. And that’s what makes the designer purse a must-have item on many women’s lists.