Sunday, July 26, 2009

How to Spot a Fake Louis Vuitton (LV) Handbag

Many people want to own an authentic Louis Vuitton purse or a LV handbag because of its unique and luxurious design. If you want to get a genuine authentic Louis Vuitton purse or handbag and you don't want to be ripped off by purchasing a fake one from a dishonest seller I have a few tips and guidelines to show you how to spot a fake Louis Vuitton purse or handbag. Depending on where you make your purchase, if you want to buy you "LV" Louis Vuitton handbag from a fifth avenue high end department store such as Neiman Marcus, Saks or Holt Renfrew then most likely your purchase will be safe. But many people like myself want to go treasure hunting and look for handbags at a more reasonable price. Places such as Auction, Ebay and other online stores have many listing of handbags and purses of all the designer brand names you can think of and out of the many daily listings, a portion of them are fake replicas. Some of the listings are actually good deals that people just can't miss. Anyway please read through the lists below to learn a few things about this one and only one, unique designer brand handbag so that you can spot a treasure and scope out the fakes, make a fun shopping experience.

Guidance #1:

As with all other designer brand handbags you must know the hardware of the brand. For more information about a particular handbag or purse style, you can check the Louis Vuitton website or visit your local boutique for the information about the style. For example, you should find out if the product have a date code, should it have one and where in the handbag if it does, what the particular style is supposed to be lined in, whether it should have feet, if it should have a d-ring inside and where. For example if you find a Speedy LV with a lining other than a brownish cotton canvas lining, you should question its authenticity because the lining of a LV Speedy has never came with other linings than the browning cotton mentioned above. Also a LV purse or handbag has never been made with a brown suede lining, even in the vintage pieces. Check the zipper and zipper pulls, purse snaps, buckles and other hardware you can find on the handbag, they all should have the LV branded on them. The Zipper pulls should be brass hardware and heavy to the touch and feel. If you have any LV monogram in a crease it is fake. If you find any "LV" crooked or in the stitch it is fake. Louis Vuitton has a passion for perfection for each of their handcrafted purse or handbag since the 1850s. They carefully design where the LV should be place on the bag and the LVs are always positioned on the bag with balance. If you have a ruler you can actually measure the LV from one corner to the next and the position from both end and top and bottom are always very close if not the same. LV handbags are made of canvas with cowhide leather straps and sidings, the edge of the leather will be dyed red. After the handbag is used for a few weeks, the leather will oxidize and the color will fade and become more brownish. If you are buying a used handbag, ask how long the bag is used and ask for picture of the bag to see if the leather has began to fade. If not, walk away from it. One critical thing that you can miss when checking a LV handbag or LV purse is the stitching. The Louis Vuitton handbags have the same number of stitches on all similar compartments. For example, if you count the number of stitch on the stitching of the handle or strap, count the stitch on both sides of the bag and also on both sides of the same patch. If one side has four stitches the chances are the other side will have four stitches. If not, it is very likely that the piece is a fake. The seam and stitches are always perfectly even, so if you find one that has uneven seam, it is not a real thing.

Guidance #2:

Know the pricing. Louis Vuitton Handbags or LV purses come in a price range of almost $400 to well into the $1,000s. So if you find a deal for less than $300. That is not a deal but a fake. Is simple, think about it, if you paid thousands for a handbag and it is an LV handbag, would you sell it for less than a few hundred bucks, even if it is used? Every LV is a master piece and its owners have pride in themselves for ever owning one, am I right girls? So yeh, you won't find an LV for less than the price range listed above. Unless you need the money to save lives, you don't rip yourself off like that. At least I won't. So next time when you are looking for a Louis Vuitton Handbag or any other designer handbag, remember that the price should be reasonable. If the original piece is sold for $1,000 in the store, don't expect to get for half the price, even if it is used. Louis Vuitton bags are limited in productions for each piece and so no one is stupid enough to sell it at such deep discount. Unless it is ripped, damaged or is a stolen good.

Guidance #3:

Knowing where and who is a authorized seller of the Louis Vuitton Purses. If you find some guys selling the bags on some streets or some no name stores along with some no name or cheap handbags, you can bet that the piece is a fake. You can find real genuine Louis Vuitton handbags online such as Ebay but there are also many fake replicas. If you find a good deal, check the seller's feedback, ask questions about the bag and the refund policy. You should also ask Ebay, Paypal or your credit card company about fraud protection. You can find real genuine LV purses online from the authorized seller at www.eluxury.com

Guidance #4:

Louis Vuitton handbag might have upside-down LV and other monograms on one side of the bag and perfectly up right on the other. This is perfectly normal depending on the style. Some LV purse are crafted with one large single piece of canvas and so when they fold the canvas into a handbag, one side will have perfectly normal display of LV logo and monogram and on the other side, the LV and monograms will be upside down. So when you see an LV with this description, it is not necessarily a fake.

Guidance #5:

Check the LV tag inside the handbag. It should be in a perfect rectangular shape and the "Louis Vuitton" name and "Paris" is carved in deeply into the tag. If you find an LV handbag with un-perfect rectangular shape tag inside the purse, or fading engraved "Louis Vuitton" name, it is a fake.

Keep these simple but critical details in mind before making your next purchase. I will keep updating this guide regularly to share my research and findings with you. I want all of you to make wise decisions and not to get ripped off. If you are to buy LV purses from eBay like I have, make sure you contact the seller about his/her guarantee and refund policy. Check the listing for eBay coverage against fraudulent transaction and items. Finally check with Paypal to see what kind of protection you'll received by making the payment through their system. Generally speaking, eBay together with Paypal offer excellent protection for buyers. But if you want to avoid all the unnecessary hassles and headaches in recovering your money follow the guides provided above to minimize your chance of being duped. Ok, good luck and happy shopping.

By Vivian Zhang

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Coach Handbag Outlet Locations - Coach Factory Outlet Store

Making the decision to buy a new handbag is never an easy decision for a woman. Purses come in many different shapes, many different sizes, an infinite number of materials and textures as well as an array of colors. Then of course, many of us must consider the price, especially when you're considering purchasing a designer handbag. At times, choosing the perfect purse can be an incredibly lengthy and frustrating experience.

Fortunately, women today have the opportunity to take advantage of a broad selection of shapes, sizes, textures and colors while saving tons of dollars in the process. In more recent years, Coach has introduced their Coach Factory Outlet Stores which house an incredible inventory of coach handbags, wallets and super popular accessories. Coach products have long been one of the most desired brands in the designer clothing industry and the outlet stores give shoppers the chance to look just as glamorous as Hollywood, but at a fraction of the cost.

Items arrive in the outlet stores when they are not sold in traditional Coach retail stores or are slightly damaged in manufacturing or shipping. Typically, the "flaws" are unnoticed and often would have been realized through normal wear-and-tear anyhow. Often it could be something as minor as a slight scuff on the leather in an obscure place or a scratch on the metal buckle that holds the purse strap. Because of this, visiting a Coach outlet store can deliver you a discounted coach purse at a significantly lower price.

By Clinton Bennett

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Women's Handbags - To Be Or Not to Be Leather


Leather handbags are the most popular type of handbags for a very simple reason. Leather handbags are the most durable handbags on the market. A handbag made from leather can assure its owner that it will last for a long time in the future. Therefore, if you are looking for a handbag that will be with you for a long time, leather is the way to go.

The look of leather handbags make them attractive to any "fashionista". The ability to make elegant and fantastic handbags from genuine leather that compliment all of your outfits and ensembles makes the leather handbag the pinnacle of all handbags.

Leather handbags come in all manner of styles and colors. The sheer number of options to choose from make it next to impossible for anyone to see every leather handbag that is available to purchase online. When shopping for a leather handbag, you should make a list of the manufacturers and designers that you like as well as the styles and use you will have for the handbag.

Using the internet to search for the right leather handbag is a good place to start. All of the styles of handbags and manufacturers' deals are at your fingertips. A quick search online, using your list, will help you narrow down the number of bags you will ultimately decide from. Be careful to remember that since they are made of leather, they will necessarily be more expensive than their non-leather cousins.

If price is a big deterrent then settling for a faux leather bag or a leather bag that is made of lower quality leather will obviously be the choice you will need to make.

If you do your research and buy the right handbag, you will ensure yourself of many years of functional and fashionable happiness.

By John Fransick

Monday, July 13, 2009

A New Handbag - How to Convince Your Man You Really Do Need a New Bag

I'm sure we all have had this conversation: "do you really need a new bag? You have a closet filled with bags already and you hardly use those..." and when you try to explain he's looking back at you like your speaking a language he doesn't understand. This is probably true so lets explain things so men will understand why we do need a new handbag!

Any man will see that camouflage is a great thing in certain situations. There is a good reason the Army uses it as it is all about blending in with your surroundings. Just to make a point, you can't bring your gorgeous red bag to a funeral.

I'm sure your man has a favorite team, or one in every sport. To make sure we don't forget which team he supports he watches the game wearing a jersey (and probably all matching accessories even if he doesn't call it accessories). We don't support a team we have our favorite designer and need to have at least one bag in every style.

You don't wear your winter clothes to the beach on a hot summers day unless you like to overheat. Most men like science so he will understand that black attracts heat so that's why you can't find a black beach bag even if your life depended on it. A canvas bag in the middle of a snow storm isn't a good thing either so this is why we need a bag for every season.

If he would take his precious car to the garage to have it fixed he wouldn't leave it there if the mechanic was wearing a suit. First impressions do matter and you have to look the part to for people to trust you. That why you can't show up at a job interview with just any bag it has to look the part too.

If he comes back with the reply "who cares about this" well half the world population is female and we do care!

By Anna Hughes

Friday, July 10, 2009

Handbags High End Fashion - The Enormous Influence Of The Designer Handbag Brands

The handbag stays an hot item and so there are a lot of women these days that cherish quite a collection already.

For each moment there is an other bag because, just like shoes, handbags give you this extra something when you wear them, it gives you the finishing touch. More often then with shoes, you notice the handbags from the latest collections in the streets, with whom their respective owners show off. Next to the real designer bags with brand names as: Monogram Glossy Sheepest (Louis Vuitton), Cocco's Croco (Chanel), Héloise (Chloe), The Downtown (YSL), ect. ...,in no time, almost, perfect copies are brought to the shops by fashion-concerns like Zara.

The consumer these days is very much in touch with the high end fashion segment, and the influence of the designer brands is enormous, because also in the bag collection of unknown manufacturers, more or less their influence is visible.

From handbag, over big casual bag, to envelope-bag. Also for the coming winter 2008 to 2009, the different startingpoints for the new collections are very attractive and different. Next to the more strict city bag there are big, nonchalant casual models, that do not make a bad impression as modern city shopper purse as well.

The fashion bag stays very big and is carried by the hand or is carried under the arm. Only in the more sporty models, sporadicly shoulder and cross-over models are brought to the market. A suggestion for the modern women, whom likes to adjust her dresses to her accessories, and vice versa, and whom likes to buy more then one model per season, are the effect-full and noticeable envelope-bags, whom by the choice of material and the volume are a pleasant surprise.

From shiny to stitched bags. The materials are next to the new volumes a trough taste maker. No big easy noticeable designs, but full attention for beautiful, rich kinds of leather. Most of all shiny finishes will be a true hype coming winter 2008 to 2009, and in each collection you will find several
models in varnish (from shiny varnish, some times with an under lying print or structure, to eye-catching, iris-sing "magic balls" varnish).

Next to that all kinds of metallics continue their presence: red copper, the new "winter gold", completed with silver and platinum. Metallics in effect-full colours varying from shiny to not shiny at all, are being found in young looking collections.

Also degraded materials (from dark to light brushed or sprayed), de look off Prada for the past winter season 2007, shall in all kinds of ways be found on attractive small bags and big handbags.

Crock-prints in diverse designs shall be found also on city-bags, and give them a luxurious flair.

In casual and sportive models shiny leather is mixed with non shiny materials, like suede, and textile like cotton, flannel and nylon. Also not shiny / shiny combinations are being used in an attractive way. New and dynamic are all kinds of stitched, cotton-ised purses, manufactured in nylon and in leather.

By Frank J. P. Heymans

Thursday, July 2, 2009

What is a Designer Handbag Anyway?

The question then becomes: what is a handbag? What is a designer handbag considered to be? Most people in the fashion industry would describe a designer handbag as a handbag, made of any sort of material, that is created by a well known fashion designer. Names of famous fashion designers include:

* Christian Dior
* Gucci
* Coach
* Louis Vuitton
* Jimmy Choo
* Fendi

These are just a few of the very long list of well known fashion designers who create not only beautiful outfits, but also amazing handbags.

What Style?

There are four main styles of handbags that you must know about before you begin your designer handbag shopping expedition.

Over the shoulder - This is the type of bag that most men think of when you say the word "handbag" to them. It's the style of purse that every woman had in the 80's and is worn by being slung over your shoulder.

Over the arm - This style of handbag is worn over the forearm or is held in the hands. It usually features rolled handles for comfort's sake.

Clutch - A clutch handbag is one that is held in the hands and is carried around. It is usually the type of designer handbag that you would find a celebrity who was walking down the red carpet carrying.

Combination - A combination handbag is one that can be more than just one style of bag. For instance you may find a clutch that can be turned into an over the shoulder bag, or a Louis Vuitton replica handbag that can be worn over the arm or over the shoulder.

Price Range

The other thing to know about designer handbags before you go shopping is the price range. In general, designer handbags are just as expensive as anything else you'd find with a designer's label slapped onto it. Designer handbags are often sold at outrageous prices for one reason and one reason only: women pay the price for them. If they didn't, these designers would never charge thousands of dollars for a bag.

Replica designer handbags, however, make it easy to be able to afford any style of handbag you'd like, without having to make such a huge dent in your wallet. The Damier Canvas Hampstead PM is a classic Louis Vuitton handbag that many women adore. The price of it in a boutique, however, is prohibitive, but a replica version will allow you to be able to own the handbag you want without paying a high price.

By Jd Theiss