What once used to be a shoe territory with Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choos reining the party circuit has now branched out into designer handbags as well. With more women focusing on comfortable shoes as they are working longer hours and traveling more, the focus has shifted towards pricey handbags that can turn heads.

If women have the money to splurge on such fancy items, then it really is not a problem; however young people today are being influenced by this name brand craze and are going deep in to debt by trying to keep up with the Joneses. As shown in the famous Sex and the City episode, Carrie (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) had no money for a down payment on her home because she always splurged on designer shoes from Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo costing around $400 a pair. She admits to owning around one hundred pairs which she is shocked to learn means she could have been $40,000 richer.

If its not shoes, its handbags and either way young impressionable people are going gaga over Coach, Dooney and Bourke and the like.

Easy to Share - Another reason why designer handbags have become so popular is that they are easy to hand down, share and borrow because of the no sizing issue again. Sisters, friends or absolute strangers can share designer purses by renting them online at Bag, Borrow or Steal.

Imitations - The handbag craze has gone so far that people even wonder if the new Coach on their friends shoulder is an original or a knock off made in the Far East. Singapore and Taiwan tourists always claim how much fun it was to buy imitation designer purses for peanuts as compared to original retail prices.

There is nothing really that wonderful about the design or the quality of the handbags in question. They might be as well made as a $50 handbag you can get at a better department store. It is the oohs and aahs associated with the big C or the Louis Vitton print that is worth every penny spent on it.

Auction Sites - If you do not want a knock off from the mall kiosk or swap market, you can score a deal by getting a gently used designer handbag online or at auction sites. People who have lots of handbags and want to dispose off them in order to buy more often are willing to sell purses and bags in great condition. Check the seller's reputation and bid carefully.

Another option is to get a gently used designer handbag from an auction site. Always looks at the sellers reputation and see if he or she he any negative feedback and if so on what account. Make sure the bag is listed in good condition and then set your mind to a maximum bid you are willing to place. Do not get caught in the bidding war so that you end up paying as much or close to what a new one would cost!