If status is important, insignia handbags are still popular. Everywhere you go in Italy, you’ll see women with Louis Vuitton handbags or Dolce & Gabbana leather shoulder bags. If you don’t want to pay top dollar—and with the exchange rate you’ll pay nearly double than you would in the States—you can pick up a knock-off sold on the streets of major cities like Rome and Milan. If you go this route, never pay what the vendors ask. They will drop their prices considerably if you haggle.

 

But you don’t have to go faux to get a great leather handbag. When shopping for a handbag that will last, you can go with a top designer label or follow the Italians’ example and base your decision on the quality of the materials used and design aesthetics. You can walk into a dozen shops in Rome, Florence and Milan and find unique, handcrafted bags that will last a lifetime but cost a third of the price of a premium designer handbag. Look for leather goods shops and boutiques that sell clothes and accessories.

 

If you do have money to spend but don’t want to be too flashy—you can easily find a designer handbag in every color of the rainbow and in every size conceivable. Or, instead of spending a lot on clothes, create multiple looks just by changing your handbag.

 

Amy Covington for BELISI