Copyright 2005 by Anna MillerIt's that time of the year again to start surfing the Net forthe best authentic designer handbags and purses. Christmas is aperfect time to give the extra-special women in your life a giftwith a special logo, label and price tag. Be careful not to fallprey to all the new websites popping up just-in-time for theChristmas rush. Make sure to make your purchase from a reputableecommerce site you trust which responds to emails quickly.Women of all ages enjoy receiving a new purse any time of theyear, and Christmas is as good a time as any! So, if you arewondering what to give this Christmas to the women in your life,give a new authentic designer handbag or purse. The designersare creating some of the most fabulous styles you've ever seen.This year, you can select from a variety of bright colors,patterns, fabrications, prices and sizes. There are hand-held,shoulder strap and backpack styles. The inside is important,too. Are there extra pockets for a cell phone? Is the bag lined?There are a number of handbag characteristics you'll be thinkingabout in your search for the right handbag gift.Please don't buy from the websites showing you the same designerhandbag in every color under the sun. Designers don'tmanufacture those bags. They are made by factory owners inthird-world countries who produce them fast and cheap. Then,they turn-around and unload them by the truck load to streetvendors and jobbers in the USA. One of the hottest counterfeitstyles this year is the Celine Boogie Bag. Another hotcounterfeit is the Balenciaga Motorcycle Bag. Just be careful!Ask questions, and purchase from a website who replies to yourquestions and emails.Some women like a big slouchy leather bag, and others like asmall rigid constructed purse to carry. So, there are manyquestions you should answer before making the purchase. Becauseof the wide selection of purses available online and the same ormore available styles of the way women dress, be certain toselect a designer handbag you know she'll like and keep for avery long time.It's important to select the right purse because you want her tosmile when she opens your gift. However, you may be making avery big investment financially, too. Designer handbags are nota cheap item. Handbags have become the staple in mostfashionable women's closets. So, the investment you make may aswell be for something she'll adore for many years to come.The most difficult part of giving a new purse for a gift ismaking the purchase decision based on what you think thereceiver will like, and not buying something just because youwould like it for yourself. Here's some information to usewhenever selecting a purse as a gift. First, visualize the womanin her everyday clothing. Is she a jeans and T-shirt person?Does she wear a suit to work everyday? Does she dressconservatively or funky? If you can, look inside her closet.What are her favorite colors? What style shoe does she wear?What style of purse does she carry now? Is it a shoulder bag, asatchel, a tote or a backpack?Shop around, and then visualize the woman carrying the bag youwant to purchase. How does she look? If you start laughing, thenit's time to keep looking. But, if you can actually see hercarrying that bag, then grab it because online, what you seetoday may be gone tomorrow! Don't pass up the perfect gift.Online merchants do not stock pile inventory. They obtain enoughstock to get them through each season and move the stock asquickly as possible. So, when you find the right item, buy itquickly. Most of the time online shoppers find the item they hadbeen eyeing is regretfully sold. It's happened to me, and it canhappen to you as well. Don't let it happen this Christmas!Once you have a good idea of the color, size, style andprice-point, you can purchase the purse of her dreams! Look forsomething stylish and yet something basic enough with a classicflare. Don't invest too much money in a fly-by-night fad. Funkystyles are better selected by the woman herself. Most women buythe funky styles based on their mood or style of the moment. So,if you want to make a lasting impression, select a classic stylein a basic color. My favorite recommendations include the basiccolors in shades of brown or black leather or cloth bags byFerragamo, Prada, Tods and Chanel. You can't go wrong with theseDesigners. Classic Ferragamo have enough style to sail into thenext millinium. Yet, they are fashioned for everyday andtransition easily into evening wear. You can't go wrong with aclassic Ferragamo.The Prada handbags are phenomenal and come in every size, shape,color and fabrication. Women of all sizes, ages, and stylesadore the thought of owning an authentic Prada purse. Theimportant thing to look for in a Prada is the triangle logopositioned on the exterior of the handbag. It can bestrategically placed front center, back center or either side ofthe handbag. Just make sure the triangle logo is there!Fashion-conscious women of all ages want to see the Prada Logo,and they want everyone else to see them carrying it, too!As stated earlier, be careful not to fall prey to a websiteselling fake or counterfeit handbags. I can't mention names ofwebsites here because it's just not proper, but believe me, theyare out there, and their prices are not cheap! The sites sellingfakes keep their prices right up there comparable to theauthentic bags. And, many of the bags look real in the photosand may not be when you receive them at home. I'm certainly nottrying to instill fear about online shopping. My intention is toeducate consumers so they learn to make the right choices. I ownand operate an ecommerce website. I want people to feel safe andcomfortable doing any type of shopping online.Merry Christmas and happy handbag hunting! I find the bestprices online and do almost all my shopping online nowadays.Don't be afraid to buy online, just be smart. Your email can beyour best friend when you shop online. Write, ask questions, andmake your purchase from someone who replies with the rightanswers. You'll be happy you did, and so will she.