Many people feel that their social status is defined by how they look or what they wear. For women, their fashion statement can be upheld by something that they have with them at all times -- their purse. Women tend to think about their purses more than they even realize. It is something that is considered an extreme importance in their day to day life, as well as a key fashion accessory that reflects a person’s profound capability to recognize pure style and beauty. For example, when a woman sees another woman with a nice handbag she admires it. She begins to visualize herself with one just like it. She will browse through malls, ads, and even websites to find that perfect one because for many women, owning at least one nice handbag is a must. Even though many feel that they are just way too expensive for the average middle class person to own, coach handbags are a profound accessory to have in your wardrobe because they are more cost efficient than the other major brands and they produce highly quality bags and have a much larger variety of styles.
Every day, Coach Handbags are constantly being intrigued and sought after by more and women. This is due to the primary fact that they are in general, less expensive than those made by the other designer brands. Known designers such as: Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton tend to be outrageously overpriced and yet they are offering the same elegant, beautifully-made unique top-quality handbags that Coach does. This is what makes Coach the overall preferred choice because people are actually able to afford purchasing one or more of these handbags, in a variety of different styles. Coach bags can cost as much as $400 in an actual Coach Store or website. But, Coach has done something that no other company has done to make them more appealing. Coach has created Outlet stores- that in fact sell the same high quality bags at about a third of the price. Purchasing a Coach handbag at an outlet store or website can cost as low as $85 dollars. However, some websites may show sale price around $40-$50. These can be counterfeit sites that say they are selling authentic made products but actually selling fake imitations of the real thing. Because of this, it is important to know exactly what makes an authentic Coach handbag. When looking for a truly authentic Coach handbag there are several key qualities every person should look for. These marks & signs can help to determine if the Coach item you purchased is authentic, or if you got duped;
1. The Leather: if you purchased a leather product, the feel of the leather is like butter, compared to a more stiff, and thick piece on the fake. If it has leather or suede trim, you can feel the difference in that too, feel the strap, smell it, there is a clear difference.
2. Coach Jacquard Signature Fabric: whether it is the original signature collection or the mini-signature collection, the 'CC' design varies just a slight amount on the replica, the 'C' is either slightly elongated or is too narrow. The fabric is a bit thicker on the replica and is NOT stain resistant.
3. The Emblem Tag, Creed Patch & Stitching: On the inner creed patch there should always be a serial number. If it is missing a serial #, it is obviously a fake. The leather is always the same soft supply feel, and a lot of times have a small stamp in the corner (it will look like a hole punch, without puncturing the leather.) The stitching they use on and around the leather should always be very small, tight, and it should NEVER be uneven.
Here is an example to tell if the Creed is real or fake:
REAL: NoM05J-117
(letters & numbers are flush, no spaces)
FAKE: No M05J - 117
(if there are ANY spaces, ANYWHERE in the creed- it is NOT real)

4. Zippers: When dealing with Coach, you should never see a zipper that says RTK, or something of that sort. This is a key sign of a fake bag. Coach only uses zippers stamped with an YKK marking. (NOT RTK). Also, actual zippers are being used less & less. Instead you are being given a zipper pull, and it is a lot of the time, a small strip if leather (usually the same color leather used on the bag) and has 1 - 2 stitches to anchor it in place. If the zipper pull is a chubby piece of leather that is sewn together, examine the bag closely because this is also a common pull used on replicas.
The final reason that Coach is so appealing is because of their style and durability. Coach has 1000’s of different colors and styles. They can be matched with almost any outfit, and can easily be worn with casual, business or evening attire. Other designers tend to be gaudier and can only be worn with a few pieces, while Coach's style tends to stay neutral and tasteful. They are also incredibly durable. They have been known to last for decades, even if they are put through lots of daily wear and tear. This makes coach bags a great investment, since they can be worn year after year even as styles change and evolve.
Coach purses are not only popular among middle class women, but also with celebrities. It is even becoming popular among men with their growing men's collection. As Coach becomes increasingly popular with the elite, it also becomes more appealing and sought after, making it obvious to why Coach Handbags and accessories are the best designer bag label. Coach is the only brand that offers a wide variety of bags that are classy, inexpensive, durable, and versatile, making this a great product to purchase and own for a lifetime. REFERENCES

Coach Official Site. (2012, July). Home page. Retrieved July 24, 2012, from http://www.coach.com/online/handbags/FrontDoor-10551-10051

eBay Guides. (2012, July). Reviews Page. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from http://reviews.ebay.com/How-to-prevent-buying-a-Replica-COACH-Handbag?ugid=10000000000927089