It seems that after many seasons of excess and "it" bags, the fashion industry has come back to reality. It might be the sobering effects of the economic downturn that's making us look towards the classics. Then again, most of us could never actually afford a new designer bag each season to begin with. So instead of using your tax return on a few trendy items that will make you wonder why the heck you bought them come the next season, put your money into something that will last. Classic
handbags never go out of season and look good with nearly every outfit. Yes, they may cost quite a lot of money, but these top designer bags are impeccably made and will last you nearly a lifetime. Don't believe me? I have an old
Chanel purse from my grandmother to prove it. The Chanel 2.55 bag is the traditional flap bag. It was first introduced in February 1955 by the ever-practical
Coco Chanel, who wanted a hands-free bag with a shoulder strap. The 2.55 comes in one size only, but it's the perfect size, small enough for evening, yet big enough to also use during the day. With its classic shape and iconic status, the
Hermes Birkin bag is the holy grail of handbags. The wait list may have died down since its feature on "Sex and the City", but if you don't want to wait or pay full price, eBay and Portero.com are great places to look for them second-hand. No one can argue that the
Louis Vuitton Speedy is a classic-- it has been Louis Vuitton's best selling bag since
Audrey Hepburn made it popular. Get it in the black or colored Epi leather to avoid getting sick of the logo. Some newer additions to the classic bag line up are the
Yves Saint Laurent Muse bag and the
Bottega Veneta Intrecciato bags. The Muse was introduced in 2006 and has been a bestseller ever since. The Intrecciato bag from Bottega, otherwise known as the woven bag, is buttery soft, beautifully made, and has become an instant classic, with has a slightly lower price tag than some of the other investment bags. Check out the slideshow to see my top five!
