Recommendation for nice bag

[HarrogateMum]

DH has said he might buy me a nice proper handbag for my birthday which is coming up at the end of August. However having no experience in the designer handbag field, I dont have a clue where to look - should I be going to a store or buying online - does anyone know of any great websites where they do offers...not wanting to pay full price if poss. Any recommendations gratefully received!

I love Radley bags - not exactly designer designer - but i love their patterns.

If you can get any one, think about getting one that is a real investment.

I would go for louis vuitton personally. Last ages (look better with age) and you can sell them for mega bucks on ebay if need be. At first I didn;t used to like them, but now I have a kind of 'appreciation' for them after being shown lots of them in LV singapore and wishing I could have one!

Budget? Your style/colour preferences?

A Mulberry costs an arm and a leg but will last forever and, imo,always give you a glow when you use it. Your DH may like the idea of longevity too.

I don't know about any specialist websites but if DH is quick he may catch a deal in the tail end of the sales. Outnet.com often has good deals on bags. It's the discount arm of Net-A-Porter.

Other ideas - Marc by Marc Jacobs, Anya Hindmarsh, Prada, Gucci - great quality and styles but mega bucks (but think investment and cost per wear).

Think about what you want it for. Is it for work? How much stuff do you want to carry? Do you have small children who will whinge if you forget to shove a water bottle and a snack in your bag? Or will it just hold a mobile phone, purse and keys? Do you want to use it every day or just for going out? If you then look on shopstyle and search by attribute and colour you should get an idea of what is available and what brands you like.

I personally look for handbags that are big enough to take said water bottle and snack, plus a notebook for work, and has a long shoulder strap as I hate carrying it by the handle. Plus it needs lots of pockets to hold travel pass, keys etc. This narrows the field considerably and actually what I have ended up with is a rather scruffy Kipling bag.

I am however in love with a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag which seems only attainable in the States (this one: here)

Whats your budget? If you are not looking for a big designer name, Coccinnelle do lovely quality bags, really well made, also Francesco Biasia and I like Austrailian brand Mimco too. If you have a larger budget I would go for a classic Mulberry.

I dont think DH has a budget in mind, he would probably choke on his tea if I told him how much a Mulberry is! But secretly that is what I am hankering after....thanks for all your comments!

I would go for mulberry if budget is no problem
otherwise osprey and furla do lovely classic bags

I love this site for handbags, great quality and not tear worthy prices,here or I love a rummage through net a porter.