Because Nobody Likes a Faker

We’re doing something a little different this week for a variety of rather boring reasons (but mostly to accomodate for my spectacular laziness), and spreading the questions out over a few days instead of posting one massive novel-like column on Wednesdays. And yeah, I KNOW, it’s the Wednesday Advice Smackdown, but back in the old days it probably appeared on Thursday and Fridays WAAAAY more times than Wednesdays anyway, so really? Not very different after all

I couldn’t help but think of you, Amalah, and the horror you undoubtedly would have felt as I attended my first “Purse Party” yesterday. A woman came to my friend’s house and literally dumped bags full of knock-offs on the floor – Kate Spade, Coach, Prada, Chanel, etc.

I’ve seen bags that mimic brand styles that are obviously fake – instead of the “LV” logo there are different letters similarly styled – but these looked (to my untrained eye) legit. Sure, there were one or two with labels askew, but the majority were pretty nice. My question is this: how do they make these knock-offs and how can I tell the difference? I understand that you can sew any label on any bag, but there were bags with “Coach Established 1941” (I think) stamped in the leather. Some even came with storage bags!

You will be happy to know that I did not buy anything. There’s a Tori bag I’ve had my eye on since you featured it some time ago and I couldn’t see spending $60 I could be putting toward the real deal on a cheap imitation. Thanks for giving us the benefit of your experience!

T

Ah, the fake handbags. There are good fakes and bad fakes, but in the end, they are all fakes and not worth your handbag dollars. Back when I first moved to DC (many many years ago, when I was young and na