A handbag can make or break an outfit. Wear a fun bag out with friends to show your personality. Or, carry the ultimate bag to work and impress your boss. But if you choose the wrong bag, your look suffers.

How to Choose the Right Handbag

Just like a great pair of jeans, a handbag should fit your body type. The shape of a bag shouldn't match your figure: instead, choose the opposite of your body type. For example, pick a bigger bag if you're a tall and thin woman. Don't be afraid to try the handbag on at the store. Get a feel for how it fits. Pass on anything that makes you uncomfortable. Basic designs and styles will last you through the years while maintaining a sense of up-to-date style.

Fakes vs. Lookalikes

Fakes are complete knockoffs (with fake logos most of the time) and lookalikes are pieces that are merely inspired by the original (like many department store handbag lines). Fakes may seem great at the time of purchase--they're cheap and have the designer label--but counterfeiters have ties to all types of crime. How to know if your buy is fake and not the real thing? If the deal seems too good to be true (i.e. Coach bag for $20) it probably is.

Get the Low-Down on Designer Bags

Most designers have websites for you to check out their merchandise. Go ahead and get an idea of which bag you like, and if it's in your price range, get it. But if it's a little too expensive, designers have specialty outlet stores and there are also plenty of websites that offer legitimate designer bags for a more reasonable price such as LuxModa.com and FractionPrice.com