Nicole Richie has 350 of them. The Queen of England prefers hers in exotic skins, and author Candace Bushnell claims her addiction is positively out of control.
What could such a diverse group of women possibly have in common? An obsession with the reverential handbag, of course.
Accessories have forever been the darlings of all female species, rich or poor. From frilly scarves to strands of pearls, peep-toe shoes and bangles, ladies love their accoutrements.
However, the handbag has singularly become the "pet" of fashion designers. They have successfully taken its function and social status to unprecedented levels, transforming "arm candy" into reflections of themselves and the social world.
Today, designers have come to name their bags after the women they most admire. For instance, Marc Jacobs deemed one creation The Stam, after super-model Jessica Stam, while Hermes' design team named its Kelly bag after the former Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco.
Certain bags, like Chloe's Paddington, are intended to reflect the turmoil of the political environment, or, in the case of Louis Vuitton's Fabuleux, sheer opulence.
While handbags were once intended simply to provide women a convenient means of transporting their belongings, they have since come to embody much more, such as the personality of its carrier.
For instance, a "Birkin girl" is typically sophisticated, erudite and of the sort of wealth that permits her to spend over $6,000 on one bag.
Conversely, the "Dior-carrying girl" is sassy, even crass. She's a predator both at work and in her social engagements, and always turns heads as she slinks seductively through the club.
Because handbags can reveal as much about a person as they can spice up an otherwise blas8e outfit, designers continue to focus more attention on their accessories line -- primarily their purses.
In fact, nearly 80 percent of large fashion houses' revenues comes from their accessories lines, with the biggest sellers being their bags.
But with so many new "it" bags being churned out each season, how's a girl to keep up if she's not fabulously wealthy, or bestowed boundless free swag like Lindsay and Paris?
One very unique Web site offers an answer that is music to every fashionista's Tiffany-studded ear: Borrow it!
Yes, you can have your cake and eat it, too. At the site Bag Borrow or Steal (http://www.bagborroworsteal.com), users can sign up to rent the most coveted bags of the season for anywhere from one week to a month.
The site works like this: The interested "bag lady" creates a user name, subscribes to a membership plan (one year for $5 a month), then chooses the bag she wishes to borrow, along with the desired duration.
Among the available models are Balenciaga's "office bag," Chanel's "Cabos" hobo and Vuitton's "Speedy," each offered at $85 a week or $235 a month.
Now it's possible to carry the must-have bag of the season without breaking the bank.
This site is perfect for those who want to carry a fabulous, authentic Chanel quilted chain bag or a Gucci clutch for a special occasion, but don't have the means (or desire) to drop $1,500 on their very own.
Also, because bags go in and out of fashion at a quicker pace than any other accessory, this Web site could be the solution for those who find themselves pouring out their monthly earnings on must-haves that become must-nots weeks later.
If you're wary to share your accessories, another "bag-centric" Web site is Bag Snob (http://www.bag-snob.com), which reviews myriad designer handbags so potential buyers are aware of every detail there is to know about the purse.
This includes everything from the number of inside pockets to the "appreciation rate" and its chances of becoming a classic.
Started by two fashion-obsessed Asian women with a handbag habit, Bag Snob is both an educational and entertaining Web site.
Its writers are quite witty in their reviews and often make astute observations, like "Juicy is ridiculous" and should be banned from making anything other than sweat suits.
A point with which I agree whole-heartedly.
So if you're in the market for a new designer handbag, the timing has never been better.
Whether you're out to impress the world with an expensive "borrowed bag" (they'll never know!) or ready to invest in a designer purse of your own, these Web sites are truly fabulous, unprecedented resources.
So, remember to select your handbag with personality in mind.
