• Choose a Functional Handbag

• Select an Everyday Handbag

• Hit the Town With an Evening Handbag

• Shop for Iconic Handbags

• Find Handbags on eBay

• Buy Handbags With Confidence

Choose a Functional Handbag

Choose a Functional Handbag

Find handbags large enough to carry papers, gym clothes, groceries, and more.

• Tote bags: An open-top tote bag has short to medium-length straps or handles. Use it to carry a variety of items from documents to gym gear.    

• Backpacks: Mini or travel-size backpacks come in standard handbag sizes. They can look like a miniature school backpack or like a purse that fits on your back. You can leave your hands free when you wear it.    

• Briefcases: Keep your business documents crisp, clean, and organized with a new leather briefcase.   

• Duffle bags: Tall or wide duffle bags made of canvas, nylon, or leather fit over your shoulder and have a wide opening at the top. Their cylindrical shape makes them ideal for carrying gym clothes and personal belongings when traveling.    

• Messenger bags: Sling a soft messenger bag across your back. They offer a comfortable fit, a large amount of storage space, and stay in place while you ride around town on your bicycle.     

• Diaper bags: New parents must have a diaper bag for carrying diapers, changing pads, extra baby clothes, and baby bottles out of the house. Diaper bags made of vinyl and nylon are easy to wipe down. Handbag manufacturers will often treat canvas diaper bags with a chemical to make it repel moisture and resist stains. Leather diaper bags will often feature a washable liner or vinyl liner you can easily wipe down.

Select an Everyday Handbag

Select an Everyday Handbag

Pack up your cell phone, accessories, makeup, and anything else you need when you leave the house.

• Hobo bags: Small to midsized hobo bags come in a small, crescent shape that you can swing over your shoulder.   

• Satchels: Large satchels close at the top, have a top carrying handle, and a triangular side profile.    

• Shoulder bags: Shoulder bags have a single strap or double set of straps that make it easy to carry the purse over your shoulder.    

• Flapbags: Flapbags feature a fold-over flap that covers your purse's contents.    

• Demi handbags: Small demi handbags have a short carrying handle at the top. You can carry it in your hand or over your shoulder.    

• Drawstring handbags: Drawstring handbags have a thin strip of fabric, leather, cord, or string woven through a series of eyelets at the top of the bag. Pull the strip and the top of the bag gathers together to close.    

• Shopper bags: Shopper bags are similar to satchels and are usually roomy top-handle handbags with a zip or button closure, the type of bag you would take to the mall to go shopping.    

• Doctor’s bags: Long, with slightly rounded edges, doctor's bags resemble the doctor’s bags of old days. Prada, for example, made the doctor’s bag famous again when it introduced its nylon-and-leather handbag. Use it as a purse or take it on overnight trips.

Traditional handbags and purses come in various materials, including leather, canvas, straw, nylon, and plastic. If you want a crosshatched texture, look for saffian or embossed leather. You can also find calfskin leather handbags, made from the smooth hides of young cattle.

Hit the Town With an Evening Handbag

Hit the Town With an Evening Handbag

Dress up your evening wear with a sophisticated clutch, fun and flirty baguette, or a decadent evening bag.

• Clutches: Small clutch handbags have no straps or handles. Carry one in your hand or tucked under your arm.    

• Baguettes: Baguette handbags have a long and rounded body resembling a bread baguette. 

• Evening bags: Small evening bags in fabrics such as velvet and silk have a rich luster and a more formal look.

Shop for Iconic Handbags

Shop for Iconic Handbags

Make a statement with a standout signature bag that adds polish to any look.

• Hermés Kelly: The ultimate in elegance, sophistication, and luxury. First designed by Hermès in the 1930s, this legendary bag became a sensation in 1956, when Grace Kelly appeared on the cover of Life magazine holding it to cover her pregnancy. The original crocodile version used by Kelly remains one of the most memorable and covetable bags of the past century.

• Hermés Birkin: Perhaps the most sought-after bag in the country, the roomy Birkin (designed for British actress Jane Birkin in the 1980s) is infamous for having a waiting list of up to two years. After appearing as the must-have status bag for Kim Catrall’s character on “Sex and the City,” the Birkin is sure to be at the top of every fashionista’s wish list.

• Louis Vuitton Speedy 30: The original brown carryall with gold monogram print has been a cult classic for more than 75 years. In 2003, Louis Vuitton began partnering with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami to update the traditional style in fun, surprising colors. The hip, trendy Murakami bags include adorable cartoon characters and cherry blossoms, and are a hit among stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, and Paris Hilton.

• Gucci Horsebit Hobo: Both stylish and practical, the hobo’s relaxed, slouchy shape and bold metal hardware makes it a perennial favorite for everyday wear. Recently made popular again by Jessica Simpson, the large-sized version of the bag is now available in an assortment of rich colors and posh fabrics to match every mood, from monogram canvas to ultra-soft lambskin to decadent ostrich.

• Balenciaga Le Dix Motorcycle: The current “it” bag for fashion editors and Hollywood starlets, this hard-to-find bag has been seen on celebrity trendsetters like Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. Defining details such as distressed leather, double-rolled handles, tassled zippers, and a couple of well-placed buckles give it just the right amount of streetwise flair. Its look even inspired the new tassled handbag trend.

Find Handbags on eBay

Find Handbags on eBay

Once you know what type of handbag you want, go to the Clothing, Shoes & Accessories portal. Click the Handbags, Bags link under Women's Accessories, Handbags and start searching for item listings on eBay.

• Finder: Use the drop-down menus on the Handbags Product Finder to quickly narrow down item listings by style, color, material, brand, and condition.   

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a satchel, type “satchel” into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Handbags With Confidence

Buy Handbags With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.