For proper authentication, it's important to not only know the details of genuine designer items, but to also be aware of what counterfeits look like. We've compiled 4 fake Louis Vuitton speedy bags for you to examine. Notice how some are much more obvious than others.

Obviously Fake Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy Bag

Though this obviously fake Louis Vuitton bag exhibits patina on its fake vachetta leather, there are many errors in each picture! Though all counterfeits are not as well made as their authentic counterparts, poor obvious fakes have the worst quality imaginable. It is very likely that the hardware on this bag could even be plastic!

This is the type of fake that can be authenticated by someone without a deep understanding of Louis Vuitton. Most people who are familiar with general fashion will be able to tell that it is fake just by touch and feel alone!

Bad Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy Bag

The bulk of fake Louis Vuitton you find on other resale sites will be of this class. It's not obvious that it's a fake to those unfamiliar with the designer. However, many authenticators and LV enthusiasts alike can tell that this bag is fake even from a couple meters away. When an authenticator examines the details, it becomes even more obvious that this is not an authentic bag.

Bad Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Speedy Bag

Here's another common fake. This time the Speedy is in a damier ebene canvas. Again, mistakes in each picture, but these types of counterfeit bags cheat people out of LOTS of money every single day!

Super Fake Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy Bag

Even though not many pictures were provided for this much more convincing fake, an expert in Louis Vuitton authentication will be able to tell that this is a fake. Notice how all the features on this bag look better than the previous examples?

When it comes to fashion, my husband always prefers classic quality pieces presented in a simple way. This easy dressed-down outfit was one that I had not intended to share. But, because he liked it so much, here it is.

The top (here) is by far the most affordable clothing item in this ensemble. But, it's not to be overlooked. I loved this top so much that I got it in another color, and I have to really like something in order to purchase doubles, no matter if it's cheap or expensive. In this case, thankfully, it's cheap.

A new year is on its way, and with it, comes new seasons of fashion. I recently got to try on some of the newest Herve Leger designs during a shopping trip. This is the perfect chance to share with you my thoughts on these gorgeous dresses.

The Christy dress (here) has a stunning fit. The sequins are supposedly leather, yet they bring a lot of light to the face. VERY pretty yet sexy dress. This dress runs true to size.

Even though this is a new dress in a department store, the leather sequins on this Christy dress were clumped in a few spots. Plastic sequins on HL dresses are usually very evenly and perfectly placed. This isn't a big deal for most. I didn't notice it at all once I put on this beautiful dress, but I thought I should mention it for those who are very detail-oriented.

I've wanted to try on one of the Herve Leger peplum dresses for a while now. And, I finally got to! The peplum adds extra sophistication and is extra forgiving for the lower pooch area. This dress (here) is mostly true to size.

This Abby dress is made of the jacquard material, which is stretchier and has less hold than the usual Herve Leger bandage material. It still however maintains better shaping than all the other brands and designers who make bandage clothing. Nobody can touch Herve Leger when it comes to bandage!

Another jacquard Herve Leger dress. Again, this dress (here) ran true to size, and the thick material is stretchier than the usual Herve Leger fabric.

A black Herve Leger dress rarely disappoints. HL bandage dresses already provide great shaping. In combination with a classic, flattering black color, it's hard to go wrong.

This true-to-size black Herve Leger (here) had great shaping and is not individually banded. The neckline with crochet and braid details is also a gorgeous touch. You can't tell with my cellphone pictures, but it gives just the slightest hint of cleavage through the crochet. Sexy yet understated. The straps on this dress can also be worn off-the-shoulder.

For those new to Herve Leger, I can't stress enough how important it is to get the right size. If the dress is too big, it impacts the fit drastically. You won't be able to fully appreciate the intended fit. There is a reason why there is a cult following for Herve Leger. These super sexy, super flattering bandage dresses are so unique to other brands and dresses!

For Thanksgiving, my husband and I went to see my in-laws. It was a wonderful break with loved ones, and I got to take some pictures with some seriously handsome boys. Here's an easy cozy Fall outfit with a big gorgeous Jimmy Choo clutch.

So, the handsome boys are Luigi and Willie, my in-laws' adorable and sweet Yorkshire terriers. Being so ridiculously photogenic, they didn't have a single bad shot!

 Hope and wish everyone is enjoying this winter's holidays.

There are many ways to wear Herve Leger when the weather gets cold. One way is wearing that sexy bandage dress with a fur bolero. Here are three different Herve Leger dresses paired with a faux fur capelet.

Here is a faux fur Eliza J capelet. It is very price-friendly and can be purchased here.

I tried this capelet on with several different dresses to see how versatile it can be: an ombre, a solid color, and one with trim.

The faux fur looks pretty good; but it's certainly not as soft as real minx or rabbit fur. It's really quite impressive for a faux fur. Usually, it is difficult to pair cheaper clothing items and accessories with Herve Leger, as it sometimes just doesn't look right.

The bolero worked the best with this solid-colored Herve Leger. While this short little jacket won't keep your legs warm, it provides some nice warmth for the upper body and certainly breaks the wind. And, for women, we always get cold up top first!

The Alma is one of my most favorite bags from Louis Vuitton. Its design is just as popular today as it was when it was first created in 1934. The ladylike shape and structure has proven to be one of the most timeless fashion pieces. And, it's certainly durable too; the bag in this post is 17 years old!

The monogram canvas shows almost no wear. The smooth vachetta leather has darkened to a dark honey color, and the coloring is no longer even. Given how well Louis Vuitton bags are made, this is the one feature that gives away the age of a bag.

As everyone loved the last Miranda Kerr style tutorial, we're sharing more of her styles to mimic. This time it's how she wears coats - 3 ways with shorts, dresses and pants!

Coat with Pants Outfit

Stay fashionable during the cold seasons by following Miranda Kerr's coat and pants outfits. It is easy to do, as she sticks to classic timeless pieces.

Coat: Classic style. Black or gray. Single or double-breasted button up with medium-size collar. (example)
Top: Black or other neutral. Oftentimes, tucked in if the top is long. Round collar, not low neckline. (example)
Pants: Black, oftentimes leather. Skinny cut. moderate low-rise. (example)
Shoes: Black. Usually ankle bootie. (example)
Bag: Black. Large size. Rectangular with handstrap. (example)
Accessories: Oftentimes sunglasses. Sometimes a belt or watch. Jewelry is always minimal.

Coat with Shorts Outfit

Who said that you can't show leg during the winter? Observe how Ms. Kerr does this effortlessly.

Coat: Classic style. Black or gray. Single or double-breasted button up with medium-size collar. (example)
Top: Solid color. Usually a neutral color. Tucked in if the top is long. Round collar, not low neckline. (example)
Shorts: Moderate low-rise. Short inseam. Oftentimes, leather. (example)
Shoes: Embellished black leather ankle booties. Western. (example)
Bag: Gray or black. Large size. Rectangular with handstrap. (example)
Accessories: Black hosiery required. Oftentimes sunglasses. Sometimes a belt or watch. Jewelry is always minimal.

Coat with Dress or Skirt Outfit

Turn up the glamour by throwing an elegant coat over your dress!

Coat: Classic style. Black. Single or double-breasted button up with medium-size collar. (example)
Dress or Skirt Outfit: If it's a dress, there is usually some black in it to pull the look together. If it is dress that is mini length, wear over the knee boots or wear black hosiery. If there is a mini skirt, black hosiery is added.
Shoes: Dependent on the dress.
Bag: Medium to large size. Rectangular with handstrap. (example)
Accessories: Oftentimes sunglasses. Sometimes a watch. Jewelry is always minimal.

We hope that you enjoyed this fashion breakdown that makes replicating the looks of your favorite fashion icons easier. If you have a fashion icon that you would love to imitate, let us know about them in the comments below.

One of our biggest pet peeves is false authenticity claims. Today, we're bringing you another exposé: fakes on theRealReal consignment store. They rarely publish tagging pictures, and many people rely on these images for authentication. However, some of their fakes are so obvious and poor that we spotted them immediately in spite of the limited pictures.

The best and most trusted resellers are those that focus on select designers or a specific type of designer goods, such as vintage jewelry or select designer handbags.

We HATE sites that claim to have only authentic stuff when they really don't know what they're doing. These types of stores cause innocent buyers to pay lots of money for worthless fakes that cannot be ethically resold. Oftentimes, buyers don't even realize that they got a counterfeit!

Authentication is a difficult problem. It requires brand-specific knowledge in the designer and type of item.

Anyway, let's move on and look at the fakes! First up is the Fall 2008 Herve Leger teal green front-zip dress:

We spotted this obvious fake from a mile away! Look at the banding around the torso and the vertical banding. The design is very off!

Here's yet another obvious fake to share with you, the purple and blue double strap mini.

Again, look at that banding around the neckline. Even with heavy picture distortion, there is no way that the authentic version of this dress could be in those colors. This dress was never made in a pink and navy color.

One last example. Btw, I LOVE this dress!

See how the trim and bust is different from the real dress in several spots?

Had a picture of the main tag been on display in their listings, authentication would have been very obvious to MANY Herve Leger lovers. Poor fakes almost always have poor fake tagging too. Even a novice authenticator could have identified these as fake had the main tag been disclosed.

Don't get duped into buying a $10 fake for hundreds or thousands of dollars. When a company states that they accept almost all designer items, this is a BIGred flag.

Btw, they also have some authentication videos out there that are giving bad information. For instance, authentic Celine bags do NOT ALWAYS have a 90 degree cornered serial tag. 90 degree corners on serial tags is more common, but it's not ALWAYS this way.

If you have friends who shop on some of these "trusted" stores, please consider sharing this article with them. Let's be safe out there!

Just because the temperature outside is dipping, doesn't mean that events requiring Herve Leger are disappearing. Winter weddings, formals, and end-of-the-year work events all happen during the chilly winter months. Depending on where you live, winter can mean brisk breezes or chilling winds. Here are some of my favorite ways for styling Herve Leger when an extra layer is required.

Pair it with a flattering peplum blazer (here), and trendy ankle booties! To keep legs from looking choppy, make sure that the ankle booties dip slightly lower in the front, like these.

This is a no fail combination; a dark black or navy peplum blazer and booties will work with almost all body types, Herve Leger dress styles and colors. Just make sure that the peplum jacket hits you at all the right places.

And, if you don't have a peplum blazer, simply wear Herve Leger with your favorite boyfriend blazer! The boyfriend shape will tone down the sexiness just a tad and add a cool-girl vibe.

Blazers paired with Herve Leger typically have to be certain cuts like boyfriend and peplum. Also, because Herve Leger quality is so high, wearing a cheap blazer or cheap shoes looks strange.

If it's really cold outside, grab your trusty leather jacket, black tights and boots! Tip: Dresses with some gray or black will work best with black hosiery.

Since the beginning, Valentino was in-demand. Today, it's no different. Its stunning rockstud line consists of some of the hottest fashion items to own. Here's some modeling pics of the bag and my personal review of the bag.

This beautiful bag is mostly one large open space inside. There are three pockets on the sides, one of which is a zippered compartment. This arrangement is perfect for people like me. I'll use the zippered compartment for personal female stuff, one of the pockets for my cellphone, and the third for a lipstick and pen. Everything else goes right in the middle. It's personal preference, but multiple compartments make it harder for me to find my items. The only minor negative to note is that if you carry very little, the bag can lean a bit to one side.

The bag is held closed by a sturdy and convenient clasp at the top. The bag is of medium weight for its size.

What I truly adore about this bag other than its gorgeous design, is how it has both a handle and an optional shoulder strap! Handbags that are worn on the wrist are strongly trending; the handle style is somewhat more dressed-up than a shoulder strap design. Personally, while I admire the look of handbags, I really love the convenience of a good shoulder strap.