Amazing isn't it?  The laws of fashion:  Spend hours on your hair and nails, slip into your nicest hose and polished Manolo Blahniks, make sure your makeup is just right and you're good to go, right?  Perhaps, but there's just one important caveat:  If your handbag is sub par you might as well be in gray Champion sweats and jelly sandals.  It sounds like I'm exaggerating but these days a luxe purse is the ultimate accessory, now surpassing even shoes.

We are carrying around a hodgepodge of goodies these days:  Blackberries, phones, sidekicks, passports, and even fancy mints.  A luxurious bag in which to deposit all your goodies in is a necessary accessory to all of your class and style.  Here are a few of the hottest and most decadent handbags and purses for day use. The generous sizing means you'll never be juggling extras. They'll last a lifetime and despite what you may hear, they can't be "knocked off."

The Chloe Paddington Bag

The must have handbag for the coming season. Chloe Paddington is richly finished soft calfskin leather with brass hardware and a large padlock.  Two silver zippers close the top and there are two handy slit pockets on the front and back of the bag. And the padlock isn't just for show; the brass key attached to the handle ensure that your sundries stay secure. This clever number also features a zippered interior pocket, one interior cell phone sized pocket, and adjustable buckle straps. Bonus! It comes with Chloe a sleeper bag.

Chloe currently reigns as the handbag queen. Their chain-handled camera bag and chic dress-up bag of choice, the Chloé Bracelet (in it's sixth season), look set to stay, especially now that Sienna Miller (the new style-setter) has fallen in love with both.

Kooba Shoulder Bag

Many brands are huge right now, and Kooba is one of them. If you've been searching for another new fall bag this Kooba bag made of suede with its whip-stitch detailing, rounded rivets, and brass hardware may bring you search to an end. It really is quite fashionable. Other features include the Kooba lining and side pockets.  You might also appreciate this rare feature: the bag is wallet-friendly enough that you don't have to hit the lotto to buy it, but still is chic enough to turn heads.

Mulberry Roxanne Bag

Formerly known as Roxy, until Mulberry was sued by the well known surfer girl label. Chunky and big on pockets and buckles, it has been described by Vogue magazine as the London girl's "anti-Birkin" alternative. The bag officially became hot when Scarlett Johansson was photographed with it on the set of the new Woody Allen movie, but it has been the must-have for models, make-up artists and designers since its launch earlier last year.

Balenciaga Classic

Is it the trailing laces, the plush, vintage-feel leather, the hint of biker girl chic? Black used to be the hot Balenciaga color (everyone from Kate Moss to Lucy Liu had one), but this season, it's rose (pass up the tweed, too stodgy). It's a hot ticket: the first shipments the Balenciaga classic sold out within hours of hitting the shelves in both London and New York.

The Louis Vuitton Gracie

This sumptuous bag features the famous Vuitton monogram in velvet. A cross between a miniature treasure chest and a medieval reliquary, it takes the current passion for straps, buckles, chains and adornment to new levels. My personal favorite, this bag looks good in every color or material. Popular now is Cerises /Cherries, black and multicolor white. This is the most pirated and thus over exposed of any design yet when you see it in person you'll understand why the original could never be imitated properly and is well worth owning.

Marc Jacobs Blake Bag

His bags, with their pouch pockets, chunky silver hardware and Narnia colors (right now, the most wanted are eau de nil or water of the Nile, mint green and aubergine), are a guaranteed hit as they were last season. Never being afraid to push the envelope, Jacobs once said: "I love that reaction of love or hate. It's indifference that bores me to death."  Louis Vuitton, taken with Jacob's strong self assurance, hired him to design their first ready-to-wear line in 1997 so Jacobs was obviously doing is handbag homework. With its unique yet functional styling and size, the Blake bag may just be the world's perfect bag.