Well my fellow followers of fashion, if you ever needed an excuse to splash the cash on a designer handbag, I think I’ve finally found it.

Belinda White, acting editor and fashion director at handbag.com, says that if you decide to purchase a designer handbag, you can actually regard it as an investment.

I couldn’t agree more, Belinda.

"A designer handbag can be an attainable treat to save for, something which can last for years and be passed down," she states.

If my mum had the mindset of Belinda then I could now be the proud owner of a veritable collection of vintage hand-me-downs.

What’s more, she suggests that if you’re struggling to give a run of the mill outfit the necessary va va voom, a designer handbag can do the trick nicely.

"They’re the finishing touch that can make an otherwise unspectacular and perhaps not so expensive outfit really shine," she comments.

It may interest you to know that we Brits seem to be a nation of handbag obsessives - a recent survery from OnePoll revealed that the average woman in the UK will spend a total of £4,000 on bags during the course of her lifetime, owning up to 17 at any one time.

Oops, I’m pretty sure that I’ve already well-exceeded my £4,000 lifetime allowance.

How many designer handbags do you own?

Don’t get me wrong - we here at Secret Sales HQ simply cannot get enough of designer handbags.

My Mulberry tote is my personal favourite and while I am pretty sure that I would do absolutely anything for this fashion essential, I can’t help but think that things on the designer bag front may have gone a little over the top.

Perusing the fashion pages of the Daily Mail has led me stumble upon what I can only describe as the most hideous monstrosity of a bag I have ever seen - and I’ve seen a lot of bags in my time!

You all know that I love iconic Louis Vuitton print but I think it’s fair to say that the designer handbag brand has gone way too far with its latest offering.

Louis Vuitton’s New Age Traveler Backpack is a vile, tasselled mess, featuring a bizarre combination of crocodile print and suede fringing.

And with a price tag of a whopping £26,000 I can’t even begin to imagine which celebrity fashionistas will be seen sporting the number over the coming months.

But Secret Sales favourite Marc Jacobs has said that there are some people who are so obsessed with handbags by the famed designer that they will buy absolutely anything that the French brand has to offer.

Don’t worry, fashion lovers - before you panic that I’m losing my handbag obsession, I can safely admit that if I had the money, I would be first in line for the beautiful £80,000 Silver Himalayan Birkin classic that Victoria Beckham is lucky enough to be the proud owner of.

How much is too much to spend on a designer handbag?

Everyone knows that sequins, shoulder pads and super-short hemlines are set to be all the rage this party season - like they are almost every Christmas - and it turns out metallics are included in that bunch too. However, according to My-Wardrobe buying and merchandising director Luisa De Paula, metallic designer clothes and accessories are not just for the festive period, but the entire winter season.

Speaking to fashion magazine Marie Claire, she explained: "This season’s collections are full of silver, gold and bronze, with gold and silver embellishment being a huge focus.

"Add a splash of metallic with a silver or gold bag, or team bronze treggings with a black oversized jumper."

But which particular items does she have her eye on personally at the minute?

According to the expert, one design to look out for is the fabulous gold cracked metallic Ava clutch from Mulberry, which she claims injects just the right amount of vintage style into a brand new designer ensemble and goes with anything.

She also suggested that the navy-blue sequined boyfriend sweater by Joseph is a design that is set to be bang-on-trend for both day time and eveningwear.

I think that’s one of the most important things to remember when stocking up wardrobes for the metallic trend.

As fashion is now more dramatic than ever (thanks to the current 1980s revival), it’s okay to wear glitzy and glamorous clothing during the day - provided it’s accessorised well. That way, you’re saving money too!

What do you think of the metallic trend?

Some say that true love has no bounds. When a man and woman fall for each other, nothing can stand in the way of their epic emotions - not even fashion.

That’s at least the case for model Sophie Dahl and her jazz singer boyfriend Jamie Cullum. At a towering 5ft 11in, gorgeous Sophie is a noticeable five inches taller than her beau, a difference that no doubt causes every celebrity photographer a headache in trying to frame them both in shots!

But, it doesn’t bother them. In fact, the pair are so in love despite that, they are planning to tie the knot next year - evidence that true romance does conquer all.

And how does Sophie try to bridge the distance between her and her fiance? Fashionable flat designer shoes of course.

Killer Miu Miu heels and Jimmy Choos are out the window for the former plus-size model. Instead she embraces gorgeous chic pumps by the likes of Mulberry - and looks fabulous for it.

Nicole Kidman did the same during her marriage with Tom Cruise. She was roughly four inches taller than the Mission Impossible star and was forced to wear flats to most red carpet appearances.

That’s why shortly after their divorce she famously quipped, "Now I can wear heels". And indeed she did, becoming one of the most stylish Hollywood actresses of the 21st century.

Would you ditch your favourite killer heels for a man?

London, New York, Paris and Rome are undoubtedly among the most fashionable cities in the world and as such, it is often easy to forget about places a little closer to home.

A friend of mine was in Leeds this week and she told me she could not believe just how fashionable a city it is. Granted, here in the UK the focus is always on London, and every so often on Manchester, but this significantly trendy city rarely gets a look in.

To establish just what the fashion ethos is up there, my pal decided to conduct a vox pop among the city’s super-cool students to see what they’re spending their loans and overdrafts on this season.

Despite the fact that 30 per cent of those asked said they were hoping to cut back spending on designer clothes and high street brands, a massive 55 per cent said they have no intention of doing so.

Among those, the biggest fashion items they currently have their eyes on include a pair of flat boots for the winter - very sensible - and either leggings, jeggings or tights.

Natalie Crawford, a 21-year-old student at Leeds Metropolitan University, told my friend: "I don’t have any money, but what I do want though is some boots - short, studded boots - I’ve seen some in Topshop that I want."

Ah, the long lost days of studenthood. I have to admit I don’t miss the scrimping and saving at all. Especially considering my taste is a bit more expensive than the stuff on sale in high street stores.

I used to find myself drooling over the next Dior "it bag" and snugly Mulberry winter boots, which used to completely obliterate the first instalment of my student loan! Something my parents were never too happy about.

If you’re a student, how much money do you spend on clothes?