Designer Handbags Under £500

The everyday workhorse, sized to swallow a laptop, a water bottle and the rest of your day. Mulberry's woven and Bayswater shapes bring British heritage leather at this price, while Burberry's reversible Bloomsbury and Acne's multipocket give you structure that holds its form when the bag is full. A good tote is the one purchase here you will reach for five days a week, so prioritise a flat base and a strap drop that clears your shoulder over a coat.

Hands free, weekend ready, and the category where the designer names price most keenly. Burberry's Highlands and Michael Kors' Jet Set and Bryant camera shapes anchor this group, in pebbled and grained leathers that wear their scuffs gracefully. Look for an adjustable strap and a closure you can open one handed, because a crossbody lives or dies on whether you actually use it on the move.

A notch dressier than a tote, designed to be carried rather than just hauled. Mulberry's Roxanne and Hackney bring soft slouch, Michael Kors' Nolita and Tribeca add quilting and metallic finishes, and Alexander McQueen's jewelled mini lifts the whole group into evening territory. These are the bags that finish an outfit, so let the leather and the hardware do the talking.

The most polished silhouette in the edit and the one that reads most expensive for the money. Mulberry's Darley and Amberley satchels and Michael Kors' Hamilton and Laila shapes give you a structured top handle that sits neatly on a desk and swings to an optional strap for the commute. This is where to spend if you want one bag that carries you from a meeting to dinner.

The occasion buy, and proof you can carry a designer name to an event without the designer outlay. Burberry's Bridle clutch and Mulberry's Darley fold neatly under an arm, while Alexander McQueen's Knuckle clutch brings the signature hardware that makes a plain dress look considered. Keep the interior just big enough for a phone, a card and a lipstick, and let the bag be the statement.