How to Spot a Fake Vera Bradley Purse

Check for the Vera Bradley zipper and metal piece on straps. On every Vera Bradley zipper there is a special tag that has the Vera Bradley signature on it. If it doesn't have the signature, it may not be a Vera Bradley bag. HOWEVER, older Vera Bradley bags, from the past, did NOT have the Vera Bradley signature on the tag. Instead they have another design.^[1]

Make sure the diamonds aren't just tilted squares. Vera Bradley is known for their argyle stitching. If all sides of one diamond are equal, you know it can't be right because it's not a square; it's a parallelogram.^[2]

Look for a signature. Usually, somewhere on the bag, there will be the Vera Bradley signature. This is usually on the little stripes. Each Vera Bradley pattern has the pattern, of course, and then decorative stripes that are another interpretation of the pattern. Often times you will see the Vera Bradley signature there and you will know.^[3]

If you can see the inside of the bag, check and see if there is an inside pattern. Every Vera Bradley pattern has an outside AND an inside pattern. So if it's blank on the inside, chances are it's not a Vera Bradley.

Visit their website. There, you will find some information and you can search for different styles of bags, and you can see a timeline of retired patterns. If you can't find the pattern anywhere on the website, then you know it's not a Vera.^[4]

Visit a Vera Bradley store or outlet. The website has additional information on where these stores are located.