Knockoff or counterfeit items aren’t new, and those searching for designer-looking handbags, clothing, and sunglasses sometimes opt for the less authentic version for the sake of price. Designer brands, however, are feeling the squeeze of the economy, and not only are they lashing out against celebrity designers but also against counterfeit brands. So far, this has worked somewhat, as the amount of counterfeit items mimicking high-end products has subsided, but those making and selling knockoff goods have a new target: low-end designer brands.

These are the brands you might see at Macy’s or the lower-priced goods at Nordstroms. It’s Coach, Ed Hardy, Ugg, and many more that are priced within the average consumer’s reach. As the article above mentions, counterfeiters’ aiming low is actually making them high profits. Handbags, for example, ordinarily priced at $200 to $300 each (a price for a Koomba or Coach bag) would be sold through a knockoff website at $180 – a notable discount but not less enough to appear any more significant than a sale.

This last point makes spotting fakes harder for the average consumer. Additionally, as the article mentions, websites selling knockoffs will use photos of similar products from the brand’s website.

If you want to make sure you’re not purchasing a knockoff handbag or sunglasses through the internet, keep these factors in mind: only purchase these products from a reputable website and, if possible, purchase them in stores. If you are purchasing products in a small boutique, examine the quality of the bag, sunglasses, or clothing first. The stitching is often a dead giveaway for poor quality, and the next item to spot is the name plate. Is it sturdy or does it feel glued on? The latter should indicate that the product was assembled poorly and is, in fact, a knockoff.

Vintage is in, especially where sunglasses are concerned. Certain styles keep on returning, and wayfarer and aviator shades are two that have been seen sometime before. A piece on Boston.com for column Stylephile details a local business that sells vintage sunglasses. This includes aviator shades by Carrera and oversized sunglasses by Dior and a few other brands. While the piece generally doesn’t have much to say, it’s an instance in which the pictures say a thousand words.

As the unisex shades by Carrera indicate in the Boston.com piece, aviators are back. At one point, however, these sunglasses were designed with a male or unisex customer in mind, and Carrera’s product line still has much of the same outlook. Carrera sunglasses have a basic metal or plastic frame and dark-colored lenses. Ideal for the athlete or someone looking for gender-neutral style, Carrera sunglasses are practical and transcend fashion.

The Ultra Sudan and Dior sunglasses in the Boston.com piece also indicate that femininity has always been present in oversized styles. Back then, this was through a floral-print frame or grey-purple lenses with metal side orbs. In the present, the grey-purple shade is still fashionable – especially with a gradient look – but the flowers have been replaced by rhinestones.

Trends, of course, go through 20-year cycles, which is why these sunglasses styles from the ‘80s are now vintage and making their way back into various designer product lines. Some trends go back even further, such as wayfarer sunglasses – the crowning achievement by Ray Ban – that were created in the 1950s. Many associate this style with the 1980s, but they, too, have gone through various fashion cycles.

If you’re considering vintage style, many designer sunglasses revisit the wayfarer, aviator, and oversized looks popular 20 years ago. Some of these are updated – such as rhinestones on many oversized styles – but others offer a sleeker look on a classic.

So, you decide to buy an expensive handbag. When designer brands are considered, a purse by a lower-end brand will cost around $150, while some of the more expensive bags on the market – a Hermes Birkin bag, for example – will cost as much as a new economy car. But, when a handbag is stolen, it’s a fairly significant loss – not just for the money you put on the bag but also for the contents inside. Women, for example, will carry at least one electronic device, such as an iPod, inside and a cell phone, in addition to a wallet, makeup, and keys. Considering a designer handbag is a serious investment, what would you do if it and its contents were ever stolen?

In the UK, taking out handbag insurance is a possibility. According to this article, one in every three British women own a handbag between £150 and £500, and the items inside, ranging from expensive cell phones and media devices to high-end makeup, up the price of the theft even more. An insurance policy for a handbag, for example, would cost £2,500 for the bag and even more for items inside. Banks may give handbag insurance, while some car insurance policies also cover the cost of handbag theft.

Handbag insurance, however, mainly appears to be a British concept. Handbags in the U.S. may fall under the category of “valuables,” and insurance companies offering such insurance policies for jewelry, computers, and musical instruments may also extend the same type of coverage to handbags.

Nevertheless, should you be carrying around an item with you everywhere that needs insurance? If you’re worried about your bag getting stolen, the best bet might not to be purchasing an insurance policy but to find a cheaper-priced bag. Various designer inspired handbags have the same looks as many designer purses but are sold at a fraction of the cost.

Remember the late 1990s, in which every ordinary item of clothing and accessory was emblazoned with a large logo? Some of those logo-centric brands have faded to the background (who wears Tommy Hilfiger and Nautica anymore?) but other brands, particularly for designer sunglasses and handbags, have changed with the trends. The security of the 1990s is gone, people don’t want to be branded simply by wearing plain jeans and a t-shirt, and the appearance of frugality is important. According to a Yahoo article, the shift in fashion is toward “quiet” goods, or products that are made well but are not defined by a logo.

This is particularly important for handbags, as, even after the brand name 1990s craze, handbag designers still went with monogram styles. Coach and Louis Vuitton are guilty of this, but their monogram bags are still top sellers. Gucci and Chanel, however, are toning down their logos. In the meantime, don’t expect any new monogram handbag designs to surface and, if you’re truly looking to go frugal but stay fashionable, designer inspired handbags are the way to go.

When it comes to designer sunglasses, the branding is somewhat more subtle, but certain brands have distinct styles. Ray Ban, for example, is practically defined by their wayfarer look, while brands like Juicy Couture are known for the feminine, oversized shades. Both brands, as well as many others, incorporate their logo or initials on the side of the frame, near the temple, but, as the Yahoo article explains, some of these designer brands are going to tone it down a bit. Sunglasses will be defined more by style – not so much the brand.

When it comes to picking designer duds, style is important and so is cost. Many go with designer fashion simply because of the label, but quality is also an issue. The current lack of logos is simply a trend, as, to paraphrase the stylist quoted, being superficial isn’t fashionable – but having good taste is always in style.