Maybe there is no comprehending a purse-lover. Maybe a non-purse person can never understand those who obsess over bags and willingly spend thousands on them. But if a textbook could exist for that distinct purpose, it would be Winifred Gallagher’s It’s in the Bag.

With this quick read you can discover the factors that go into creating an “it” bag and the history of the most luxe purses out there. For example, did you know that Chanel’s infamous quilting was inspired by jackets worn by stable boys? For those already into bags, the book is still worth checking out: be on the lookout for the stellar analogies between shoe people, bag people and monogamy. For example, girls who love shoes think temporarily – they’re living in the moment with what works best for the season. Us bag girls love what we love and we’ll carry it forever.

Gallagher interviews the deeply devoted, speaking with the likes of a Bergdorf Goodman’s fashion director, magazine editors and designer Silvia Fendi. The director of the museum at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology compares a bag to the male fetish with the phallic symbol in a way that makes you wonder why you never saw the connection before.