The differences between the Kelly and Birkin bags are not always easily spotted

Jane Birkin: The woman for whom the Birkin was created, Jane had a chance encounter with Dumas-Hermes on a plane when she dropped her date book. Some time later, Dumas-Hermes designed a bag for her that is now the commonly recognized Birkin bag.• Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: With John Junior on her arm, and dressed down in a simple but elegant black dress, her Kelly bag almost went unnoticed—but not quite. The graceful woman carried the bag in gloved hands, reminding the world that above all else, she was still a lady. • Kelly Klein: The former Mrs. Klein seems to have switched teams and is now batting for Hermes. She was seen sporting a powder blue Birkin to complement her casual uniform of jeans (Calvin Kleins?), black riding boots and jacket, and a black turtleneck. The differences between the Kelly and Birkin bags are not always easily spotted. Similar in size and textiles, their most notable differences are not always detected by the naked eye