Secondhand Chic

Would you like to find a mint-condition Yves St. Laurent jacket for $25...a brand-new, pleated wool skirt still bearing the original $40 price tag, for $7...a genuine Dior suit for $75? Now you can! In SECONDHAND CHIC you'll discover where to look, what to look for, and how to buy quality. In fact, you'll get all the secrets of spotting a valuable bargain so you can shop brilliantly whether you're in a consignment, thrift, or vintage store. Expert shopper Christa Weil shares the insider information that will help you buy the best clothes you've ever owned...at a fraction of the retail cost.

Learn about:

-- Spotting quality -- which you will know immediately from buttons, pockets, seams, and fabric

-- Labels...big names, department store brands, exquisite foreign lines -- and fakes!

-- Finding your size when there are no labels or tags

-- Flaws you can fix and the ones you can't -- from wrong lengths and wrinkles to stains and shininess

-- Unearthing handmade shoes, silk scarves, name jewelry, and other elegant accessories

-- Buying what you really need -- and caring for the clothes you've got

-- The styles that make your body look best

From domestic to international stores, from New York to London, from Memphis to Paris -- no matter where you buy, you can buy secondhand chic.