Book excerpt: A must-have guide for bargain-hunting fashionistas looking to make a statement without sabotaging their budgets. With this easy-to-use resource, savvy shoppers can cultivate upscale, upcycled wardrobes at thrift and consignment store prices. Shoppers will learn to navigate the racks of their local consignment shop, spot name brands like Versace, Dior, and Burberry, select the best quality items, and repair secondhand clothes that need some love. Photo-filled chapters on thrifted handbags, jewelry, scarves, and other accessories show what's available and give tips for distinguishing quality items from fakes. Interviews with expert tailors, dry cleaners, shoe repair wizards, and fabric-dyeing professionals explain what makes a damaged piece of clothing worth renovating. Before-and-after photos show what can be done to refashion less-than-perfect finds.