Who among us would like to find a designer original or a yesteryear artifact of jewelry from a long-ago fashion era at a fraction of the cost when new? Answer – pretty much all of us. A great find is always a welcome event.

However, to be successful you have to do your homework and there are several good sources to help you. One of these is Secondhand Chic: Finding Fabulous Fashion at Consignment, Vintage, and Thrift Stores by Christa Weil.

To be a savvy shopper in the preowned apparel, accessories, and jewelry market Weil suggests, actually insists, that you have to know fabrics, designers, and the quality of their designs. She recommends “field trips” to high end stores to learn about and evaluate designers and note taking is involved – sounds a lot like shopping to me and who would have a problem with that?

Other advice from Weil includes: Buying clothing that works best for your body shape. How to care for vintage clothing. And, indicators of great quality clothes, how to spot quality and workmanship. Christa explains the histories of fabrics and the different characteristics of each kind of fabric including the best way to care for them and the best way to wear them.

Bottom line – finding a great item is only a great find if it fits! . Becoming enamored with a piece that either does not fit you or doesn’t flatter you can lead to a poor choice and a waste of your precious clothing budget. Making wise choices is the end-game.