New York City's Upper East Side may be synonymous with Park Avenue princesses and the high fashions of Fifth Avenue, but all that glisters here need not break the budget of upwardly mobile gals with more aspiration than hard cash. A wonderful web of consignment stores hides just off the main drags, full of fabulous and often unworn hand-me-downs from the world's style setters - and at a fraction of their original prices.

Take the 6 Train to 77th Street at Lexington Avenue, where A Second Chance (2/F, 1109 Lexington Avenue, tel: 1 212 744 6041) will be the first store window to catch a true shopper's eagle eye, thanks to vintage Louis Vuitton luggage that, unfortunately, is not for sale. Inside this closet-sized warren of designer delights is a showcase of Chanel jewellery that includes pretty pearl stickpins (US$125) and a pristine Hermes black crocodile clutch (US$1,599) that no one will know you didn't inherit from your grandmother. Cyber shoppers may already be familiar with the ever-changing inventory thanks to its eBay boutique (user ID: ASecondChanceResale).

Head north and around the corner at 81st Street. You will soon spy the black awning of Margoth (218 East 81st Street, tel: 1 212 988 7688), another sliver of a shop packed with panache. The selection here meanders from the Paris runway's butterscotch suede Christian Dior biker jacket (US$600) to less intimidating offerings such as Juicy Couture jeans (US$80). A few doors down, things go exclusively upmarket at Tamara's Pret-A-Reporter (235 East 81st Street, tel: 1 212 717 2691), perhaps the classiest resale boutique in town, with pieces consigned from private collections as far away as Houston and Beverly Hills. About one-third of the merchandise is new, with the tag still on an oversized Courreges black patent leather handbag (US$85), which retails in Paris for about 10 times the price, and unworn Marc Jacobs orange platform sandals (US$75). No one will ever know these didn't come straight from Marc's own atelier.