1132 Madison Ave., 212-879-2850, encoreresale.com
"We only take high-end clothing, it has to be labels like Hermès and Prada, and it must be in season as well as pristine condition," says Greg Selig, whose family has owned Encore for 28 years. One of Madison Avenue's original consignment shops (it opened in 1954), Encore stocks thousands of womenswear items at any one time, but these goods are worlds apart from typical thrift-store finds. Forty percent of merchandise still bears the original tags. Almost in spite of its location on the less-than-ritzy second floor, prices on the best couture can run into the thousands. The semiannual sales in February and July are a good time to visit for shoppers who want to look great while adhering to a tighter budget.

7 of 11