Earl Jean top $29 

Some women will always derive the greatest satisfaction from being fashionably turned out. But even the well-heeled can reach saturation point. The breadth of their wardrobes can become unmanageable and the acquisition of new pieces can be accompanied by a prickling of the conscience. Hence the continued proliferation of designer fashion recycle boutiques in Melbourne’s poshest suburbs and most popular day trip destinations. The collections in these stores are often eclectic, reflecting the community which supplies the stock on a consignment basis. Not only do these stores make prestigious labels more affordable, they lend cachet to the odd chain store item that has passed muster with the proprietor. And they make hip labels strangely alluring to those who decided long ago not to try to be hip.