CLEVELAND -- Need to keep your wardrobe fresh, but can't afford to do it?

NewsChannel5's Joy Benedict dug up some consignment store secrets -- how to buy clothes and sell them and look like you spent a lot.

She said more and more people are turning to second-hand shops for their fashion needs.

"Especially now with the economy the way it is, I see a lot more people coming in," said Gail Leffler who has been a long time fan of consignment shopping.

Betsy Wince who runs The Wren House in Chagrin Falls said, "In the last six months our business has been up 100 percent." The Wren House has a wide variety of brands from Anne Taylor to Channel, Gucci, and Prada. Wince says she sells the designer labels for about a third of the retail cost.

She even has a fur coat that retails for $45,000, and has a price tag of $4,999 at her store.

Wince sells everything from handbags, to shoes, to scarves, and belts. Then there are the one-of-a-kind finds, like a 2008 Valentino dress with laser-cut designs. It retails for $6,000 but is selling for $600 at the Wren House.

"We're very particular. Everything has to be in pristine condition," Wince said.

She asks people to bring in their best pieces, and expect some rejections.

As far as finding the best deals, know your merchandise and your labels. A $179 sweater may not seem like a deal unless you know it originally sold for more than $1,000. Second, expect to pay a little more if the merchandise still has its original tags and give yourself enough time to search the racks.

Here's a list of some local resale shops:

Chelsea Hall 440-892-1850
26443 Center Ridge Road, Westlake
Chelsea Hall

Class Act Resale Shoppe 216-712-6977
15649 Madison Avenue, Lakewood

The Consignery 440-543-1088
17800 Chillicothe Road, Bainbridge

Curvy Consignments
13902 Puritas Ave, Cleveland
216-251-9591
Curvy Consignments

Gearin' Up 440-582-2030
6687 Royalton Road, Cleveland

Piece Unique 440-543-4535
8426 E Washington Street, Chagrin Falls

Plato's Closet 440-801-9088
4636 Great Northern Blvd., North Olmsted

Recycled Closets Inc 440-333-5379
1100 Linda Street, Rocky River

Red Geranium Resale Shop 440-237-2000
13803 Ridge Road, North Royalton

Seconds City Consignment Home Furnishings 440-845-3000
6530 Pearl Road, Parma Heights

The Wren House 440-247-6566
31 S Franklin St., Chagrin Falls