The recent plunge in stock values and rise in the cost of life's necessities has many people scurrying to cut back. The experience has been unsettling for those who love fashion, but instead of sinking into depression over dresses and handbags now priced out of reach, why not turn it into a challenge?

Recession dressing doesn't have to mean appearing down on your luck, when you can walk out of a thrift store looking like you're worth, if not quite a million, at least a couple thousand bucks.

Granted, some people will look kapakahi whether they're shopping secondhand or buying new. The difference between cheap and chic is a matter of presentation.

As a presentation coach for CEOs, attorneys, bankers, retailers and others seeking to improve their images, Pam Chambers has to look the part, so wardrobe matters.

“;If I don't look good, people aren't going to take what I say seriously,”; she said. “;I have to walk the talk.”;

She's selective about pieces she buys, rather than where she shops. At local Goodwill stores, she's discovered a trove of designer merchandise, from a couple pairs of Chanel pants, an Hermes blouse, Oscar de la Renta vest, Dior jacket, and more, most under $10, that she blends in seamlessly with a regular wardrobe of pieces from Theory, DKNY, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Gap. Her closets are full of classic pieces suitable for a business professional, with lots of mixable black-and-white basics, jackets and hats to match, plus a handful of elegant, detailed vintage pieces from the 1920s through '60s.

“;I don't care if it's designer wear, but if it is, it's all the more astounding,”; she said. “;At Goodwill, all jackets are the same price. They're all $7.99, whether it's a worn sweatshirt style or a Christian Dior jacket.”;

Chambers has been a secondhand shopper since attending college in San Francisco, and says, “;It's the treasure hunt that turns me on. It's not necessarily the thrift.

“;If someone tells me, 'That's a great jacket,' I tell them, 'Goodwill, $7.99.' I'm not at all reluctant to tell people. Sometimes they go, 'I never know how to shop in those kinds of places.' Or, they give me a funny look. To me, it's a kind of blind taste test, where, if they've chosen the less expensive brand, they feel cheated.”;

Chambers is comfortable enough in her own sense of style to ignore preconceived notions about labels as indicators of taste and quality. While she respects the fine quality of designer ready-to-wear, she has an eye for quality, cut and fabrication, and that doesn't change whether a piece is pricey, inexpensive, new, vintage or secondhand.

Chambers' ability to cut beyond surface distinctions lies in her unusual path to image-making. “;When I was in college, I was a hippie, and hippies are definitely not into the culture of shopping. They turn up their noses at new clothes, and if I were to turn up in something new, they'd say, 'How could you be such a fool?' “;

She found a job at a seminar company where image was extremely important. Even so, Chambers said, “;I went through a rebellious point where I thought image shouldn't matter. Then I realized I judge a book by its cover, so why would I assume anyone else does not?”;