by Glenn Brittany

Created on: October 26, 2008   Last Updated: November 21, 2008

If you are a "misses" size female, here is a list of sites and their advantages that you might find useful:

1. victoriassecret.com - Victoria's Secret online is a fun site to shop. Maybe it's all those top supermodels in expensively art-directed photo shoots. Before you know it, you've placed an $88 pair of pants and two $48 bras in the shopping cart. You check out and see-with shipping ($18.98) and tax-you're paying a lot of money for those pants and bras. But you FEEL so good and supermodely, you go ahead and hit "submit" anyway. Packaging is everything. Victoria's Secret understands this. (That's why when you buy lingerie in VS stores, it's wrapped in tissue and placed in a colorful VS shopping bag. Don't you just feel special walking around the mall with it?)

2. 6pm.com - This is the best site for finding brand-name shoes at discounted prices. I bought a pair of genuine Harley-Davidson boots for $40. Shipping is reasonable. Be forewarned: Returning is a hassle. Unlike VS Online and most other online stores, 6pm.com doesn't include an ARS return label, so you have to take the package to the post office or UPS or wherever and pay for it to be mailed yourself. But the bargains are worth it, and most of the time you don't have to return anything.

3. cutesygirl.com - This Web site is really for juniors, but you can find some really good deals on trendy clothes for amazingly low prices. I've ordered a couple of pair of jeans and they actually looked great on me. This Web site offers an excellent magnified view with several viewing angles for each item. Be discerning when reading the (skimpy) product descriptions. Use your best judgment.

4. Nordstroms.com - Click on "sale" and you can find some pretty good deals on designer jeans for sale-i.e. Rich & Skinny, True Religion, Hudson, etc. If you're a size 0 or 14, you're in luck!

5. kohls.com - Don't knock it 'til you've shopped it. Click on "Brands for Women." Check out these brands: "Simply Vera Vera Wang," "Elle" and "Daisy Fuentes."

6. asos.com - This British site finds (or has manufactured) celebrity knock-off clothes such as "jeans in the style of Paris Hilton." The prices range from reasonable to expensive. Sign up for the e-mail list, and you'll be notified when a sale is going on. Then act fast. Note: Check the size charts. British sizes are different than U.S. sizes-for both shoes and clothes. There is a currency converter so you can change the pounds to dollars. Don't worry about shipping coststhey are reasonable. They must have a fulfillment house in the U.S.

7. metrostyle.com This is an interesting site. Some of their clothes are, frankly, sorta cheesy. Like the hats. But they also feature some innovative items. And they've implemented very progressive features such as user ratings and reviews. So, underneath a pair of pants you'll find refreshingly honest comments from people who have actually tried the pants on and either liked them or returned them.

8. overstock.com and bluefly.com These sites are overrated. You can find it cheaper elsewhere.

9. If you have a specific item you are looking for (i.e., Steve Madden Nadia Oxford), check out bizrate.com. It will find the lowest price online and present it to you. Isn't that nice?

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