COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Whatever women have, they usually complain about it.

Short-legged ladies want longer legs, long-legged girls want shorter ones. Big-busted women want smaller breasts; small-busted women want bigger ones.

It's not just about vanity or self-image. It's often about the hassles of trying to find clothing to fit a not-so-average body.

This goes way beyond the usual items — swimsuits, wedding dresses — that can make any woman go crazy in the dressing room. For the long-legged (or short-legged), big-footed (or small-footed) and big-breasted (or small-breasted) woman, shopping for everyday things — jeans, shoes, T-shirts — can quickly become a frustrating journey that ends in disaster.

Some women swear off shopping, but they come back. They have no choice. (We can't go out in public barefoot and naked, can we?)

So to help, we've done the research on how to make shopping a little easier.

LEGS

Yes, we know: It's hard to feel sorry for women with long legs. But consider how you'd feel if your pants always gave the impression that a flood was a-comin'.

Major retail chains, such as J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Gap, have caught onto this plight and introduced tall lines. The downside is many of these pants can be purchased only online, which means you can't try them on before you buy — and you have to ship them back if they don't fit.

If you're willing to shell out some dough, high-end boutiques can provide a quick solution, especially with jeans.

For example, Gloss, a Colorado Springs boutique, has a "jean bar" (literally — a wooden bar stocked with rows of jeans) designed to fit the hard-to-fit. Owner Lisa Borden suggests that long-legged women try the following brands, which come in 35- or 36-inch inseams:

• True Religion's "Candace," "Joey" or "Bobby"

• People's Liberation's "Karen"

• Grass' "Topanga"

• Joe's Jeans' "Rocker" or "Cigarette"

• AG's "Stilt"

Jackie Gunn, owner of Kirk and Hill in Colorado Springs, recommends that tall women try these brands: Billy Blues, Mac & Jac or Margaret M.

For shorter women who need everything hemmed, tucked or taken in, Borden suggests seeking out petite-specific clothing. Although tailors can transform almost anything, many stores carry petite lines designed to fit the smaller proportions of women 5 feet 4 inches and shorter.

The inseam (crotch to floor) and rise (crotch to waist) are shorter, and the knee break (which is as it sounds — the knee portion of jeans designed for your legs' bend) is proportionate.

"If a petite woman puts on a regular pair of jeans, the knee break is not going to be where her knee is," Borden says. "When they get them cropped or hemmed, the knee break is really off."

She suggests:

• iT Jeans' "Baby"

• Paige Premium Denim's "Pico" (which has pockets) or "Laurel Canyon" (no pockets)

• Joe's Jeans' "Provocateur"

Short- or long-legged, be prepared to shell out a pretty penny. These jeans cost $70 to $300 a pair and need a little more lovin' — hand washing or dry cleaning. To keep jeans the length you bought them, wash with cold water and lay out to dry.

FEET

Whether you're on the large or small end of the spectrum, finding shoes that fit can be next to impossible.

The average shoe size for women is a 7-8, and although retailers say women's feet have been getting bigger through the generations, many brands stop production at size 10. Finding shoes smaller than 6 can also be a challenge.

Not too many smaller stores carry a huge supply of shoes for women with extra-large or extra-small feet. But some do: For example, Saboz in downtown Colorado Springs carries limited stock of Size 11 in Pikolinos, Romus and Sofft shoes.

In general, big- and small-footed women tend to have better luck in big-box stores that can afford to purchase shoes outside the average range, says Mary Kay Kramer, co-owner of Shoegasm!, a shoe boutique in Colorado Springs.

Kramer, who orders shoes in packs of eight, 12 or 18, says that ordering one pair of large shoes is difficult, expensive or not an option.

Some suggestions for hard-to-fit feet:

• Hit Nordstrom's over/under shoe sale, a yearly event that showcases hard-to-find sizes such as 5 and 13. The event is in the fall.

• Check kathrynkerrigan.com, an online business catering to women who wear sizes 9 to 15. The company was started by Kathryn Kerrigan, who sports a size 11 shoe. Prices range from $100 to $300 per pair.

• Go to www.zappos.com or www.shoes.com, which stock a variety of styles on the extreme ends of the spectrum.

CHESTS

Whether you're big or small, shirts often don't fit right.

The problem isn't you. Certain styles are designed for specific body types in mind, and if you don't have it, it's tough to pull off.

Gunn, of Kirk and Hill, suggests busty women steer clear of shirts with pockets on the front, which accentuate the chest. Typically she'll dress busty ladies in empire waists or V-necks, which are flattering but not too tight or showy.

"A lot of tops in the market today are very small. It's almost like a shrunken version," Gunn says. "You have to be very careful that you're getting something that has a fuller cut."

Borden, of Gloss, suggests Miss Sixty jackets, which are fitted at the waist but generous in the bust, and Free People tops, which are generally fitted on the chest and flowy at the bottom, she says.

For women with small busts, layering gives the illusion of a larger chest, as do dresses that gather at the bust. Gunn suggests turtlenecks.

If you struggle to find fitted shirts that really fit, buy one that fits your chest, and the rest can be tucked and trimmed to shape to your body, says Dianne Coker, owner of A Stitch in Time By Dianne in Colorado Springs.

Busty women looking for tailored shirts might try Banana Republic's "tailored cotton sateen" button downs, which have 2 extra inches in the bust. The shirts cost $58.

If all else fails, tailor it. Almost anything can be fixed to fit perfectly, Coker says.

The only downside is the cost, which ranges from a few bucks to more than you paid for the piece, depending on the alterations.

"A lot of people will buy something and think, 'If the garment didn't cost me much, it won't cost much to get it fixed,' but it does," she says. "It does add to the cost of your garment, but it increases the fit and your use of it, too."