I feel like I've been a big ol' forum hog the last few days - my apologies. But my various threads on moto jackets, oxford shoes, trench coats, etc. have made me come to a big decision - well, big for me.

I'm done with international shopping. I am willing to order items online that I can return to a brick and mortar store here but I'm not going to order from the U.S. any more.

I love Nordstrom and many other U.S. sites but I've decided that the exorbitant price of international shipping rates and duty, as well as pricey returns, just doesn't make sense when trying to stick to a budget. Plus it's frustrating to wait 2-4 weeks for something to find it doesn't fit and go through the hassle of returning.

For example, when I was curious to see what the actual cost of the green leather moto would be, the price is $199, then when I add the shipping and duty, it becomes $284 and if it doesn't fit and I need to return, my refund is only $207. I'm just no longer willing to risk that kind of loss.

I've also come to this conclusion because during these tough economic times, I really should be giving my hard earned dollars to local stores and support my own economy.

Now this is going to hard - I love so, so many of Angie's picks and look forward to her lists like my kitty cats look forward to chicken. So what I'm going to try to do is find local versions of Angie recommended items. Obviously, I can get the "real deal" if it's Banana Republic, Gap, and Club Monaco. And the odd time, an item will show up in our Bay or Winner's stores. Other than that, I will try to find home grown "knock offs".

I guess my first NAS is also my last!