10 HAUTE SPOTS FOR BARGAINS.

Byline: Barbara De Witt  Fashion Editor

This week it has been party, party, party at the Staples Center and assorted soirees throughout the city, but surely visitors can find time to shop.

Oh, sure, there are malls galore, but L.A. is also a city of unlimited bargains, designer knock-offs, celebrity cast-offs and trends everybody back home will drool over. We scouted the city for you and picked the top 10 destinations:

1. Olverita's Village (Stall number W-24, Olvera St., Los Angeles; 213-485-6855) Located one block north of the 101 Freeway on Main Street, between Arcadia Street and Cesar Chavez Avenue and open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This place has the best selection and prices for those trendy women's embroidered peasant tops and men's guayaberas shirts (like Ricky Ricardo's). Blouses start at $10.99; shirts at $24.

2. The Address (1116 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; 310-394-1406) Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Designer gowns worn once or twice by stars such as Joan Collins and Victoria Principal, labels by Gucci, Prada, Armani and Chanel. Heavily discounted, with portions of the proceeds given to the stars' favorite charities.

3. Venice Beach Boardwalk (Venice Boulevard, Venice) Hours are noon to dark. Among the sunglasses, incense, toe rings are several stalls carrying designer purse knock-offs for under $50. Best bets among these obviously faux (but real) leather bags are the Gucci baguette and classic Chanel shoulder bag; however the fabric/straw Kate Spade tote is hot with pre-teens.

4. Santee Alley (Los Angeles Fashion District between Maple and Santee streets; exit on Ninth Street off the 10 Freeway) Open seven days a week, hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with numerous vendors hawking clothing, accessories and fabrics for shockingly low prices in a colorful bazaar setting including mud puddles (consider wearing sneakers and jeans). Hottest tickets this month are flashy jeweled sandals, Kate Spade purse rip-offs, real gold hoop earrings and colored contact lenses.

5. Studio Wardrobe Dept. (1357 N. Highland Blvd., Hollywood; 323-467-9455) Hours are 10 a.m to 10 p.m. This is a vintage lover's fantasy, with dresses priced from $2 to $12 and real fur coats for $12.

6. The Citadel (5675 E. Telegraph Road, City of Commerce; 323-888-1220) Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. This bastion of off-price fashion is packed with designer outlets for men, women and children offering current and past-season merchandise at 30 to 70 percent off retail, but the most popular is Betsey Johnson, where you can buy the same sequined tube top Kirsten Dunst wore to her prom for $84.

7. Aaardvark's (7579 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles; 323-655-6769) Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Embellished cropped jeans are $30, and complete tuxedo ensembles start at $50. Fans of this funky used clothing store include Shannon Tweed, Cher, Madonna and Prince.

8. Cooper Building (860 S. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles; 213-627-3754) Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. One of the oldest discount fashion resources in the heart of the wholesale garment district, you'll find Guess? clothes, Jones New York purses and Charles David shoes.

9. Squaresville (1800 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles; 323-669-8464) Hours 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Located in the gritty, funky Silver Lake/Los Feliz neighborhood, Squaresville has vintage and current designs for the club crowd, including poofy '80s party dresses priced from $22 to $80 and black leather pants for $50.

10. The Place and Co. (8820 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles; 310-645-1539) A resale boutique for men and women, with Donna Karan pants suits priced at $295 and gently-worn Valentino, Escada and Chanel ensembles marked from $3,000 down to $450. They've also got those glittery Judith Leiber handbags seen on Oscar's red carpet.

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