This is the original H & M in Cardiff and is probably now overshadowed by the shiny new one in the…read moreSt Davids 2 complex. While I like the new shop, I still prefer this one as it tends to be less busy and I prefer the layout which doesn't seem to ram as much into the space as possible. And its also quite clear that your casual wear is on the ground floor and your smart stuff is upstairs. It doesn't have much in the way of designer collections that you can get in the new store but thats ok with me. It seems to have a bigger range of accessories too, or maybe its the same but not so squashed. I guess it depends on where you are in town, but this offers a nicer shopping experience for me.

Everyone knows Topshop is the big gun in terms of the high street clothing retailers. Fine. Ain't…read moreno one taking that title anytime soon. On the other end, you've got Peacocks and Primark, proudly waving the banner of the cheap and cheerful end of the retail spectrum. In the middle of this scale sits the mid-range shops, for those who like their clothes affordable, but built to last more than a month. Here lies River Island, Zara and, perhaps the best of these, H&M. H&M always seems to cater to the fashion conscious who manage to maintain their own style; the ones who haven't been subjected to the Topshop mind control ray and become worker drones to the neon green fashionista aesthetic. They offer a range of menswear that adheres to current fashion trends without becoming too ensconced in them; buy something in H&M and it'll look good throughout the year, as opposed to the three weeks when that particular fashion is in. This store is made with choice in mind, filling two massive floors of the Capitol shopping centre with their massive stock selection.

Bellissima is a really fabulous womens fashion boutique - By far the best in Porthcawl. It has a…read morerange of items, most of the clothes are targeted at middle aged customers, but there really is something for everyone in their range. There is an excellent selection of brands - the ranges they stock are top of the range - so expect to pay for this. There's a lovely evening collection at the back of the store, a nice selection of shoes, handbags and accessories, and they have started stocking gifts and homeware too! The staff are really friendly, and they have really made the most of this prime location on John Street. The shop is beautiful inside and out - a real asset to Porthcawl.

I really dislike this New Look and am very happy that there is a new one in town…read more Going down the escalator you feel like your going into a basement and as such its pretty dark down there, or not dark but just lacking any natural light. Everything feels like its been crammed in and if you ever went there on a Saturday it would be really hard to move around and I very rarely came out with anything. I've never found the staff particularly helpful either, I get the impression if you ask them for help they think you are bothering them.

This new look is almost perfect size, I would say. I have been in some (like the one in St Davids…read more2, quite possibly, though I haven't quite made up my mind about that one yet) that are just a little too large. This one has everything you could want in it. There's the accessories, the shoes, the different ranges of clothes. And the clothes themselves are brilliant - I mean, it's subjective, obviously, but on a little graph of quality versus price on the highstreet, new look would score pretty darn well. The staff are also all wonderful - really friendly and really good about callling over other staff to help get other sizes when you realise you picked up an 18 in stead of a 10... Ooops.

Visage is a high quality dress shop on Cowbridge High Street. I was drawn into the shop by its…read morespectacular window display. the shop stocks a number of designer labels, none of which I was particularly familiar with, but the owner explained they came from some newish London and Italian based designers. The shop had a number of beautiful hats which were surprisingly reasonable at £40. There was a good range of unusual jewellery, at various prices. There was a variety of long and short dresses tops and shirts. I tried on a particularly pretty floaty top, which at £45 was good value (especially as there would be no risk of seeing other people wearing it, unlike popular high street brands). The changing area was delightful, with a lovely sitting area for accompanying friends/partners. I found the owner very helpful and friendly, she made me feel at ease with browsing and there was no pressure to buy. I would definitely recommend this shop when looking for that special outfit, and I think Visage will become one of my regular haunts.

I see Visage as just another women's clothing boutique on Cowbridge High Street that is…read moreindiscernible from any other in the area, unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, the clothes and accessories are absolutely lovely and many are reasonably priced for designer garb (I saw one in the sale for less than £40), but there's nothing especially spectacular that makes it stand out from the rest. Visage offers a varied selection of special occasion outfits, which comes as a relief to those ladies sick of showing up to a wedding in the same dress as three other people. The boutique carries a wide range of designers including Gina Baconni, Beppe Bondi, Save the Queen and Michel Ambers, as well as hats, jewellery and other accessories to ensure your look is complete. The decor boasts mosaic vases, clear-beaded chandeliers (these seem to be a common theme in this area), and frames constructed out of a gilded gold material. It's not my favourite boutique in Cowbridge, but luckily Visage has enough quality clothing and helpful staff that its appeal will reach far and wide.

River Island sells fashionable clothes for the young man and woman. Its one of my favourite stores…read morebecause the clothes are of slightly better quality compared to some high street stores (although prices are lightly more expensive to match!). The Newport store has a range of Womenswear down stairs and menswear upstairs, and the clothing ranges form casual jeans, t-shirts, shirts, and accessories to more formal attire, suits, shirts ties, dresses and shoes. It has brilliant sales in January and the summer, and they cater for a wide taste (however some items would look good on a chav!) Definitely worth a look.

This shop is a thorn in my side. My daughter loves this shop for the latest fashion trends…read more Personally i have lost count of the number of times that i have had to return things due to the quality. One hint i would tell people is keep your receipt, not just until you get home but for a few months after. Faulty goods can only be returned with a receipt. The neon shirts especially i would advice hand washing (which i hate doing) but the neon fades really quick in the machine. Apart from that it is a well laid out shop with friendly but busy staff. Really nice clothes, bit pricey but well worth checking out during the sales as there are some great bargins to be had. Overall one of the best shops for high fashion clothing in Newport.

When I visit the UK, I enjoy getting my fix of the high street shops that haven't yet graced the…read morefair shores of the United States. I'd been reading about Hobbs quite a bit in the press and was looking forward to the chance to check out their smart, stylish and classic yet on-trend range. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of stock on sale and found this shop to be well merchandised and without a lot of surplus inventory to detract from the browsing experience. The clothing itself is high quality (along the lines of Reiss, another of my favorites). I ended up with a t-shirt and a beautiful, embellished-collar bottle green dress that I am looking forward to wearing to the opera and to upcoming holiday engagements. I am hoping that a higher-up somewhere will read this and decide to open an outpost of Hobbs in Chicago.

I'm clearly not old enough to be shopping at Hobbs (yet), however I have been dragged here many a…read moretime by my mother who absolutely adores this store. Whilst I almost wish I could give this place a bad review (payback for the amount of hours I've been made to wait in the changing rooms) I can't deny that clothes are both smart, sophisticated and very well made. This store isn't incredibly big but the stock they do have is clearly some of the best of the Hobbs range. The staff are all approachable, and there's no snootiness that you'd expect from some upmarket high street stores. In terms of prices, Hobbs is definitely on the higher end of the scale when it comes to the high street (expect to pay between £80-£150 for a nice dress). Aside from that there's not really much more I can say except visit Hobbs for yourself!

Unusual in the stock that it sells and the location that it's in, Vernon's is a God's send to…read morePenarth. If you have a night out planned and nothing to wear and you live in Penarth and can't be bothered with town, head to Vernon's and I can pretty much guarantee that you ill find something unusual and gorgeous to wear. The sales assistants are very very helpful and can judge your size with their eye. It aint cheap though, but they have some LOVELY stuff in there, for men and women. Oh, I want to go there right now and spend some of my hard earned cash on something delectable!

i live right next door to vernons and agree this place is great, great cloths and friendly staff…read more Is a little expensive but you pay for quality i think. check it out if your ever in penarth, on a great street, herbert terrace along from the washington gallery

I love Lipsy. I always find that the dresses are gorgeous (although, just like Jane Norman, I'd…read moresuggest it is a place for special occassions for us students) and although some of them do display a lot of flesh, some of them are a little more covering. I don't like how packed in the dresses were because I felt as though I had to skirt around them in order to work around the shop. I guess, though, I'd rather that they had more stock than more floor space. Otherwise I'd definitely be here complaining that their range wasn't big enough. I have never bought anything in here and I've never been asked if I needed help. However, I have overheard conversations between sales people and customers and they do seem lovely!

Unlike most of the other new stores in Cardiff, Lipsy is on Queen St amongst the old stores. Whilst…read moreofficially a chain store, the Lipsy in Cardiff definitely gives off the vibe of a cute little boutique. Small in size it may be, but they certainly manage to pack it full of clothes. If you like sparkle and sequins, Lipsy is the perfect place to get that little dress for your next night out. The dresses usually cost around £50 and rising, which is not as bad as many places. But be warned! The dresses here, are incredibly short, and if you don't really like having lots of flesh on display, head somewhere else!