Couture is the brainchild of Rachael Corrigan, who only recently relocated her designer boutique…read morefrom Swansea to the quaint corner of High Street Arcade. If you're a Pussy Galore lover, then you'll find Couture is definitely worth a hearty browse of its eclectic kaleidoscope dresses, tops and skirts. Black seems to be the only colour in shortage here. With a Yankee Candle ablaze in the corner and no discernible decor , Couture is one of those boutiques where the clothing rightly takes centre stage. Only the ground floor was available for shopping when I stopped by, and Rachel explained that once the massive delivery of A/W stock arrives, the first floor will open as well (this is where the dressing rooms are hiding). I found a few items that'd suit my small-but-strong frame, but overall, Couture's clothing is a bit ostentatious for my liking, although it's evident the pieces are exquisite and well made. Couture indeed. The shop is tiny (much like the quirky dresses you'll see here), but thankfully you're not overcome with that claustrophobic feeling like when browsing other designer boutiques in the city, thanks to the austere interior and absence of unbounded clothing racks.

I love Noa Noa, and have bought plenty of eveningwear and sweet summer outfits from them. They are…read morehard to resist! Producing individually designed, well made clothes at exceptionally good prices compared to the commensurate offerings from the top end of the clothing chain shops, this Scandinavian shop has my loyalty! I have to admit that I often wait for the sales. They really know how to shift stock fast to make way for the new season. Incredible bargains are their only ploy, which suits me down to the ground!

The problem with me reviewing this place is that I'm not really the target market. I could really…read moresee that from the window display but I thought I should give it a go. In case you are wondering why I would be so foolish, I have my cheerleading ball coming up soon. I had found a dress but then it was sold out of my size. In desperation (after looking at many MANY dresses on websites and driving my housemates to distraction) I turned to the shops I hadn't visited before. The staff were really lovely, though none of them seemed genuinely pleased to help me - this is probably because they knew that I wouldn't buy anything... The fact is, though, that I don't think my mother or grannie would shop here...

Although it's a little shop and out of the way of the main street, Koo Koo Madame has lovely unique…read morepieces at great prices, their jewellry and accessories are stunning. The staff are always willing to help.

Beautiful items in here! Its great if your looking for somthing abit different. Prices are very…read morereasonable so this shop is also good for gifts. Plesant and helpful staff are always willing to help if possible.

This is a great shop to have a rummage through, and you're likely to find something incredible…read moreevery time. Because this is vintage clothing, you often have to spend quite some time in this shop to find what you're looking for. This is sometime a bit frustrating when you've found something that you love, only to realise that they don't have it in your size. This isn't a high street store where they have everything neatly lined up and labelled; you have to really work at shopping in this store! And, of course, the staff have to be very helpful because of this. And they are. If they've spent 20 minutes searching with you for something, you feel terribly guilty if you then turn around and say you might give it a miss. The only issue with this place are the the high prices, as have been mentioned time and again by the frustrated shopper of Cardiff and the lovely other yelpers.

Probably Cardiff's best city centre retro / vintage store, Hobo's is a vibrant little shop that…read morecrams a lot into its tiny and rather cramped space. The shop mainly sells clothing and accessories spanning the decades since the 60s, although in the window display you'll also some odd gifts and novelties such as greetings cards, purses and even bathtime rubber ducks with bizarre designs - including one with a Rubik's cube theme. From second hand jeans, old leather jackets, and retro t-shirts to brightly patterned summer skirts and dresses, they have a really good clothing range and seem to update and add to their stock fairly frequently. You can also pick up retro style sunglasses, old belts, hats and other accessories. As is the case with most vintage stores, the prices aren't cheap - but for those of your who are students, Hobo's offers a helpful 10% discount.

This place has such friendly, helpful staff who are always willing to give you an opinion without…read moregiving you the sense that they're simply trying to make a sale. The store itself has a good selection of clothing, which they often have on sale. Plus some really pretty changing rooms!

Coast is a dress shop. It sells lots of lovely, wonderfully pretty dresses and skirts and frocks…read moreand lederhosen and other womanly clothes that I, as a bloke, don't understand. Why is everything so intricate with you girls? Men put on pants and a shirt and they're done. With women, there are like sixteen layers to every outfit you wear and the end goal seems to want to make you look as much like a cake or as much like a cat as possible. As a bloke, I can't offer much criticism of the style. But knowing one of the managers once, I can say she was a consummate professional and, seeing her work, I could tell she was an exceptional sales person for this store. And this has been my continued experience with this shop. When I've entered the store looking to buy something for a ladyfriend, the staff have been incredibly helpful to my lost-in-the-woods little self. They clearly have experience dealing with clueless men, as they know all the right questions, and just how to interpret the equally clueless answers they are bound to get. Nothing I've bought from there has ever been a disappointment, and I can't say that's down to my great taste.

Went to Luxor with my best friend, staff amazing with supporting you with what will suit you,…read moreclothes for lots of occasions, we bought some amazing clothes, we are very happy with all we bought. Staff very helpful and kind as usual we are looking forward to our next visit to the store. Thank you Heather and Kavian we love all the new stock keep up the good work making us look lovely at our events. Thank you Lucie and Ceri

Luxor is managed by a very knowledgeable woman called Heather. She seems to know everything! And I…read moredon't mean just fashion! She also knows everything there is to be known about the other shops on the Wellfield Road. This area is nothing if not a tight knit community! She also knows a thing or two about sartorial taste, branding, and what works well in this part of town. There are clear aspirations to the business that she runs. It is targeted to the 16 to 45 age range and offers unique clothes at affordable prices. There is nothing smug about Heather, but there is a calm confidence born of the understanding that she occupies a niche in the market that has allowed this Persian owned business to fair quite well throughout the recession. The fact that the owner is Persian is no small influence in the success of the shop as well. Not only are the Iranians world-renowned for their sophisticated taste, but this also means that he has access to clothing manufacturers that no-one else knows about. It's perfect recipe for success! Original, intelligently designed, well made clothing, stocked at reasonable prices, with no repeat stock, keeping the look of the place really fresh and eminently enticing!

Pussy Galore simply screams WAG to me, though I love what Tiffany said about Katie Price (she'd…read morecertainly feel at home in here). The clothes in my opinion are rather tacky and agree with Laura that they're fairly pricey compared to the high street. Despite all this however, I have a slight soft spot for this place. Whilst I would categorically never buy anything from here (let alone wear anything), many a time I've dragged a friend in here, as everything from the clothes to the very name of this boutique, simply amuses me. Trust me if you're after a laugh visit this store, you won't quite be able to believe that people actually wear and pay for these clothes.

Ah, this shop has not gone down well with my fellow female Yelpers. Yeah, I will admit that when I…read moreused to walk by the window and saw the clothes on display, I usually just kept walking. But then, one day, knee-deep in my closest mate's closet, I kept pulling out exquisite dresses in emerald, subdued silver and rich onyx colours, and I kept asking, "Where did you get this?!" And strangely, they were all bought from Pussy Galore (she kindly let me borrow one for a work summer ball and it was nice to wear something a bit more unique that wasn't seen on three other ladies). Admittedly, you have to hunt to find a few that aren't covered in embellishments you often see on one of those ridiculous dog outfits, but I'm going to go against the anti-Pussy tide and say there is quite a nice, albeit small, selection of beautiful, well-made dresses in that shop. And I like the shop name, actually. I admire boldness, even if it borders on tacky and obscene. I think that trumps a boring, unimaginative retail name like "Dorothy Perkins" any day.

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.