Cowbridge high street is filled with little boutique clothing shops that tend to cater for the over…read more30s 'ladies who lunch' type that makes up the population so it's refreshing to see an outsider like 'Blushbaby' in its midst. Blushbaby is the shop equivalent of a rebellious younger sister with the tongue piercing and a vodka stash in her wardrobe. It stocks Christian Audigier, Victoria Beckham jeans and a whole host of other rhinestone embellished goodies. In general it boarders on the 'chavy chic' so it's perfect for orange faced WAGs in training. Not exactly my cup of tea, though I really like some of the evening dresses and find it's great for letting my inner footballers wife run riot for a bit.

Blushbaby may be pitching to the younger generation, something that is unusual for clothing shops…read morein Cowbridge, but it most definitely has limited appeal! Instead of the cool and affordable urban street-wear that you find at Amici, here you will find the kind of designer gear that the wanabes want to wear, regardless of the silly price tags. It's all glitz and kitsch dangling off the rails at Blushbaby! It makes me wonder sometimes where we are heading when shops like this survive the recession and other, more commendable shops like Halcyon Daze, (The Little Shop of Calm), look set to close their doors forever in a month or so... Why? The Little Shop of Calm stocks dresses that are about a quarter of the price and have a load more class... so why aren't people buying their gear from there? We seem to be over-awed by the designer label these days, and are somehow seemingly rendered unable to distinguish between a tag and taste! Perhaps Blushbaby would be more appropriately entitled Bamboozled!?! I don't get it!

Situated in Penny Lane Cowbridge, this shop has a large selection of high quality 'nearly new'…read moreclothes. The pieces on sale have all been professionally dry cleaned, are in excellent condition and are up to only two seasons old. I particularly liked their Karen Millen dress at £45, whilst my friend fell in love with a floaty skirt priced at £50. Althoughthe stock was undoubtedly of very high quality I'm not sure if I'm willing to pay £250 for a suit which has been previously owned. The shop also stocks bags, hats, belts and gloves which are all pre owned and new jewellery. There was a good range of sizes available (8-24) and the clothes available ranged from casual to smart.

Don't bother with this place only interested in your money, lie and no after sales care…read more The shop sells previously owned and some new outfits. Not much of a choice but I was lucky on the day I visited. I bought a new outfit for a wedding and was told to return it for the minor alterations (shoulder straps) free of charge I was in a hurry on the day. Pleasant and friendly service when I was buying. When I returned a few weeks later, shop was not very inviting, a bit of a shambles and much less choice if any of new stuff. The owner was very rude and arrogant and implied I was lying when I said she told me that the alterations would be free of charge. I did not misunderstand as I was the only one in the shop at the time with her and another assistant and they were 'gushing' on that occasion and willing to go the extra mile for the sale. I was therefore shocked and appalled by the after service and chose to use a local (to me) service for the alterations. To be honest, I was not prepared to leave my outfit with them as I did not trust the shop to do any alterations professionally to the standard I expected. So whist I was pleased with the outfit after the alteration, I would never recommend this shop. Once they have your cash you're on your own. I also suspect that they will say anything to you when you're choosing (how good it looks on you etc). I doubt that honesty is a consideration

Once voted 'best clothes shop in Wales' by the Western Mail, Havana Boutique is yet Jewel in the…read morecrown of Cowbridge. Knowing they stock Fenn Wright Mason I headed there to buy a gift for my mum's birthday just after Christmas. The sale was spectacular, I picked up a gorgeous printed dress for under £50 (reduced from over £150) and as a treat for being such a good daughter a Betty Jackson dress for £45. I had to be physically removed from a Nicole Farhi cardigan reduced all the way down to a quarter of it's RRP. One of my favourite shops for miles, the prices are just far too good for designer bargain hunters and the quality isn't compromised. I almost feel a pang of sadness recommending it to you in case you take all the bargains for yourself...

Went to colours today just to have an idea of an outfit for my sons wedding. well from stepping…read moreinto the shop for the very first time i felt i was in good hands, the staff were amazing, friendly, helpful and very professional. Julie brought shoes bag fascinator to show me the finished look. thankyou Julie you are a star.

Cowbridge has a reputation of catering for the comfortably wealthy. This fashion shop is trying to…read morecater for the rest of the population. i.e. The ones who have ordinary jobs and who don't have unlimited money to fritter away. It carries an eclectic range of clothing, which seem to range from dressy suits to casual cardis. I find it very hit and miss as to whether I can find something that I like. The range of sizes it good (it caters for normal people, not just stick insects!) However, the colour ranges can sometimes be a bit gaudy, or a bit too dowdy. Still, it's worth a look if you're in Cowbridge, because you may be lucky.

They know what they are doing at the curiously named Gibson & Bond (Men & Ladies Casual…read moreContemporary Clothing). They have some great stock that you'd be hard pushed to find elsewhere in the area, but with a price tag to match! I really like the look of the place and appreciate what they are trying to achieve, but I do think that they give off a little bit of a whiff of trying too hard, and of not always pulling it off altogether... if you know what I mean!? Perhaps the tag line; 'Gibson & Bond - A shop that strives to be different" gives the game away a little? I have a feeling that if they did a little less striving and a bit more relaxing into their mode they would be a touch more classy and a little less... well... obvious! Nevertheless, this is a worthwhile shop which carries some eminently desirable things of beauty. If you have a big fat bank balance I highly recommend that you pay them a visit!

Bought a wonderful grey dress for xmas ,yes expensive £200 but will never go out of fashion and…read morevery unusual have not seen it anywhere else..Excellent service not pressured to buy ,fab leather coats will go back soon.Visit if you want to buy something different.

Hippy havens is what I so lovingly call shops like these - I feel I can say that because I…read moreabsolutely love this store and any like it (I believe in another life I abstained from wearing shoes, lived in a commune and wove baskets for a living). I guess I also adore shops like these because I hate pretentious shopping experiences with blaring dance music and blank-faced shop assistants (I guess I'm getting older?). Little Shop of Calm is indeed is an oasis in the surrounding bustle of Cowbridge High Street. With so much in this boutique to catch your attention, I could easily spend an hour in here, browsing the clothing, jewellery, bags, as well as the ranges of oils, knick knacks, crystals, and crafts from around the globe. If you're interested in attending concerts or poetry readings or taking yoga, Tai Chi, or other classes, check out their website for more information.

Halcyon Daze Little Shop Of Calm has changed its name, but I can't remember whether this is the new…read morename or old... I always simply refer to it as Halcyon Daze. I've never been very good at remembering names and so it's a wonder that I remember this bit! I wish I could remember the name of the manager that runs this shop, because she's very lovely and deserves to be referred to by name. But I can't! This is the second Halcyon Daze, opened after the success of the Cardiff branch. The owners still man the one in Cardiff, hence the need to employ a manager for the Cowbridge outlet. I'm glad they do. This shop is much smaller in size, but still manages to pack things in. They stock a range of bohemian clothing and accessories, and the usual ornaments and healing artifacts. They also possess a wealth of information. They've got a great notice board as well as a business card table, where it's possible to find out about all of the local alternative therapists. If there isn't a card for what you want, then it's worth asking the staff, as they are incredibly knowledgeable.