The Fancy Dress Shop on Clifton Street is, as far as I know, the largest shop of its kind in…read moreCardiff. I know of a coupe of others but they are only half the size. There may be one in the city centre that is larger, but I don't like shopping at chain stores and so I tend to give the main shopping streets a pretty wide birth if I can help it. I don't go a bundle on fancy dress parties, and tend not to bother unless I'm under some pretty heavy-duty duress to comply. I have only ever hired a costume once, and considered the whole episode to be a stress-inducing exercise. At least I didn't have to contend with the problem of choosing what kind of outfit to wear... the dress code was pretty strict, and so I was obliged to wear what I was told, (how much fun is that!?) Anyway, what I found stressful was the fact that I had to collect the darn thing and then not spill anything on it when I wore it and return it in mint condition to the hire shop... all very tiresome when you are working full time! I have had cause to use the Fancy Dress Shop however. I used to live and work at a visitor centre near St Hilary where we would regularly host weekend events that often involved performances of differing kinds. For one particular event I was tasked with delivering a number of costumes to the Fancy Dress Shop to be altered as I was one of the few people there that had a car. Once inside, curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn't resist having a good look round. I was really impressed by the stock and would definitely use this shop if I was ever invited to a fancy dress party again... although, if my friends get round to reading this review, I'm sure that the chances of this happening would be pretty slim!

Fancy dress party? Masked ball? Skirt shortened? Nettie will sort it for you…read more Netties fancy dress shop is a second home to circus people, musicians, artists and Cardiff's alternative scene. At night elves work and play here, lights flicker, laughter and music can be heard. Nettie is also the mother of Club Love. As well as being a seamstress she puts on club nights with her 'Spiral brothers' DJ lover in venues around Cardiff and beyond. The recent Clifton street renovations whilst causing a lot of upset seems to have really benefited some businesses and this is one of them. The new Fancy dress shop front looks sparkly and inviting and you can instantly see what's on offer - wigs, novelty, off-the-rail stuff, retro items, alterations and the custom made.

This isn't just your typical fancy dress place catering to the needs of the weekend hen party, no…read morethis place is a huge warehouse of costumes with anything you can probably imagine dressing up as. A lot of what they do is costumes for Film, TV and theatre so they pretty much have costumes that represent every period in history. The ladies who work there are fantastic, they can make you an outfit or source something specific your looking for if they don't have it. They even offered me tea and biscuits while I waited to pick up a load of costumes. There is also a selection of outfits and wigs to buy. Its not in town and has plenty of car parking space too so its easy to access by car and only a 5 minute walk towards the bay from the train station.

They wouldn't let me walk on my own, the woman followed me. she asked me to find another Jesus…read morecostume for cheaper and then squirted me with water.

I'm probably too old to find some of the stuff on sale as amusing as I do, and I'm slightly ashamed…read moreto admit that I have on occasion even purchased some items (trust me they're incredibly funny at a house party after a few drinks). They sell all the usual items such as whoopee cushions, itching powder, candles that won't blow out, but my personal favourite has to be the boiled sweets which taste of garlic (you should have seen the look on my flatmates face). To be honest though, there's far more fancy dress outfits available than actual jokes. The selection is rather good, they have your usual outfits such as nuns, super heroes, policeman etc. but there's nothing really original (I've seen the same products elsewhere. But great for a student party or night out.

i Claudius is a vintage clothing and fancy dress shop, so you can go there to pick up a pair of…read morebell-bottomed flares, a full body bee costume, or accessories such as masks and wigs. When I last walked past the shop, the mannequin outside appeared to be a cross between a terrorist and a clown, with a sign strung around its neck saying 'Make peace not war'. Inside the window the mannequins were modelling a range of the shop's animal costumes. The staff are on the ball, and offer an alterations service if items on display don't fit you - but they can be a bit pushy at times. The shop's emphasis definitely seems to be on fancy dress over vintage, nowadays, whereas in the past (I think) it was the other way around.

Fantastic. First of all; a good fancy dress shop is hard to come by these days, and secondly; this…read moreis a brilliant one. I must offer a warning to start with; the models outside are terrifying. Honestly. They change from time to time, depending on the mood of the shop owner, but were sinister, nasty, horrifying models the last time I went. A peculiar, pale butler holding a tray with a model of a heart on it stood on the right hand side. On the left there was a freakish monster, all guts and entrails, that looked like a cross between Frankenstein's monster and Predator. I found it worrying that kids weren't at all bothered by these terrifying objects while I needed medical attention. If you do make it inside, the shop is brilliant. Not going for such a mainstream audience, the costumes are original and novel here. The Wolf costume particularly impressed me. This is what costume shops should be, quirky and original with a dose of the weird.

Toys N Things is a great little independent toyshop on the Wellfield Road. It's not quite as big as…read moreits competitor, Stepping Stones, a few doors down, which acts as a distribution centre as well as a retail outlet, but Toys N Things is, in many ways, just as good. It seems that they both share a similar ethos, with Toys N Things supplying educational games and toys for children of all ages, just like its counterpart. Stepping Stones is not as colourful as Toys N Things, but that's mainly due to the fact that the latter cashes in on all of the ultra-popular big brand names like Barbie and does a fine line in fancy dress with all of the usual suspects covered. It is also a joke and novelty shop that supplies fireworks. I'm not so keen on fireworks but I am rather partial to whoopee cushions and things of that ilk... perhaps with exception of stink bombs and bangers. Toys N Things is not a Stepping Stones copycat. It is very much doing its own thing. I think the latter is more commendable in many respects, but there is definitely a place for what Toys N Things is doing.

Great to see that Wellfield Road has such a good independent Toy Store! The toys on offer are…read moregenerally rather modern, and most are brands such as Barbie, Playmobile, and Doctor Who are on offer. What I really like about this place is that the prices range from the very cheap (ideal for pocket money) to the more expensive, so if you need to buy a toy for someone, you're bound to find something suitable. I think the items in this store would mainly be suitable for 3-12 year olds, however older children (and adults) may enjoy the board games on offer. They do have a small fancy dress selection (mainly wigs), but unless it's an emergency and you need something quick, I would recommend you go to one of Cardiff's excellent fancy dress stores instead!

Where on earth can you get fireworks out of season? Here of course at the Four Seasons. There are…read morealso outfits galore "over 4000" according to their website. These include halloween costumes, kids fancy dress, masks, funky accessories, jokes, wigs, hen party paraphernalia and giggleables, scary stuff, sexy stuff...oh and they also sell cards for all occasions. Not the friendliest of staff, but then they're perhaps too used to dealing with virtual sales I suspect (the majority of their sales are online), however their huge selection of costumes for every occasion well makes up for this. Four Seasons are always adding on weird and wonderful extras to their store, they used to also sell fresh flowers and they are soon to be offering military-ware where the flowers used to be (rather like tarmacking paradise I fancy). The outfits are not cheap, but they are reasonable. The slightly incongruous rack of cards however, contain not the most attractive or modern cards you've ever seen, but very cheap ones. Bargain.

I will admit, the window display left me a bit underwhelmed, but once inside, you'll find pretty…read moremuch anything you need to create the fancy dress outfit of your choice. Four Seasons stocks everything from kids' party favours and fireworks to postcards and helium balloons, establishing itself as a party superstore that may even be the largest of its kind in Cardiff. They also carry some of the widest range of military fatigues I've seen, perfect for paintball excursions, hunting, or hen nights out. The store set-up reminded me a bit of a pound shop, with its dim lighting and cheap shelving units, but the wide selection of stock more than makes up for the lack of atmosphere. And yes, I know it's an overblown-useless-American holiday, but nevertheless, I was excited to see a range of Halloween items on display for those festive souls who buy into the enjoyable consumerism. I know I do.

Good selection of items, always find what I'm looking for. Staff nice and helpful. Can get single…read moreitems when needed and not have to buy in bulk.

Crafty Sew and Sew has the dubious pleasure of being located directly next to the ultra pink adult…read moreshop Passion Online at the Newport Road end of City Road. Whilst this business has opted to carry a cheeky little name that may occasionally raise an eyebrow or two, they have definitely been upstaged, in the controversy stakes, by their immediate neighbours! In many other ways this is the ideal location for this old-style craft shop. It is surrounded by fabric stores, many of which are within a minutes walk from Crafty Sew and Sew, and with companies like Calico selling sewing machines, and Butterfly Fabrics carrying some fabulous materials, as well as some really large fabric stores with phenomenally extensive stock ranges like Fusion, Crafty Sew and Sew couldn't be in better company. All of these businesses support the fundamental drive behind Crafty Sew and Sew, offering patrons of the shop plentiful choice where fabrics are concerned. Crafty Sew and Sew offer a good range of craft items and ready-to-make kits of all descriptions. A visit to the shop is an inspiring experience, and the people that work there are only willing to help. If you are looking to take up a hobby, but are not sure of which direction to go in, I advise a trip to this little Pandora's Box of delights. The advice you will get will be invaluable, and the choices available are impressive, and cater to everyone's budgets.

Calico is located at the Newport end of city road and close to many other competing fabric stores,…read morewhat set this store apart from the competition is the type of material available that Is more suitable for furniture upholstery and home décor such as curtains. There is a range of lighter materials but nothing close to the volume as Terry's or Butteryfly fabrics can offer. The shop also sells a range of furniture and this reflects the heavier materials on sale. The Calico sales people adds just the right amount of helpfulness to the shopping experience allowing you to browse, until you engage them with questions. As home improvement or curtain retailers go this ones got the smaller independent shop atmosphere providing the material for soft furnishings such as cushions, drapes, throws, upholstering etc.

Calico is a furniture shop but it is also a fabric shop. In case you hadn't yet realised I am a big…read morefabric shop fan. I couldn't make an outift for the life of me - unless it involved making holes in a bin bag, tying a belt round the middle and insisting I was creating garbage-bin-chic - but I do love to go and just look at and stroke fabrics. Is that weird? Regardless, this is the last of the fabric shops that we visited on City Road and it wasn't as much fun as either of the other two. The fabric was absolutely beautiful but it is more of a home improvement shop, than a fabric for dressing up shop. Having said that, it is beautiful and the prices are pretty good for what it is. The people who work there are friendly and I felt free to wander around for a while.

Butterfly Fabrics claims to be 'unique in all aspects', and this is in the most part true.... They…read moreare a pretty special little shop that stocks some really gorgeous fabrics. This is hardly surprising considering how long they have been in business; established in 1989, they have been around for over twenty years, and it shows. What's interesting about this is that they opened up shop just before the previous global recession, and having weathered this, they possess the foresight and experience to get through the current one. Butterfly Fabrics is a more upmarket material shop and stocks designer fabrics such as Liberty and John Kaldor, quality silks from India and China, as well as stocking a wide range of craft fabrics for patchworking and quilting. Inevitably the sell all of the associated items to go with this, including patterns for clothes as well as patchworking, along with threads, needles, buttons etc etc... They also stock sewing machines, fabrics for fancy dress and a range of fashion accessories. This is a delightful little shop, (that actually isn't that little), and if you are looking to buy some special material I highly recommend it.

Butterfly is the most expensive fabric shop on city road. My general choice would be Terry's…read morefabrics for the range and lower prices. If you're a textile design student or a seam person you will appreciate the more ordered sorting and layout to Butterfly fabrics, the sorting starts at the books of patterns and continues to the wheels of fabrics. If your need a fancy dress or starting tailoring and fashion this is a must see store. Satin, Silk, cotton and various other materials in a multitude of patterns are available and in stock. They also sell all the craft accessories you could ever need with roles of thread and sewing equipment and supplies. The materials here are more stylised and meant for serious tailors and dressmakers, art people and design students. Invariably the shop is generally quite so you will have all the expert advice at hand from the staff.