Thursday 9 May 2013

Cardiff Fashion Quarter

CFQ

 Today I shopped at the Cardiff Fashion Quarter. I always manage to buy my best vintage pieces in Cardiff. Like Manchester, Cardiff is a youthful city full of inspirational creative people making their mark in the city centre. Every time I visit Cardiff, I make a point of going through the arcades as you can find some really interesting boutiques in there. However, last night in the pub, my boyfriend picked up leaflet for this amazing gem which overnight has become my new Cardiff shopping destination!

CFQ is an old converted cinema situated on Womanby Street. If you are a regular to the epic Cardiff night life, then you will have heard of Welsh |Club which sits opposite CFQ. I have been on many nights out down this strip and never come across this place, which is strange because the art work on the outside is something that would usually catch my eye! I blame alcohol...

Love my 90's up-cycled Blue Rinse crop top and was determined that the sun would come out!

Not dressed for the windy weather!! 

We decided this picture will do, it was bloody freezing!
Inside lies a thrift shoppers paradise! There is something for everybody, vintage collectors and jewellery magpies a like! My boyfriend found some really great rock t-shirts and thick plaid shirts at bargain prices and also a record shop, so he was kept happy!

There was an abundance of vintage clothing, but what I really loved were the boutiques who were up-cycling house accessories such as mirrors and lamps. I will definitely be going back for a lamp when I have the money. I found some really good quality vintage shoes too, which would of gone perfect with my floral dresses if my feet were not too big...

Split Ends Vintage Stall
View from the top
 Penny Lane Vintage
Penny Lane is a vintage boutique within CFQ. The woman who owns Penny Lane hand picks quality vintage pieces. You can really build an outfit for a good value price here. I think she has a knack for picking jewellery, trinkets and mirrors. These one off pieces can all be picked up at a very affordable price. 


Just could not decide what to pick from this treasure trove of brooches!


Pretty bead necklace cost me £1

Vintage compact mirror £13


Face powder inside

Beautiful floral design
I spent ages going through the compact mirrors. They were all in very good condition and each had a unique design. I finally decided on the one pictured above to be included in my collection. I'm not sure the era of which this compact was manufactured but on finding the company name inscribed on the inside of the mirror I looked it up on the internet. The mirror was made in England by a company called Zenette which dates back to the 1930's. However, appears popular in the 1950's. Given the design on the front I think it maybe 1940's, if you know any better please tell me, I would love to know! 

If the images above have interested you please visit Penny Lane's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PennyLaneVintageBoutique?fref=ts 

Milk Five Sugars
Milk Five Sugars make really cute accessories out of doll house furniture. Milk Five Sugars is a sublet of the boutique Nelly's Treasure Trove full of vibrantly printed cushions, quirky hair accessories and frames and mirrors customised with comic books. 

Pick and Mix Sweet Style Packaging



Tea Cup ring £7.50

Love my new ring


Accessories Stand



Nelly's Treasure Trove

Nelly's Treasure Trove

Birthday Gift for my Dad
My Dad's birthday is coming up and he is, like most men, the hardest to buy for! I know that he loves pop art and he has a very old-school, slapstick kind of humour. But his taste is very alternative and very hard to get right and can be very pricey! But, my earliest T.V memories was watching Beavis and Butthead with my dad, even if I didn't understand the jokes at the time we loved watching this programme. So, when I saw this up-cycled picture frame with a comic strip of Beavis and Butthead on,
I knew I had to get it. I'm thinking of spraying the inside black though so that my dad can put some modern art work inside it.










If your in the Cardiff area I definitely recommend CFQ, It's also a great way to support you local community. So go shop!! Help support your local independents.

Follow CFQ on Twitter: @CardiffCFQ

Kimberly X













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