Oh this old thing?
You might call it vintage, or preloved, or sustainable, but surely you've noticed everyone is wearing secondhand these days. Even the actual queen's granddaughter borrowed a frock from her granny for her own wedding day. If you're sick of scrolling though Depop and Ebay's getting you down, grab a shopping bag, lace up your docs and hit the streets. Cardiff has got the vintage gear you've been waiting for, and we know just where you need to go to find it.
Image Credit: Hobo's Vintage
Hobo's Vintage
26 HIGH ST ARCADE
Don't let the exterior fool you: Hobo's may be a teeny-tiny shop, but once you're inside—my gahd!—they make good use of that space. It's an absolute riot of colour, with 80s leisure wear vying for space with oversized baseball tops, leather bombers and Hawaiian shirts galore. They really know their stock too; if you are after an oversized plaid shacket that will fit a UK8, they can pull out three and suggest something to wear them with. If you ask nicely, they will let you tip-toe down the winding stairs to the lower level, which is where the accessories–as well as more clothes– can be found. A rainbow of Converse in colours that were retired long ago, funky ski goggles, beaten up crossbody satchels and bucket hats for days.
Flamingos Vintage
CAPITOL CENTRE
Buying vintage gear by weight is nothing new in the US, where warehouses are piled high with denim, flannels and cords sold by the kilo instead of priced individually, but in the UK it's still a relatively fresh idea. Over the last year or two, Cardiff has seen a couple of pop-up kilo sales take over an empty space for a weekend, but Flamingo is a permanent–and welcome–addition to the city's vintage scene. Most of the stock is from the 70s, 80s and 90s–think rows of jeans, college sweatshirts and bomber jackets. There is a £4 sale rack as well as a couple of rails of branded gear, which is priced individually, but where's the fun in that? Treasure seekers need to rummage the rails, then load their haul onto the giant weighing scales to find out just how much bang you can get for your buck.
Albany Road charity shops
Did you know that if you take a walk from one end of Albany Road to the other, you can forage in 7 charity shops?
Take the left turn at the end down Wellfield Road and you'll clock up another 3. Now, don't come here expecting cast off cashmere sweaters–for swanky swag you need to hop on a bus and head Penarth–Albany Road's chazza's are strictly for last year's Pretty Little Thing party dress or a barely worn parka from Boohoo. If your housemate is too rich or lazy to list stuff on Depop, this is probably where it will end up.
There are currently excellent stock levels, because everyone had such a massive clear out during the summer lockdown, and the diverse mix of people in the area mean you never quite know what you will find. Unworn golf shoes and a patent leather Mickey Mouse belt, anyone?
Sobeys Vintage
31 ROYAL ARCADE
The oh-so-friendly Sobeys team have a passion for knowing exactly what’s ‘in’, selecting the most stylish vintage and reworked pieces to offer at student friendly prices. Their loyal customers keep tabs on the weekly stock drops on socials, before heading into town to discover the delights of each delivery. Think timeless vintage slip dresses, groovy patterned shirts and classic low rise flares, plus fresh frames and jewellery that would make the perfect addition to any vintage fit. Shops like Sobeys beg the question: why contribute to the pollution caused by ‘fast fashion’ when you can go green and opt for garments that are totally original, far more durable and still bang on trend?
Hatts Vintage Emporium
CARDIFF INDOOR MARKET
What sort of fella shops at Hatts Vintage Emporium? The best dressed fella in Cardiff, that's who. The self-styled Traders to the Dandy, Hatts is heaven to anyone who has ever practised tying a half-Windsor knot in a pure silk necktie in the mirror. A tiny unit in the indoor market, Hatts is tricked out with vintage shop fittings and piled high with tweed blazers, wool trousers, and caps, bowlers, panamas and trilbies; tiny drawers slide open to reveal shiny cufflinks, crisp handkerchiefs and tortoiseshell combs. The aesthetic is very much Peaky Blinders, with a side order of Agatha Christie. Sharp tailoring, crisp shirts and perfectly trimmed moustaches. Because sometimes, denim just won't do.
