Cow

I hadn’t been to Cow in years until this weekend. I have fond memories of going clothes shopping with my sister and perusing all the clothes rail of Digbeth! Happy days indeed.
I was pretty pleased to see that Cow hasn’t really changed. Lots of vintage items that were at a decent price considering how much you pay for second hand clothes these days! (Beyond Retro, take note!)
I ended up picking up a snazzy gold sequin jacket that caught my eye (I’m a bit of a magpie. anything shiny and it’s MINE) for only £25!
At the til there was a little note saying the card machine didn’t work so we had to go over the road to find a cash point — not a deal breaker by any means but might have been an idea to put it on the door!
Also — FREE Red Bull? What kind of clothes shop is this? I’m not complaining.
Cow I WILL be back!

My relationship with COW over the years has had its peaks and troughs. Recently though, the store has been on top form! I had a quick look inside as I was walking through Digbeth this afternoon, not intending to buy anything. I was spoilt for choice. The stock was stylish, varied and decently priced. I spotted a 50% off rack and couldn’t resist. I ended up buying a sheepskin coat for just £23, perfect now that the winter nights are drawing in. Considering I only popped in for a look around, I left satisfied with the service and my purchase!

If I am after something new to wear for the weekend this is usually one of the shops I think about first. Situated on Digbeth high street just a few minutes walk from the bullring, it’s a great shout if vintage is your thing.
The rails are full of both men’s and women’s clothes, some of which have been adapted in house to give them a different look or effect. You can find anything from a tie dye t shirt right through to a pair of old school Nike hi tops dotted around this large warehouse space.
I do think Cow is slightly high on some of the prices, but the clothing is always in great condition and has been well selected. It cuts a lot of time out of a vintage shopping trip when you don’t have to go through thousands of below average items to find what you are looking for… or didn’t even know you were looking for!

Situated on Digbeth High Street, it’s worth taking a look inside if you are walking down The Custard Factory. It’s quite a large space selling second had and –up cycled clothing items, as well as handbags and jewellery. I would say judging by the style of goods, this shop is probably aimed at late teens (?!), but you never know you might find something!
The items are well displayed on hangers and neatly arranged, so that you can actually see them properly, unlike some high street shops where everything is rammed on the racks! They seems to have a large range of converse trainers and floaty/​floral tops and dresses.
I don’t often buy anything here, but I always enjoy browsing.

Okay, so ‘vintage’ has been the new black and Cow’s been serving up hipster clothes in hipster-​clad Digbeth for quite some time now.
With a college of fashion/​art a few steps down the street it appears to be in the right place (far enough from Birmingham’s ‘mainstream’ shops) to be cool.
However, most of the clothes in here looked like stuff the contestants on ‘Takeshi’s Castle’ (pretty much the Asian version of Wipeout) wear. Maybe they were as a lot of the clothing in here was literally dirty and stained. Some of the stuff did look like somebody had ran an assault course in it before donating or however they acquire the clothing in Cow.
There’s actually nothing worse than looking through a rail of clothes and feeling your hand brush against a wet stain on a shirt that the shop is actually selling– and seeing that lots of the shirts are like this.
No thanks.

I have no idea why they are called «Cow Vintage clothing» but would love to know why. The shop is a great vintage warehouse and I think It’s a little gem that is underrated in Birmingham because you don’t get many places that sell vintage clothes, shoes and accessories for an affordable price. Despite the fact that it felt like they had the bare minimum and the décor was bland, the shop has a great selection. My favourites were the bags. The staff are friendly and gave nice welcome when I walked in and offered their help.
The décor is just an old warehouse with a few pictures on the walls so I think more vintage décor such as pictures of historical moments and iconic clothing would really make this underrated vintage warehouse stand out. We all know High Street stores have a habit of dominating our shopping experience so I think having more products would be great for vintage lovers like myself and people who like to express their individual style. These improvements would make me want to come here more often.

With it’s large windows and bright yellow frontage, Cow promises much, looking like a massive treasure trove of vintage clothing delights, and to many people, that’s exactly what it is. However, to me, it always seems slightly disappointing.
A great deal of the clothes I wear are secondhand, and my look could hardly be described as modern. You’d have thought me plus warehouse full of fairly cheap second hand clothes would equal happiness, but it doesn’t. For some reason, the clothes just don’t seem that great, and I always leave feeling slightly frustrated. I don’t think it’s just me either — other people I’ve been in with have felt the same.
By all means pop in if vintage clothes are your thing. It’s so big that if you look for long enough in there you’e bound to find something good. The staff are always nice too, which makes me feel a bit bad about giving them a two star review. Unfortunately, that the way it has to be…

‘The yellow building’! That is my nickname for Cow vintage. You can’t miss it! Painted bright yellow from the outside, this large vintage store is once again located on Digbeth High Street. Cow Vintage is a pretty famous store. So many vintage clothes lovers/​fashionista will know about this store already; however if you are new to the wonderful world of vintage shopping then Cow is the first place you should visit.
I’m a regular and I even pop in, most of the time just to take a look at what new items have come in store. My favourite item that I’ve ever bought from Cow Vintage has to be my silver sequin blouse which I personally think is fabulous. I bought it for £20 if I remember rightly and it was well worth it; even though I’ve only worn it twice since I purchased it– I’m afraid it might get damaged and then I’ll cry!
I’ve also bought a few jumpers, 2 pair of retro inspired trousers, 1 gypsy skirt with some spectacular sequins at the back and about 6 bags for there. I can’t even count the amount of tops/​blouses I’ve purchased from Cow… too many to mention.

Cow is one of the biggest vintage shops in Brum and well worth a visit. A large open space in a beautiful building you can’t miss this shop’s bright yellow signage. Be dressed to try on clothes in the store and have a handy friend or stranger snap your picture, as there are no mirrors aside from the ones in the changing rooms. I say be prepared to change in the aisles as on a Saturday you can cue for a while waiting to get into the changing rooms despite the 5 items limit. Be ready for a rummage with an eclectic mix of vintage and up-​cycled items as well as new jewellery. What’s even better about Cow is that they are always clearing out the stock to make way for new by reducing the prices. Visit Cow then scour the smaller vintage shops in Digbeth.

Four years ago hailed the onset of my vintage pilgrimages, and Digbeth Cow became my Mecca. Previously only acquainted with the rare fruits of charity shops, the abundance of second-​hand goodies took me to vintage Heaven. Never before had I seen so much paisley and so many shoulder pads!
The best aspect, in my modest and honest opinion, is the building itself. It’s like a warehouse, stripped down bare. It’s raw. The clothing rails descend from a rather lofty ceiling on chains. If you are anything like me, you will forget this, and get quite a fright when the rail in front of you starts to swing… all part of the fun though, naturally. The overall effect is jolly impressive, to my simple mind.
Once you’ve finished gazing at these suspended rails, you’ll pick your jaw back up off the floor only to drop it again when you take in what it actually on the rails. Clothes. Reams and reams of beautiful, eccentric, retro, old-​fashioned, elegant and quirky clothes. Once you’ve picked your jaw off the floor a second time, you will start to grin. And then, then you will rush excitedly to the nearest rail to begin your feverish rummaging through this magical offering of treats.
Exaggerating? Hardly.
I will offer some advice here. In order to appreciate Digbeth Cow to the extent it deserves, requires at least an hour of your precious time. Otherwise you will leave worrying that you’ve left behind some lovely shirt hanging undiscovered in the corner you never made it around to. Trust me. I now even have a method to prevent this from happening. I start in one corner and snake my way up and down the rails from one side of the shop to the other, stopping every so often to escort the growing pile of clothes on my arm to the fitting room. I don’t leave anything to chance!
Think beyond the dresses and jumpers you have come to expect in these establishments (though you will of course find them aplenty also), but think also of high-​waisted trousers, cast-​off denims, pointy shoes, leather handbags, collections of old-​school prom dresses and treasure chests of belts and scarves and hats. Oh it makes me swoon.
There is one problem I have with this store. I have never been able to leave empty handed. Never. Thus I have resolved to avoid it like the plague when the stability of bank account is threatened. Desperate times, desperate measures. They even accept cards now, so I can’t even protect myself by not carrying cash…
To this day Digbeth Cow remains my favourite of the ‘chain’ (there are also stores in Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham, and Cow 2 in Birmingham city centre) and my preferred place to shop for frills and frocks and all things made of cloth (and leather!)