Don your spats and swing dresses – vintage is in. From the rise of upcycling to the return in popularity of vinyl records, it seems more and more people are discovering the charms of bits and bobs from a bygone era.

This could be, in part, because the vintage market - and its image - is changing. No longer are antiques reserved for a dusty showroom or an episode of Bargain Hunt but instead can be found adorning trendy coffee shops or causing a stir on social media.

While Cardiff and Bristol remain hotspots for retro lovers with the cities’ wealth of antique stores and events, Gwent is filled with plenty of treasure troves if you know where to look.

Christopher Baldwin, 35, who currently runs the vintage section at The Friends of St Anne’s charity shop in Commercial Street, Newport, says he’s always had an interest in ‘anything old’.

“I think it stems from my grandfather, who I loved. He wouldn’t throw anything away. He taught me old is good.

“My favourite items are oddities; anything quirky and kitsch.”

Mr Baldwin said there is no particular age group that visits the store, adding: “Some older folk come in for the nostalgia and younger folk come because vintage and retro is more popular.

“All types of vintage clothing is particularly popular at the minute, as are records and old band t-shirts. But if someone was looking to invest in a piece I would suggest buying something they would love to put in their home.”

Inspired by the success of similar ventures in London, Bristol and Cardiff, Mr Baldwin hopes to open an emporium that incorporates vintage items, a coffee shop and barbers. Of the project, he said: “If it works elsewhere, we can and will make it work in Newport.”

For the latest news of Mr Baldwin’s Black Bear Vintage Emporium visit facebook.com/theblackbearvintageemporium.

Being a town steeped in history and about to celebrate its 950th anniversary, it’s no wonder that Chepstow offers an array of different independent antique stores; most notably Serendipity on St Mary Street and Very Vintage on Moor Street.

For Joanne Vasey, owner of Very Vintage – which also has an online store and a shop in Edinburgh, an interest in ‘old stuff’ started at an early age.

“I used to spend a lot of time with my granny and she looked after a huge country house, so I sometimes used to get to go and explore. I’ve also always loved period dramas so all that has come together and given me a love of old rustic and interesting stuff.”

Very Vintage sources a wide range of items from maps to vintage chemist bottles, but specialises in furniture. It also offers a commission service, shopping for a particular item for a customer or revamping an item that the customer already owns.

Asked of her favourite pieces, Joanne said: “I love old mahogany furniture which have a really worn and weathered look, the tones of the wood are impossible to recreate and give a real sense of the history of the piece. It makes you wonder about the 150 years of people who have owned and used it.”

Much like The Black Bear Vintage Emporium, Very Vintage sees a wide range of customers through its doors.

“Most customers who buy large pieces of furniture are in their 30s or 40s but there are also quite a few in their early 20s and late 60s onwards,” says Joanne. “There’s no real difference between the male and female ratio, the men just take longer to choose!”

If you are looking to invest in a piece Joanne suggests a good quality furniture item, adding: “There are of course trends in all furniture types although the style of pieces in our store is fairly timeless.

“The industrial trend was around for about four years but is very much on the out and has been done to death – and dare I say ruined by reproduction manufacturers.

“The mid-century trend is still around but the market is over-saturated and prices have fallen dramatically apart from high-end Danish pieces.

“An 80s vibe is doing the rounds, possibly aided by the 80s and 90s fashion trend.

“I guess we are lucky as the style of our pieces is simple and classic, the sort of thing you see in glossy country home magazines where the style remains fairly consistent.

“The number one item I can never get enough of is Victorian pine dressers. I had two last week, one sold in two hours and the other in one day!

“Banks of drawers are also very desirable but they have become very trendy and so more are on the market. There is a wide variation in price now so its hard to find a bargain and hard to sell at a decent profit, especially after doing lots of restoration.”

For more information about Very Vintage visit veryvintageshop.co.uk