It’s been an amazing year says Sophia Norris

Shopkeeper Sophia Norris is ready for Valentine's Day, at Pocket Watch and Petticoats, Ipswich (Image: Archant)

Love is in the air - at Pocket Watch & Petticoats retro boutique.

Owner Sophia Norris has dressed up her window, and herself of course, in glamour gear to encourage the guys, and gals, to get into the mood for St Valentine’s Day.

“It is all about getting the lovin’ feeling,” she laughed, “What is wrong with a little bit of romance?”

It has certainly been a romantic first year for Sophia who opened her retro and bygone chic boutique above Twist ‘n’ Shout in St Stephen’s Lane.

Here there are clothes for the guys on the ground floor, with owner Alan Rayner, and Sophia has hers - for the girls, upstairs.

Her shop is a riot of colour.

“Of course we still have a few winter coats - it is still so cold.

“But I have gone for lots of vibrant colours for the Spring, We want to see more colour in the New Year. I have brought in loads of new lines for the Spring.

“We had a brilliant Christmas, it was my first one here, of course.

“People have been so supportive and it hasn’t stopped really.”

Her partner Adrian had helped out in the shop over the busy Christmas period too, she said.

The Pocket Watch & Petticoats boutique won the Ipswich Independent Business of the Year Award 2015, which is run by Ipswich Central.

Sophia added: “It has been absolutely brilliant. We are looking forward to another great year and we have lots of exciting plans and new developments to come.

“I absolutely love it.”

She also has great family support, including from actress sister Carli Norris, formerly of Holyoaks and Holby City on television.

Carli is now in EastEnders playing Belinda Slater.

Sophia said: “She is a bit retro; it would be great to see her in EastEnders in some of my clothes! Who knows, maybe it will happpen.”

Pocket Watch & Petticoats

3 St Stephen’s Lane, Ipswich

Also on Facebook