Winter again already? Autumn winter 2013 preview

Its only been a week since the never-ending winter actually started to give us some respite from the bone freezing cold, and here I am previewing clothes for autumn winter 2013. The advantage in that is that I don’t need to try to visualise what I’ll want to wear in winter while I’m wearing a t-shirt and flip flops. It’s still cold enough for me to wear a scarf and calf length boots so no stretch of imagination was necessary while I perused the press room that showcased autumn winter ranges for Marisota, Fashion World and Bonmarche. Yes, Bonmarche. Stay with me….

Claire Richards (from Steps) has teamed up with Fashion World again but this time, shes not just the brand ambassador, she has made a creative input into her own collection that is looking pretty good.

My favourite pieces from this collection are the navy military inspired coat, and the tweed lurex prom dress. Tweed and prom dress aren’t words you would usually put together, but it works!

The photo isn’t very clear but it has three quarter length sleeves with a ruffled cuff.

While we’re on the subject of coats, I’ll take you back to the Bonmarche issue. Now Bonmarche is a shop I never visit unless I’m with my mother. Mom loves their embroidered tees the way I love jumpsuits. In fact more than I love jumpsuits because I only have one jumpsuit, mom has fifty tees at least. I just can’t bring myself to look through the rails of a shop that sells embroidered velour slippers but next winter I’m going to have to put aside my snobbish ways and hit the store as soon as this coat is available-

Fur collar, herringbone, flared skirt, vintage look- How can you fail to love it? Bonmarche for goodness sake, Bonmarche! 

As if that wasn’t enough, they sealed my new allegiance by offering up this double whammy polkadot peplum dress-

Oh Bonmarche, you’ve come so far.

Another brand I pay very little attention to is Marisota. In days gone by I used to have the Marisota catalogue delivered every season but it was always a bit too mumsy for me and I’ve had this mumsy image seared into my brain ever since. Well I’m searing something new into it because of all the brands I saw at the press event, the Marisota range was the most impressive. Mumsy is well and truly out the window-

Mark Heyes (GMTV) and Colleen Nolan have designed some great pieces for Marisota, some of which are below-

I dare you to not love this dress!

I am saving the best til last. On my way to the press event I passed a woman in a long biker style coat and I thought- wow, I would LOVE one of those in my size. I get to the event and what do I see on the Maristota rail?

I almost screamed right there in the press office. I’m serious. I had to really play it cool but inside I was:

Especially as it comes in two colours, burgundy and black. Summer hasn’t even begun yet but already my winter coat is sorted. Marisota, I love you.

Thoughts?