The second season of BBC hit reality game show The Traitors has finally come to a close, but for all the gripping intrigue, twists and cliffhangers, what we were really hooked on – and are now missing terribly – is host Claudia Winkleman‘s outfits.
Every night the presenter cycled through a string of enviable looks, elevating, modernising and punking up British countrywear classics (the series is set in the moody Scottish Highlands) with romantic pearls, ruffles and lace, opulent black velvet and glam gothic jewel tones.
Keep scrolling for all Claudia Winkleman’s The Traitor’s outfits
Given how much we love the high-low mix here at Red, we were in awe of how expertly Claudia’s stylist blended luxury fashion (the finest cashmere, designer coats, Saint Laurent boots etc.) and heritage brands (Barbour, Holland Cooper etc.) with more affordable high street pieces, including Decathlon jodhpurs and a pair of red leather fingerless gloves – £25 from Amazon, no less!
So, who is the creative talent behind the covetable outfits still dominating office natter, WhatsApp groups and social media? That would be Sinead McKeefry, who also styles Claudia for Strictly Come Dancing (think the star’s signature monochrome, with the odd flurry of sequins).
For The Traitors, Sinead brainstormed a mood board with Claudia and they settled on a unique blend of “Ronnie Corbett, Princess Anne and Madonna in her Guy Ritchie days”. The pair “have the same aesthetic”, and took a lot of inspiration from fashion muse Lady Amanda Harlech – “her attitude is that country chic, a bit of a dirty welly, but it’s got a punky element to it too”.
The round table scenes, where contestants gather to banish someone they think is a traitor, were a chance to ramp up the drama and “use more structure, fabrics like lace and velvet, and edgier cult labels like The Vampire’s Wife“.
Predictably, the passion for Claudia’s The Traitors clothes has prompted plenty of sell-outs – Sinead was getting 600 messages a night when the show aired and “even the more serious fashion set were going wild for the looks”– but there are still some pieces available to buy (shop the links below, but be quick!).
To get The Traitors look for less, here are a few of Sinead’s top tips:
Head for the menswear section. “I personally will always buy from menswear,” she told us. “For the show I’ve used Johnston’s of Elgin, Officine Generale, Cordings of Piccadilly, Church’s and more. But even a classic navy cashmere jumper from M&S can be elevated with some of those little lacy wrist cuffs from ME+EM, or even Amazon these days.”
Smarten up your staple leggings. “Get a good pair of high street leggings – the Spanx ones we use are £50 and don’t look like shapewear at all – and you can wear those with a nice tweed blazer. Ditto the Decathlon jodhpurs I got for Claudia in multiple colours for £23.99 each.”
Try Reiss or Jigsaw for “incredible” tailoring. “I love a black velvet Saint Laurent suit but actually tell clients to look at these two brands for a more wearable alternative. You’re still going to be paying £200 or so for a jacket, but you’re only going to buy it once. It’s not Saint Laurent, but that works for the TV because it’s so dramatic. In real life, you’d probably actually choose the Reiss or Jigsaw style because you’ll get more use out of it.”
Let’s take a stroll through Claudia Winkleman’s best outfits of series two, below. Then it’s a case of ‘see you next year’. as The Traitors series three has already been confirmed. Hurrah!
Episode 12
We were very much not ready to say goodbye to our nightly dose of January fashion inspiration. But happily, Sinead and Claudia went out with a bang.
First up was an archetypal mission look featuring some fun red and navy striped fingerless gloves that are sure to prove popular. They’re by Margaux & the Bright Lights, stocked exclusively at Wardrobe 44 and made from pure sustainable cashmere sourced from Mongolia.
Claudia was also seen in a grey tweed blazer printed with ‘Traitor?’ on the back. Iconic.
Then, for the last roundtable of the series, Claudia was back in her beloved The Vampire’s Wife – because really, which other brand feels quite so perfectly her?
Claudia’s crystal-studded, sharp-shouldered, black velvet blazer has sold out at Matches, where some lucky folk snapped it up for 80% off. However, we’ve hunted down a couple of alternatives that tick a similarly striking box:
Episode 11
When we spoke to Sinead at the beginning of this series, she promised us a fashion moment so “completely outrageous” that, when it hit, we’d know it was the one she meant. Reader, it unquestionably hit during this episode.
Claudia stole the show in one of the most fantastically OTT coats we have ever seen, courtesy of Saint Laurent. In a styling move that exemplifies her approach, Sinead combined this theatrical designer look with Hunter wellies. But best of all, the coat was heavily fringed – an amusing nod to the host’s own famously heavy fringe!
If you’re here wondering where Claudia’s pink Fair Isle jumper from breakfast is from, then great news: it’s still available from Brora and in the sale. To say we’ve become devout followers of this luxury Scottish cashmere brand’s knitwear while watching The Traitors is an understatement – the entire range is already on our Christmas wish list, 11 months early.
For the penultimate roundtable of the series, Claudia kept things classic with black ankle boots, more Spanx leggings and a black velvet blazer.
We’re not yet sure where the blazer is from – though we suspect Saint Laurent again – but there are plenty of similar styles on the high street right now.
Episode 10
Head-to-toe mossy green (a key colour of the series) kicked off the final week of The Traitors. How will we cope without it – the top-tier wardrobe, let alone the drama?
“Love, love, love the green textures and shades,” wrote Sinead on Instagram, and we firmly agree.
Claudia’s ‘super cool’ chunky balloon-sleeved knit is £225 from Lauren Aston Designs and available in 25 beautiful colours. The coolest part? If you’re feeling crafty, you can knit your own!
The coat we first saw earlier in the series – it’s from Officine Generale but has unfortunately sold out on The Outnet.
For the roundtable, Sinead brought some of her famous Strictly sparkle into proceedings.
Here, Claudia is ‘meaning business’ in a bejewelled black blouse from Self-Portrait, layered under what Sinead describes as ‘maybe the best blazer ever’ from high street favourite Jigsaw. Those hero Spanx velvet leggings make a comeback, too.
Episode 9
When this episode aired, you were no doubt here hunting for this show-stopping red jumper.
Red jumpers are trending heavily among the fashion set right now (see how our very own fashion director is styling hers here), and Claud’s is from premium Belgian-Australian knitwear brand Mr Mittens. It’ll set you back some £400 (sorry), but we’ve found some great more bank-balance-friendly options…
Loving Claudia’s moss-coloured jumbo scarf? Us too. It’s £300 from Nottingham-based small business Rose & Wul, knitted using hands rather than needles by designer Nadine Rose.
There are also lots of chunky knit scarves on Etsy and Not on the High Street, made by some seriously talented crafty folk, so check those platforms out too.
Episode 8
There was another kilt to die for in the eighth episode, slightly longer this time from Le Kilt. It’s £250 and almost sold out but we love this more affordable option from Heritage of Scotland:
Claudia’s cream cable knit jumper, meanwhile, is from Albaray. It’s gone now – blame ‘the Claudia effect’ – but there are tons of similar styles available.
Lastly, of course, it’s time for another round rable, and let’s just say they’ll be a red velvet blazer on your wish list by the time 10pm rolls around.
Claud’s is from Bella Freud, as that long coat was last episode, but it’s shot off the shelves. No bother, just head for the high street…
Episode 7
Claudia brought all the gothic glamour for this show, featuring a dramatic veiled fascinator for a mock funeral, no less. To nail this sombre style, Sinead dressed the host in head-to-toe black, pairing a long Saint Laurent coat with her go-to Spanx leggings. This was high-low fashion at its finest, once again.
Episode 6
Let’s vamp things up, shall we? Claudia’s coat for this episode was a floor-length herringbone tweed stunner by Bella Freud, inspired by Bianca Jagger, £1,250 and sold out in all but one size. She layered it over an all-black look with a pop of accent colour courtesy of her cherry red manicure. *Chef’s kiss*.
For the banishment, Claudia turned once again to a killer sharp blazer (from tweed specialists Walker Slater) and Commando leggings combo.
There is now no room in our wardrobe for all the jackets we need after watching this show.
Episode 5
It’s time for a Burberry trench coat! For this show, Claudia looked to a bonafide classic, thrown nonchalantly over a slouchy camel cardigan by A-list favourite The Row and a silk shirt with romantic lace detailing from ME+EM. Share in our joy when we unearthed that gem in the January sale…
…and a star of a staple trench from M&S:
Now for something a little more dramatic to ramp up the drama…
To send another contestant packing, Claudia wore a ‘mulberry wine’ tweed blazer from small London label Anna Mason, over a blush pink shirt with pearl buttons by LK Bennett (still available in some sizes at John Lewis, or in cream from the brand itself). Her staple black leggings? They’re Spanx!
Episode 4
The fourth episode saw the debut of a roll-neck jumper that has shot straight to the top of our wish list. From the menswear section of Johnstons of Elgin (a luxe Scottish cashmere brand, as per), it’s already disappeared – sob – but we love these snuggly high street takes:
Claudia’s olive green leggings, meanwhile, are from Wardrobe NYC (an ‘excellent investment’, according to Sinead).
Dressing to reign over the round table, Claudia stunned in a sparkly black velvet mini dress by British designer label The Vampire’s Wife.
It’s still available in a few sizes on Flannels, and heavily marked down…
Episode 3
Sinead is so skilled at giving heritage style a fresh, contemporary edge. Case in point: this dream of a countryside outfit that feels both elegant and effortless. Claudia’s fair isle jumper is from Scottish cashmere brand Brora, and in the sale! Check out M&S’s monochrome style too – it looks so much more expensive than £45.
Claud’s Chelsea boots, meanwhile, are Dr Martens, and you’ll see her wearing these a lot throughout the series. Claudia’s exact 2976 Hi Smooth Leather pair (‘the best boots of all time’, she said in The Times) are out of stock in almost all sizes, but there are plenty of other similar styles to browse for a that classic grungy look.
Episode 2
This mossy green cable knit jumper with its playful smiley elbow patches set a lot of tongues wagging. It’s actually a menswear piece by hip Japanese label Kapital but sorry, it’s flown off the shelves. The cute tartan skirt is by Brora, but we’re also loving this Boden number:
Episode 1
Kicking things off in striking Scandi noir style, Claudia rocked a grey and navy argyle jumper from British heritage brand Purdey, layered over a white Peter Pan collar blouse.
Her longline tailored black coat came from Holland Cooper, a brand loved by the Princess of Wales – capped off, of course, with Hunter wellies and Fagin-esque fingerless gloves (one of her signature accessories for this show).
