The Celebrity Traitors is back, and Claudia Winkleman's wardrobe is proving almost as intriguing as the gameplay. Along with her signature fringe, fake tan and kohl eyeliner, the presenter is once again leaning into the gothic, country-inspired aesthetic that has become synonymous with the BBC hit. Rich autumnal textures, sharp tailoring, tartan and statement outerwear define the look, all styled by her longtime collaborator Sinead McKeefry.
A Distinctive Mix of Punk, Prep and Highland Dressing
The pair have worked together for 18 years, developing a shorthand that allows them to build Claudia's wardrobe around the drama and setting of the show. The result is a distinctive mix of punk, prep and Highland dressing, with designer pieces sitting alongside high-street finds.
It's a formula that has had a remarkable influence beyond the castle. Tartan, kilts, chunky boots, tweed and oversized coats have all become fixtures of the autumn high street, while Claudia's individual pieces regularly send viewers searching for their own versions. McKeefry described the appeal of the wardrobe as surprisingly straightforward: “The styling isn't overcomplicated. The individual items aren't scary.”
Episode Highlights and Where to Shop
For episode seven, Claudia opted for an androgynous rust tweed suit, styled with an orange tie and matching socks. The suit is a bespoke number from Barrington Ayre, a tailor who also created a suit for James Blunt in the series. Mango's structured wool suit is a sharp alternative, while Reiss's brick red suit is closer in colour. The fringed loafers hail from Church's, but M&S brogues are a stellar swap-in.
In episode six, Claudia turned to one of her go-to British designers, Bella Freud. The full-Freud ensemble consisted of a check suit jacket, matching trousers and a silk pink shirt with the androgynous addition of a tie. Mango's navy tailored suit and River Island's pink satin shirt offer up a similarly sharp look.
For the mission in episode five, Claudia wore one of her loudest looks to date, pairing a faux fur trapper hat from Depop with a sold-out coat from the M&S x 16Arlington collaboration. Beneath hero outerwear, she wore balloon trousers from Comme Des Garçons with the luxury label's matching Buckled Cotton Shirt.
High-Street Alternatives and Budget-Friendly Finds
In episode four, Claudia opted for a black pleated midi skirt from one of her go-to labels, Le Kilt, with a pink Comme Des Garçons's Cotton-Poplin Shirt, and a pair of Grenson black brogues. One of her most punk-infused looks yet featured a Chopova Lowena Arabesque Knee Skirt – this Sandro number creates a similar look (£269.99, Selfridges.com) – and a Judy Clark Ebony Puff Sleeve Knitted Jumper, with H&M's shoulder padded knit as a great high street alternative (£35, Hm.com).
For episode three, Claudia wore a knitted vest with metallic detailing from the independent knitwear label Genevieve Sweeny (£212, Genevievesweeney.com) over a With Nothing Underneath white shirt with exaggerated cuffs (£120, Withnothingunderneath.com). The dramatic brocade black skirt is a Connolly number (£1,200, Connollyengland.com), but this Karen Millen style achieves a similar look (£111, Karenmillen.com). In the mission, she embraced tartan once again in an Alexander McQueen skirt with a white ruffled lining (£649, Flannels.com), paired with a Paul Smith wool black bomber jacket (£520, Paulsmith.com), which looks near-identical to this Topshop style (£70, Asos.com).
Signature Looks and Hero Outerwear
In episode two, Claudia opted for a waxed Marron jacket from Barbour (£269.99, Barbour.com), styled with a pair of Brora wrist warmers (£65, Broraonline.com). For the first roundtable of the season, McKeefry styled Claudia in a black Shushu Tong drop waist dress – this Karen Millen dress achieves a similar look (£125, Karenmillen.co.uk) – over her go-to Cos polo neck (£45, Cos.com).
In episode one, Claudia wore her trusty pair of Spanx leggings (£30, Spanx.com), styled with a Comme Des Garçons ruffled blouse beneath a structured blazer. Her hero winter coat hails from Scottish label SKYE By Brora. The wool bomber jacket (£545, Broraonline.co.uk) features buckle detailing and a flattering boxy cut, paired with vintage Vivienne Westwood trousers characterised by their skirt over-layer. The tartan style perfectly encapsulates The Traitors aesthetic – and is easy to replicate on the high street, with this Albaray wool coat (£198, Albaray.co.uk) and Boden's plaid trousers (£98, Boden.co.uk) as alternatives.
