Quick answer: For The Celebrity Traitors series 2, Claudia Winkleman describes her wardrobe as “human crow meets golf caddy meets the Artful Dodger.” Her looks are put together by her long-time stylist, Sinead McKeefry. They mix British and Irish heritage labels (Brora, Barbour, Purdey, Johnstons of Elgin, Le Kilt) with designer twists, and Claudia’s signature black poncho and red fingerless gloves appear every series (BBC News; Country & Town House).
The missions, the murders and the Round Tables get the headlines, but the host’s outfits come a close second. Since the first series of The Traitors in 2022, Claudia Winkleman’s knitwear, tweed and theatrical capes have become a genre of their own. Here’s what’s behind the series 2 Celebrity Traitors wardrobe, using what Claudia and her stylist have said on the record.
A note on shopping: SpillPop has no affiliate links on this page and earns nothing from any brand mentioned. Prices and stock change quickly, so we’ve left them out.
“Human crow meets golf caddy meets the Artful Dodger”
That’s Claudia’s own summary of this series, given at the press launch: “I like the fact that it is ‘human crow meets golf caddy meets the Artful Dodger’. We’re pretty happy with it” (BBC News).
She expanded on it in the BBC’s official media pack. “It went a little Artful Dodger for this series,” she said. “I borrow a lot of the clothes and the shops / designers were horrified when I asked if we could dip the clothes in tea” (BBC Media Centre).
And the famous fringe is part of the job. Asked how she hides her reactions, she said: “An overly long fringe helps… I try and disappear into the walls at the Round Table.”
Past series, in Claudia’s words
Every series gets its own brief. Country & Town House collected her previous descriptions (Country & Town House):
- The Traitors series 3: “more knitwear, quite a lot of tweed… more big sweaters and at one point I try and look like an actual yeti.”
- The Celebrity Traitors series 1: “Cruella de Vil with a touch of Miss Trunchbull… Unhinged in taffeta was where we went.”
- The Celebrity Traitors series 2: human crow, golf caddy, Artful Dodger.
Who styles Claudia Winkleman?
Sinead McKeefry, who has worked with Claudia for about two decades. Fearne Cotton introduced them. “It was Fearne actually who introduced me to Claudia around 18 years ago. We just clicked instantly,” McKeefry told Country & Town House (Country & Town House).
How a series wardrobe comes together, according to McKeefry:
- 24 looks per series: “There are 12 daytime looks, then 12 round table looks.”
- A mood board first. For the early series she drew on “old pictures of Amanda Harlech, some Jigsaw and Burberry campaigns from years ago,” along with “the right fabrics, textures, colours.”
- Missions shape the theatrics. Briefs can arrive late. For the funeral challenge, “we had 24 hours to send a veil up to Inverness.”
Does she keep the clothes? Mostly not. They’re bought, borrowed or rented for the show. Claudia has said she “snuck home a couple of pairs of gloves, but sadly most of it, I have to give it a little kiss whilst not wearing lipstick, and send it back” (Country & Town House).
The brands behind the look
McKeefry says the foundation is British and Irish heritage labels: “Purdey, Brora, Barbour, Dubarry of Ireland, Johnstons of Elgin – you know, all the heritage brands.” Designer pieces are the “twists” that keep it fresh, like the black fringed Saint Laurent coat from an earlier series or a green Kapital jumper (Country & Town House). Country & Town House adds that McKeefry has been sourcing more labels from Dover Street Market this year.
Series 2 looks, episode by episode
These credits come from Country & Town House’s running outfit tracker (Country & Town House):
| Episode | The look | Credited labels |
|---|---|---|
| Teaser | Moss-green bouclé tweed kilt, sweater vest, wrist warmers | Le Kilt, Brora, Hambro & Miller |
| Episode 1 | Brown wool bomber, tartan trouser-kilt, lug boots | SKYE by Brora, Vivienne Westwood (via Vestiaire), Bottega Veneta |
| Episode 2 (breakfast) | Knitted tank, white shirt, cigarette trousers, pearl wallet chain | Genevieve Sweeney, Purdey, Nili Lotan, Simone Rocha |
| Episode 2 (Round Table) | Black taffeta bubble dress with white bows, over a turtleneck | SHUSHU/TONG, Noir Kei Ninomiya shoes |
| Episode 3 (funeral) | Charcoal knitted vest, white shirt, black brocade maxi skirt | Genevieve Sweeney, Connolly |
| Episode 3 | Black knit, red tartan mini, Fair Isle wrist warmers, black bomber | Uniqlo, McQueen, Brora, Paul Smith, Grenson |
| Episode 4 | Grunge-style skirt, black cable knit, shearling bomber | Chopova Lowena |
| Episode 4 (Round Table) | Black kilt with a pink round-collar shirt | Le Kilt |
Country & Town House says the Episode 2 breakfast outfit “pretty much nails” the series brief. Our reading: the preppy knit and crisp shirt are the golf caddy, the dark palette is the crow, and the pearl wallet chain is the Artful Dodger.
The constant: the hero cape
Whatever the series theme, one outfit appears every time: a black boiled-wool poncho from Luxury Family Affair, red leather fingerless gloves (Country & Town House says she “apparently has a drawer full”), black leggings and chunky Dr Martens boots. If you dress up as Claudia for a Traitors night, that’s the costume.
The castle look, without the castle budget
Most of these are designer pieces, but the formula is easy to copy with what you already own:
- Start with knitwear. A chunky cable knit or a sweater vest over a crisp white shirt is the base of half her looks.
- Add one heritage piece. A tartan or tweed skirt, a kilt or a waxed jacket gives the Highlands feel. Check secondhand: the Episode 1 Westwood trouser-kilt came from a resale site.
- Keep the palette dark. Black, charcoal and forest green, with one shot of red: tartan, wrist warmers or gloves.
- Fingerless gloves. Non-negotiable.
- Lug-sole boots. They’re practical in the mud and suit the dark palette.
- For the Round Table, go theatrical. One dramatic piece in taffeta, fringing or a big skirt over a black turtleneck.
Not just Claudia: the players’ castle style
Some of the celebrities planned their wardrobes strategically too. Industry star Myha’la told the BBC she dressed to distance herself from her ruthless character, Harper Stern: “Everything is soft and knitted and cosy and entirely unlike her. There are no shoulder pads, I’m not wearing any suiting of any kind.” Joe Lycett said he brought “a lot of variety and silly stuff that I might not get to wear at all” if he was murdered early. Joanne McNally went in with “six packs of hair extensions” (BBC Media Centre).
Watch the wardrobe in action
The Celebrity Traitors series 2 is on BBC One and iPlayer, Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm. Our guide: The Celebrity Traitors series 2: cast, schedule and how to watch. For the history of the game, see every Traitors winner, US and UK, or browse the Traitors hub.
Sources
- BBC News, “Celebrity Traitors is back - here’s what you need to know ahead of the first show” (Oct 1, 2026): bbc.com
- BBC Media Centre, The Celebrity Traitors series 2 media pack, including the Claudia Winkleman interview (Oct 8, 2026): bbc.co.uk
- Country & Town House, “We Tracked Down All Of Claudia Winkleman’s Outfits From The Celebrity Traitors Series 2” (Oct 2026): countryandtownhouse.com
