Claudia Winkleman Is Peak British Countrycore In The Traitors

By Charlie Colville

11 months ago

You can't really go wrong with tweed, can you?


The second instalment of the BBC’s hotly anticipated reality show, The Traitors, hit small screens again this week – and with its return, we were gifted with another roundup of host Claudia Winkleman’s Highlands-approved wardrobe. A bit of a change from her usual glamour (à la Strictly Come Dancing), Winkleman’s Traitors outfits perfectly mirror the countryside locations that make up the show and have given rise to yet another micro-trend: British countrycore. Here’s how you can emulate the queen of (British) country style.

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How Claudia Winkleman Channels British Countrycore In The Traitors

Claudia Winkleman in The Traitors

(c) BBC/Studio Lambert/LLARA PLAZA

What Is British Countrycore?

Where countrycore may refer to cowboy boots, prairie sundresses and straw hats across the pond, its British cousin is all about facing the elements in style. (We are talking about the UK, where it rains for about 40 percent of the year on average, after all.) In essence, British countrycore is all about layering up the knits, donning some tweed, pulling on some wellies and throwing a big coat over it all – think dressed up farmer, but with an added dash of luxury branding and high quality fabrics.

Jokes aside, the trend celebrates many of the brands and crafts that make up the British fashion industry. We’re talking wax jackets from Barbour, wool knits hailing from the Scottish Highlands, reinforced waterproof boots (perfect for splashing in puddles), Burberry trench coats and maybe even an umbrella or two for good measure.

Claudia Winkleman dressed in British Countrycore style

(c) BBC/Studio Lambert/LLARA PLAZA

If you’ve been tuning into the most recent series of The Traitors, you might have noticed host Claudia Winkleman diving head-first into the British countrycore trend. While most of us flock to the show for its dramatic challenges, suspenseful round tables and entertaining contestants, many (aka, the C&TH team) are also sticking around to see Winkleman’s next outfit backdropped by the ornate Scottish castle or rolling countryside hills.

The presenter and radio personality’s wardrobe is anything short of dull, tapping into a host of British brands like Brora, Dr Martens, Purdey, Hunter and Holland Cooper (so far). Last season, these brands were joined by many other iconic British labels, including Barbour, Reiss, Self-Portrait and Church’s.

Claudia Winkleman dressed in British Countrycore style

(c) BBC/Studio Lambert/LLARA PLAZA

We’ve also gotten used to seeing Winkleman take a more playful approach to the British countrycore movement, with ornate blouses (we’re still thinking about that one pussy bow blouse from series one), jewel-toned blazers and quirky fingerless gloves. From what we’ve seen of the current series so far, it appears she’s leaning even further into this take on the trend; a quick look at her green and black ensemble in episode two, complete with chunky Dr Martens boots, smiley face-patched knitted jumper and tartan mini skirt, is all the evidence we need.

Recreate Claudia’s Looks

Claudia Winkleman in black jacket and white top

Featured image: The Traitors Series 2 (c) BBC/Studio Lambert/LLARA PLAZA