Who knew the words ‘dressed to kill’ could be taken so literally? In last night’s episode of The Traitors, one of the show’s resident Traitors, Stephen, made a splash when he appeared on screen in a flamboyant, slinky jumpsuit.
Forget who was going to be banished — immediately, the internet was hooked on matters sartorial.
“I'm obsessed with both Stephen's and Matty's outfits,” one person posted on Reddit; another added they thought he looked “smashing.”
Stephen has had a strong clothes game since the start. Cast your mind back to the beginning of the show, when he was rocking impeccably cut Hawaiian shirts, cropped jackets and high-waisted trousers. Or the episode where he wore a perfect wool jumper tucked into a pair of jeans. The man knows how to put together an outfit.
It’s not just Stephen. The rest of the cast have been making headlines for their excellent taste for a few weeks now.
We all know that Claudia Winkleman is the reigning style star of the show. After all, this is the woman who (with the help of her longtime friend and stylist Sinead McKeefry) greeted the celebrity Traitors contestants dressed in Givenchy boots and a black cape.
But the contestants bringing their fashion game? That’s new.
Think of PhD student Jade wearing that custom chunky knit jumper from Northern Irish designer Hope Macaulay, with matching eyeshadow, no less (she also wore an excellent knit last night).
Matty has been rocking a strong variety of vests, while Jessie has been making a single-handed case for the return of Nineties and Noughties fashion with her uber-loud outfits and tattoo choker necklace. Maz, on the other hand (RIP), made the case for understated button-downs. One thing’s for sure: this cast look fly. Perhaps they’ve been taking lessons from their predecessors on Celebrity Traitors; Jonathan Ross’s velvet suits certainly caused a stir.
Of course, this isn’t just about fashion — it’s also about gameplay. “On The Traitors, nothing is accidental and that includes what the contestants wear,” stylist Lisa Talbot told the Mail.
“In a game built on perception, trust and misdirection, clothing becomes another strategic tool. Some players dress to blend in, others to stand out, and a few clearly use style to control the narrative around them.”
That means that Stephen’s chic, fitted looks are also a signifier of his gameplay.
“This is someone who understands proportion and presentation and likely applies the same level of care to how he communicates and behaves in the game,” Lisa added. “His style suggests control, caution and a desire to appear composed at all times.”
Jade’s outfits, meanwhile, show off her creativity. And Jessie’s louder styling choices point to her exuberant personality.
They also seem to have expensive taste. Stephen’s jumpsuit comes from Palomo Spain’s 2022 Tiburón spring collection. Harry Styles wore a custom version for his Capital FM Summertime Ball gig that same year.
Styles’ custom version cost around £850, so that’s quite the statement purchase. Jade’s Hope Macaulay cardi, while gorgeous, usually retails for around £370. Maybe it’s time to start saving.
Where to shop the looks
The colourful colossal knit jacket
Jade’s cardigan is easily identifiable: it’s from Irish designer Hope Macaulay. It’s made from 100 per cent responsibly sourced Corriedale wool, and assembled by a skilled team of knitters, working to Hope’s designs. This is one of the brand’s best-sellers — and it’s not hard to figure out why. Just look at those colours!
£430, hopemacaulay.com
Stephen’s gorgeous green jumper
Stephen has thrown together so many great looks this season. But if you don’t fancy hunting down a second hand version of his jumpsuit (the one he wears is tragically long sold out) then maybe this fisherman’s sweater will be able to convince you instead. It’s from a brand called Ireland’s Eye, and comes in a lovely sage green. Yes, this is the one he tucked into those jeans.
Channelling Jessie with dungarees
While we’ve not been able to track down any one-for-one matches, Jessie’s colourful style looks like it comes straight from beloved boho brand Lucy & Yak, or London streetwear brand Lazy Oaf. These dungarees in particular stand out: they’re bright, chequered and fun. Right up Jessie’s street.
£28, lucyandyak.com
A scarf for sniffing out Traitors
A highlight of watching former barrister and current crime writer Harriet sniffing out Traitors were her stone cold arguments and her outfits — specifically, the variety of silk scarves that she wore in the castle. While we can’t identify the exact ones, a reliable alternative is a good old Liberty print scarf, which come in a variety of gorgeous patterns and (most importantly) are extremely comfortable to wear.
£245, libertylondon.com
A Faithful knit
Channel Matty’s taste in understated knitwear (there’s a lot of knitwear this season) with this pick from the Shetland Woolen Co. This extremely small-batch collection is being sold via artsy Edinburgh shop Bard, and looks indecently warm. Warm enough for Scotland in the summer, even.
£195, bard-scotland.com
