I Dressed Like Claudia Winkleman For A Week – It Reminded Me Of The Biggest Rule In Personal Style

Claudia Winkleman-inspired looksWe hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI – prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.For anyone who’s been living under a rock since the first season of The Traitors dropped, everyone, and I mean everyone, has been talking about how fantastic host Claudia Winkleman’s outfits are. Gleefully strutting around the Scottish countryside, covered in eyeliner, ruffles, and Hunter wellies, she’s firmly cemented her name as a British style icon. And reader, I am not immune to the Claudia Effect.So I decided to try what at least half the nation wants to do right now: dress just like Claudia Winkleman. During the course of the week, I learned that, on the one hand, dressing like her is an awful lot of fun. On the other, it’s reminded me of a cardinal personal style rule: that it’s, well, very personal.Easy to imitate, but hard to replicate, our Claud’s style is recognizably, iconically hers. With a wardrobe full of big coats, chunky knits, and even chunkier boots, along with her now-signature leggings and fingerless gloves, it’s harder to get the vibe right than you might think. To get off on the right foot for this task, I knew I needed to go to the expert on the subject: Claudia’s stylist, Sinead McKeefry. “Keep it simple,” she instructed me. “Think about classic shapes and adding a twist to elevate the look.”McKeefry also suggested building on basics like Claudia’s staple Spanx leggings, her simple Cos Merino Wool Turtleneck Top, and the aforementioned chunky boots. “The vibe for The Celebrity Traitors was a more gothic aesthetic,” she added, “so we built on these basics, adding tulle skirts and knits to create that gothic look but also to be practical.”It’s pretty cold up in Scotland, where The Traitors’ castle is, after all.So, armed with McKeefry’s advice, a new pair of Shapermint leggings, and a dream, I started my week with a simpler outfit.Day 1:Wearing the black leggings, a men’s flannel shirt I thrifted years ago, my husband’s Urban Outfitters sweater vest, and some old New Rock boots, I felt pretty cosy.I decided early on that I didn’t want to mimic Claudia’s signature fake tan and eyeliner combo, because I wanted the fashion to stand out more than the makeup. I was also wary of spending the week looking like I was wearing Winkleman fancy dress, rather than dressing like her, so I kept my makeup on the softer side. While a similar outfit Claudia donned during this season of The Celebrity Traitors made her look elegant and at ease, I felt a little… frumpy. Having a high collar on also tends to remind me of the sort of thing I would have worn back when I was at uni, and twee was the height of fashion (shudder). Day 2:On day two, I opted for a more Round Table-esque ’fit, and wore a plaid blazer by Spain-based brand Byan, the leggings, an old H&M turtleneck, and a pair of Gabor Knee High Boots via Charles Clinkard.These comfy, versatile boots are firmly my new very favourite pair. However, while the blazer with its contrasting velvet lapels is undeniably really nice, again I found that the effect it had on me wasn’t the same as the effect a similar blazer might have on lovely Claudia. The best way I can think of to describe it is that I felt like a posh goth on a shooting weekend. Day 3:Day three’s look was all vintage, by way of second-hand retailer Messina Hembry, apart from an old pair of patent leather ankle boots I’ve had for an absolute age. In this look, comprised of leather trousers, a ruffled blouse, and a shoulder-padded herringbone coat, I felt more like a vampire rock star, and it was one of my favourite ensembles of the week.Day 4:On day four, I wore another favourite look of mine: a little black dress by Nadine Merabi that Claudia herself actually wore for one of the Round Table votes during this season of The Celebrity Traitors. The soft gothic elegance of this dress was a big bit of me. I wore it to go for cocktails with my husband, and it felt correct. Day 5:On day five, I kept it cosy with a Threadbare Grey Turtle Neck Jumper and Hertford & Hope Heritage Quilted Jacket, both via TK Maxx. I also went with the leggings again, as well as the Gabor boots, and completed the look with some black fingerless gloves from Amazon. This ’fit felt very cute and cosy, and the jacket helped the whole thing feel a lot less frumpy this time. Day 6:On day six, I wore the outfit that I felt had the most striking personality. With the fingerless gloves, a House of Bruar blouse and its big ruffles, and those Gabor boots, I felt like somebody’s anime boyfriend, and I wasn’t that mad at it. However, I did wear this ensemble to the cinema and felt a tad overdressed.Day 7:And to close things off on day seven, I went with some Hunter wellies (via GO Outdoors), a black DKNY dress via Messina Hembry, the grey pair of fingerless gloves that came in that pack of two, and re-wore the grey Threadbare turtleneck.Again, this is a fit that I’ve no doubt Claudia would absolutely slay. But on me? I’m not so sure it’s giving what it’s meant to give. It just goes to show that a great outfit is a lot more than just the sum of its parts. When I asked McKeefry what makes her look at a piece of clothing and think, “Oh, Claudia’s going to love that”, she replied: “It’s always a collaboration – we send each other references all the time. “Claudia has a really good sense of what she likes, and that can range from the very simple to statement pieces like the YSL black full-length wool coat from the last series of The Traitors. This is great for me, as I can bring a wide variety of ideas to the fittings and she is always game for trying new things.”Yes, it’s really important for the personal style-conscious to be willing to try new things, not to mention really fun. After all, who wants to wear the exact same things forever?But, as this experience reminded me, the cardinal rule for truly great personal style is that it’s about more than just copying the latest it-girl (or it-woman). Look around for inspiration, yes, but also look for what works for you as an individual – just like our Claud has.Related...The Celebrity Traitors: How To Shop Affordable Versions Of Claudia Winkleman’s Iconic OutfitsWe’re Loving Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Holiday Sets And DiscountsWe Shop The Best Beauty Products For A Living, And These 8 Truly Wowed Us

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