Clothing Betrayal: How The Traitors Contestants Use Fashion to Deceive

One ​​wrong word can mean the difference between life, death and banishment in The Traitors, the board game turned reality TV show that captivated the nation once again in January . But what about the bad jumper?

Paul Gorton, the 36-year-old traitor who, despite his Machiavellian antics, has managed to go unnoticed episode after episode, understands well the power of optics. His evening wardrobe of plain white T-shirts under normcore shirts, smart-casual sweaters, and understated blue jeans was the equivalent of his everyman persona.

Although he was a business owner, Gorton was "very happy to look like a normal dad, wearing sports clothes, and not look like a businessman," says Rikki Finlay, a stylist of the series who worked on the wardrobes of the candidates.

At the start of the season, which must end on Friday, there were 22 competitors, and the faithful were either murdered or banished while traitors could either assassinate or recruit over the course of a night. .

It may come as a surprise that contestants on shows like The Traitors have any style at all. Finlay, who has worked on shows such as Britain's Got Talent, Too Hot to Handle and The X Factor, points out that stylists' work for contestants on British series The Traitors is limited.

She created a first look at the series, which this year was "very influenced by Knives Out," the 2019 murder mystery film set in a large gothic house. Actors receive a style pack, which includes "overall visuals for the show." Aesthetic mood boards. We put color palettes there, suggested outfits. Then she says, "My assistant is on set and she's helping them put together their wardrobe."

This, she says, is a very light touch , partly thanks to limited budgets. Contestants bring their own clothes and maintain their individual style, as part of a palette and look. “It’s not really a thoughtful thing,” Finlay says. "It's more if, one night, there are four of them in mustard hoodies, that's when we come in."

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This does not mean that the candidates themselves do not think about what their clothing may signal, or that they will not not unconsciously influenced by the style choices of others. For some, the way they present themselves might offer clues to those willing to interpret them.

One ​​of the most notable dressers this season is the traitorous Harry Clark, the character...