Three things in life are certain. Death, taxes and a patisserie-based innuendo in any given episode of the Great British Bake Off. Yet now, almost three weeks into the new series, another thing is becoming ever-apparent: the serious wardrobe inspiration being served by the presenters.
Alison Hammond has already had her first sell-out moment, wearing a £120 embroidered denim midi dress from Monsoon which sold out instantly after the season premiere. Prue Leith is dazzling with her usual formula of statement glasses, zany colour pairings and more-is-more jewellery. Noel Fielding is cool as ever in his collection of statement jumpers and shirts. And Paul Hollywood… Well, three out of four ain’t bad (though he can’t be faulted for sticking to his tried and tested quintessential mid-life Dad look – popped collar included).
It is the style of Birmingham-born presenter Hammond which has most caught our eye so far this season. As well as the aforementioned denim sell-out, she also rocked a blue and white polka dot wrap dress in episode two. Her stylist, Stevie B. Shindler credits her client’s sartorial evolution with a growing confidence in herself and what looks good on her. “I started working with Alison back in 2020 and I really believe that her style has evolved a lot since then,” she shares. “Her confidence has really come on – I don’t think it’s anything to do with body shape. I think working together we’ve taken small steps to try new things and we’ve come a long way. I never thought Alison would wear tops tucked into clothes, for example. Our first few red carpet looks were safe, but now she’ll step out of her comfort zone and feel safe. Seeing her confidence grow has been wonderful, it’s something I’m really passionate about.”
Alison Hammond, the most recent addition to the panel of presenters has most caught our eye so far this season with her bold looks – Joe Maher/2025 Getty Images
‘Her confidence has really come on – I don’t think it’s anything to do with body shape,’ says Hammond’s stylist Stevie B. Shindler – Jeff Spicer/2024 Getty Images
Shindler describes Hammond’s signature look as “fun and vibrant,” though she does prioritise comfort too. “She loves a print, a body-con dress or something nipped in at the waist,” she explains. “We’re big fans of Never Fully Dressed because they do some amazing pieces, and they are size inclusive as well as fashion forward, which we love. We also love layering and a cool jacket, whether it’s a biker or a denim jacket, and we use a lot of Scamp and Dude. Flat, comfortable shoes are always important too – Otto and Ivy, and Air and Grace, do some really stylish flat boots, cool trainers and comfortable slip-ons.”
Hammond is a fan of prints and bright colours, evident in her wardrobe choices on screen – Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions
A beacon of light for age-inclusive fashion, 85-year-old Leith can always be relied upon to dress for herself and herself only, in an array of brightly coloured pieces that she puts together artfully. Indeed, she has become so well-loved by the fashion industry that she has even walked the catwalk at London Fashion Week, appearing in a leather dress featuring red stitching for Vin + Omi. Speaking at Hay Festival the same year, she acknowledged the impact that her dress sense had on audiences, saying: “Since I’ve been doing Great British Menu and Bake Off, there are thousands of women over 50 who are absolutely delighted that somebody so old wears bright colours and funky necklaces and mad glasses.”
“When I interviewed Prue Leith on my radio show a few years back, she complimented me on my jacket,” shares broadcaster Jo Good, whose Instagram alias is “Middle Aged Minx”. “It was bright red linen and I was flattered. Why? Because she has always been a style icon to me. Prue loves colour. She is vibrant and so are her fashion choices. Long before her stint on the Bake Off, Prue was admired for her vibrant taste in fashion. TV presenters are always advised to wear colour, but Prue, with her oversized, colourful spectacles, massive statement jewellery and fabulous hair, has embraced vibrancy for decades. The Prue Leith ‘look’ keeps her as relevant on the fashion scene as she is in the kitchen. She is ageless. I sense at 85 she still opens her wardrobe doors and steps back with joy at the vibrant, multicoloured racks of memorable outfits.”
At 85, Dame Prue Leith remains inspirational for her avant garde fashion choices – Channel 4 / Mark Bourdillon / Love Productions
And doing much for men who don’t want to wear a white T-shirt and jeans is 52-year-old Fielding, who has made a name for himself as an avant garde comedian and dresser. Indeed, his sartorial prowess even caught the attention of Fendi, who collaborated with him on its AW21 menswear collection, while an Instagram account dedicated to profiling his every look has 40,000 followers. A veteran of the indie sleaze era, while his go-to trousers are still mostly black skinny jeans, he always has fun with his top half, often opting for a statement jumper or shirt in a bright colour and print. A fan of Dries van Noten, Raf Simons and Acne Studios in particular, his conversation-starting tops are the perfect accoutrement to Leith and Hammond’s style – as well as a foil to Hollywood’s more reliable dad shirts.
FIelding usually keeps it simple on the bottom, but juxtaposes it with interesting colour, pattern or texture on the top – 2024 Dave Benett
“Noel’s style is iconic,” shares his stylist Ameena Kara Callender, who has worked with him since 2011. “He draws inspiration from artists and musicians especially 70s punk and rock ‘n’ roll. His fits are artistic, androgynous, bold, psychedelic and playful. Imagine how shocked the nation would be if he decided to wear crocks and trackie bottoms instead of his signature spray on jeans and ankle boots!”
The presenter visibly draws inspiration from 70s punk and rock ‘n’ roll in his looks – Antony Jones/2024 Getty Images
Now if someone could just get Mr Hollywood to switch up his high-waisted true blue jeans, we could have a new awesome foursome on our hands.
