Costume index - season eighteen

© June Hudson

Beginning with Season 18, John Nathan-Turner took over as producer of Doctor Who.

One of the most immediately and noticeable changes he made was a redesign of the Fourth Doctor’s costume by the legendary June Hudson.

Although retaining the same overall concept, to start with nothing was carried over from previous seasons (though he did start wearing his leather cuff boots from halfway through the season), and a more co-ordinated plum colour scheme was introduced.

The early part of this season was produced out of broadcast order.
To start with The Doctor wears argyle socks and suede brogues. These appear in The Leisure Hive, State Of Decay and Meglos. From Full Circle onwards he reverted to his brown leather cuff boots.

PRODUCTION		BROADCAST
The Leisure Hive		The Leisure Hive
State Of Decay		Meglos
Meglos		Full Circle
Full Circle		State Of Decay
Warriors’ Gate		Warriors’ Gate
The Keeper Of Traken		The Keeper Of Traken
Logopolis		Logopolis

By screening them out of production order, The Doctor’s footwear appears to change week-to-week.

Season Eighteen

Costume index - season seventeen

There is very little new in the Doctor’s wardrobe this year, but if there was a fashion trend developing this season, it would be for a more casual look, with unbuttoned waistcoats; open-collar shirts and loose hanging scarves.

The mix-and-match on show plunders costumes originally designed for Terror Of The Zygons, The Deadly Assassin, The Image Of The Fendhal and The Power Of Kroll. None of these are worn as intended.

This season also serves to demonstrate an almost distain for his fedora hat. More often than not is relegated to his coat pocket. Last season he only put it on an average of one scene per episode - during this season it is barely one time per serial, and as the season progresses he doesn’t wear it at all.

The first half of the season was recorded out of order, with the Harris Tweed frock coat being his favourite coat of choice.

PRODUCTION		BROADCAST
The Creature from the Pit		Destiny of the Daleks
City of Death		City of Death
Destiny of the Daleks		The Creature from the Pit
Nightmare of Eden		Nightmare of Eden
The Horns Of Nimon		The Horns Of Nimon
Shada		(unaired)

Season Seventeen

Costume index - season sixteen

This week my Fourth Doctor costume index reaches season sixteen, the fifth year Tom Baker was in the role.
Last season the serials were run drastically out of recording sequence. This year, aside from the first two adventures, all serials were shot in their broadcast order.

Costume-wise things really settled down with this season, with only some variation coming in towards the end.

The extra wide scarf knitted in off-colours was ditched to be replaced by the two previous scarves crudely joined together to create a single one of monster length, along with the flamboyant cuff boots it makes the costume an exaggerated caricature of itself.

Season Sixteen

The ORIGINAL Eastern Dalek Press

Today in the post I received a little pressie I bought for myself, which proved to be a timely arrival.

I showed you the Doctor Who inspired cartoon by Tony Hall in the Eastern Daily Press earlier this month. Above the cartoon I noticed a caption saying that the originals are available for sale. So I contacted the paper and luckily the artist still had his artwork and was willing to sell it.

Here it is.
Just need to find somewhere to put it on my wall.

Costume index - season fifteen

This week I come to Tom Baker’s fourth season in the role.

From the point of view of the costume changes, this season is a bit confusing as it was shot drastically out of order. This was done to allow the permanent inclusion of K-9 after only intending to be a one-off character.

PRODUCTION		BROADCAST
The Invisible Enemy		Horror Of Fang Rock
Horror Of Fang Rock		The Invisible Enemy
The Sun Makers		Image Of The Fendahl
Image Of The Fendahl		The Sun Makers
Underworld		Underworld
The Invasion Of Time		The Invasion Of Time

However, this lead to some continuity anomalies, especially for Leela’s look which was updated for Image Of The Fendahl (see right). Since the following episode (The Sun Makers) was already shot with the original costume, a scene at the end was added with Leela returning to the old look (see far right).

The Doctor wore his grey frock coat for the first three serials to be recorded, then the velvet one for the rest. By flipping the third and fourth adventure before broadcast, it makes it look like he chops and changes.

The introduction of a different scarf for Image Of The Fendahl also becomes messed up when the already shot The Sun Makers is shown after it, using the older version.

Season Fifteen

Costume index - season fourteen

Tom’s third season in the role saw some developments to the costume and how it was worn.

At times it was more flippant with the scarf draped in differing ways, dependant it appears on his mood.

The trademark fedora hat was often left behind and at the end of the year he discards the costume all together.

Season Fourteen

Costume index - season thirteen

We come now to Tom Baker’s second season as The Doctor, and as the stories progressed we start to see his costume develop and expand into a wardrobe of clothes rather than a single set outfit.

By halfway through the season we shall see the emergence of the frock coat - an iconic look that will be followed through in subsequent regenerations.

Season Thirteen

Eastern Dalek Press

Had to share this cartoon from the Eastern Daily Press, the local newspaper for the Norfolk area.

Like the reference to The Doctor’s scarf....

© Tony Hall

“Dunnno about Dr. Who, Mabel – but it’s looking increasingly likely that the new ‘fuller-figure’ Daleks will be female.”

Costume index - season twelve

A while back I took a look at the costume transition scenes that kick off the start each Doctor’s era.

One of the most bizarre has to be Tom Baker’s, where he repeatedly bursts out of the TARDIS in a series of inappropriate costumes: from a Viking; to the Knave of Hearts; through a clown outfit; before finally donning his future trademark fedora hat and scarf.

But what happened next?

Tom appeared in 42 adventures (counting Shada, the unfinished story from 1979). Here is my breakdown of the costumes he wore.

Season Twelve

It should be said that part of season 12 was recorded out of order compared to the broadcast.

PRODUCTION		BROADCAST
Robot		Robot
The Sontaran Experiment		The Ark in Space
The Ark in Space		The Sontaran Experiment
Revenge of the Cybermen		Genesis of the Daleks
Genesis of the Daleks		Revenge of the Cybermen

This gave rise to a continuity error with The Doctor’s scarf, which gets shorter for The Ark In Space before returning to its debut length for The Sontaran Experiment, only to loose it again for the rest of the season.

And the winner is.... Romanadvoratrelundar

This year is looking to be very successful for the costumes I have been making.

Back in February I won Best In Show for my Ultimate Six Frock Coat, and I have now learned that a number of my other clients have been strutting their stuff and winning competitions along the way.

I made Claire a Romana Pink Frock Coat outfit in February, and soon after she attended a regional convention called Coast Con 36 in Biloxi Mississippi.

It’s a small general sci-fi fantasy event attended by approximately 1,200 to 1,500 people over the course of the three days.

This convention is not specific to any one sci-fi genre, so there were people from many different sci-fi platforms.

Claire attended with her little brother who dressed as a mini Fourth Doctor alongside her as the companion, which made for an interesting combination!

When he wasn’t taking The Doctor role, her brother was inside their Dalek acting as operator!

Homemade from the original plans by their grandfather, their Dalek is a curious combination of classic and new series styling, in a mid-1970s colour scheme ala Genesis Of The Daleks, with Destiny Of The Daleks grenades around the shoulders.

Also at the convention was a superb replica K-9 - the perfect foil for Romana.

Claire had already got her cuff boots and long white scarf as well as a suitable blouse to wear.

I made her the Pink Frock Coat and matching Pantaloons with braces to match.

Part of the convention involved a costume competition, which had several prizes up for grabs.
There was Male/Female hero, Male/Female villain, and group as well as a Best In Show.

They competed and won the Group division, with Claire’s brother inside his fill scale Dalek. There was much discussion about giving them the Best In Show prize too, but the award was a six-foot sword which is not the most appropriate prize for a child to win so a $40 cash prize was given instead.

Claire’s thinking on entering the competition was that it would be a good opportunity for her little brother to have some fun and that if we won something that would just be lagniappe.

Claire told me about her costume:
As for my costume, I absolutely love it. It fits perfectly and it looks amazing. I am easily recognizable as Romana from Destiny of the Daleks. The workmanship is fantastic and I am extremely pleased with the overall result. My favorite part of my costume is the coat itself. It is the best fitting coat I have ever owned which I find astounding since you never saw me in person and did all of it off of measurements sent over email.

Herbert Johnson hat on eBay

Over the past months I have been highlighting many ORIGINAL costume pieces that have cropped up on eBay.
I deliberately try to keep this to screen-worn or used items, as it is possible to stray into a multitude of fan-made (but vey nice) copies which are just a distraction.

But today I found something worth looking at.

I must emphasis this is NOT screen worn, but is near identical to the Herbert Johnson fur felt fedora which debuted in The Brain Of Morbius in 1976.
It looks to be contemporary to the time, since Herbert Johnson stopped making this particular hat many years ago.

Here is the listing info on the hat.

Doctor Who - Tom Baker
original Herbert Johnson hat

SOLD FOR £205

Here we have an identical style of fur felt, broad brimmed floppy hat as worn by Tom Baker when he was Doctor Who.

It is made by the same make of bespoke hatters, Herbert Johnson and was made in the 1970’s. These hats are very rare.

This hat has been stored for many years and is in excellent condition.

The hat size is 6 and 5/8 and is dark/bottle green in colour.

Baron Boutique - season 16 Frock Coat

A couple of months ago in my costume reviews I looked at the Magnoli season 16 Frock Coat - now it’s time to see how Baron has handled their own version of this season 16 classic.

Baron Boutique are based in Nepal, and have been selling a wide variety of garments since 1998, of which their replica film and tv costumes are only a part.

Fourth Frock Coat

Price as of May 2013 - $479

Obviously this is a coat that I have become very familiar with over the past few months, so I do know my way around it a bit better than most. So I apologise now if I’m a little bit more critical than usual.

The first impression of the coat, as with any garment, is the choice of fabric. The website states the fabric is a super 110s wool, which is more appropriate for making a suit or formal trousers rather than a overcoat.

The screen-worn coat is made form a Harris Tweed, so is much, much heavier and has a coarse weave. So to use a standard wool will not give the fell and drape of the original.

That said, they have cut the coat in such a way that it drapes and flares reasonably well, though not in the same was a heavier tweed would.

The lapels are a fair size, though could be a little bigger as could the collar.
The roll-line of the lapels is a fraction too high, so the ratio of lapel to level of the waistline is too top-heavy.

The size and position of the buttons holes aren’t too bad, though the lower six should have a keyhole.

Like the Magnoli coat, the trim on this version is bias binding which is a finely woven cotton tape as opposed to a more open weave wool braid.

The pockets are a little off, with the flaps being too square. The lower pockets are definitely too small.

The button placement is not so bad, though I feel it is too far apart at the top.
Although this is not a coat with a practical double-breasted front, it should feel and look as though it might actually work.

The back is the major letdown on this coat.

As a frock coat it has been cut to an American style, which has the waistline seam running all the way around the coat, whereas it should stop at the placement of the back buttons.

The placement of these back buttons is too far apart, and thus the princess seams above run in the wrong place too.

All in all this is the better of the options for understand what a frock coat is, though some of the pattern cutting lets it down.

The feel of the coat is of a lightweight blazer jacket, but knee length.

The main failing is the choice of fabric, which is totally wrong.

Cosplay Sky - season 12 corduroy jacket

This month in my costume reviews I’m looking at the season 12 shooting jacket offered by Cosplay Sky.

Based in China, Cosplay Sky has been making costumes for over five years and specialise in a lot of Anime and genre films and tv shows. Their style can be very angular with broad lapels and flared skirts.

Dark Red Corduroy Trench Coat

Price as of April 2013 - $150

The CosplaySky take on the season 12 shooting jacket, is a stark contrast to the version Baron Boutique I previously reviewed.

The immediate difference is the colour. Where the Baron Boutique jacket is way too light, this is way too dark.

The colour chosen is a deep burgundy rather than a more screen accurate burnt orange colour. This reminds me more of the season 18 greatcoat, which I’ll be reviewing in due course.

The pocket are correctly constructed, but are all way too big, boxy and angular to look right.

The original jacket has a shabby, baggy feel to it and this is all just too crisp and sharp for my liking.

The pockets are correctly trimmed along their tops, but it is too wide and bold as well as the wrong colour.
With the jacket too dark and the trim too light and wide, it makes them stand out too much.

The jacket has grey elbow patches which are by far a much better match to the real jacket compared to the Baron Boutique version, but they look to be fabric, possibly a felt rather than leather. I may be wrong - please correct me if you have one of these jackets and can confirm it to me.

There is an interpretation of the sleeve pocket, but it looks to be too large in my view.

The one part of the jacket that to me is seriously lacking is the back. The belted back is very unflattering and lacks the looseness of the real thing.
There are the gusseted sides to the back, but they just don’t look right and the overall effect of the back is that it is more fitted than it should be.

So, looking beyond the colour, how well does the jacket look?

Well the only way I can describe how I see it is to describe it as a caricature of the jacket.

All the details are there - the flapped box pockets; the belted back; grey elbow patches; the gusseted rear; the curious flapped sleeve pocket - but they are thicker, bolder, wider than they should be.

You can see the cutter of this jacket is more used to making the replica Anime costumes seen around comic conventions the breath of the US, with their angular lines and shapes.
This should be the original shabby-chic look The Doctor is known for. His slightly disheveled appearance that masks a brilliant intellect.

Getting my ducks in a row

You’d have hopefully seen my completed Fourth Doctor costume.

One thing which finishes of the ensemble and is the icing on the cake are my set of flying duck brooches!

They are something I have always associated with the coat, but now I look back over photographs and episodes they only appeared in one adventure, The Power Of Kroll.

I’ve been looking around for a decent set, and along the way have picked up some suitable candidates.

Here’s what I found.

This was the first set I found, and I’ve seen several sets of these on eBay.

Cast in resin, the colouring is very stark and cartoon-like. I can’t help thinking of Daffy Duck when I see them.

As a quick place-holder set they fitted the bill very well, but I was always going to be on the look out for a better design.

A set identical to these are on the coat on display at the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff.

This set are quite a bit smaller my the first set I bought, but are just as effective.

They are more like the ceramic versions original seen in the 1970s.

I like them, but am not too keen in the blue colouring.

This is actually the latest set I have bought and are a more stylised design.

I think they are actual ceramic, so I’m pretty sure they date from the 1970s or 1980s.

The colouring is much nicer, in oatmeal and brown with a touch of green.

They are wonderfully kitsch!

This final set are the same moulding as the blue ducks above, but are painted in a more subtle colour scheme, akin to the brown tones of the period set I recent purchased.

The way they have been painted and partly rubbed off, gives them a nice aged appearance.

These are my personal favourite and are the ducks I currently have on my coat.

FURTHER 4th Doctor items on eBay

A few more original costume pieces from the Fourth Doctor era have popped up on eBay.
Here’s what I found.

Robots Of Death
Skirt worn by Toos

SOLD FOR £350

This is the skirt worn by the character Toos in the classic 1977 Doctor Who story Robots of Death.

It is simply a stunning piece of design and has obviously taken many hours to produce. It is in near perfect condition for a costume piece of this age, with no loose seams or missing pieces. Dozens of ‘jewels’ and adornments have been painstakingly attached. I can’t over-emphasise just how impressive this piece looks up close – it’s amazing!

This is a rare opportunity to own a costume worn by a key character from the Golden Age of Doctor Who – don’t miss out!