Doctor Who has been a staple of British TV for over 50 years. During that time we’ve seen 14 Doctors put on their iconic costumes and jump into the T.A.R.D.I.S. for an intergalactic adventure. The character has evolved since we first saw him, but there are a lot of consistencies through the various personalities.
Our current Doctor is played by Jodie Whittaker and she’s doing a stellar job. But we don’t want to talk about our favorite incarnations of the character today, but rather what they wore during their stint in the famous role. Here are 10 hidden details about the Doctor’s costume that you may have missed!
CLEVER GLASSES
Some of the more modern Doctor’s are known for their glasses. They are usually wearing them to make them look more clever, although Peter Capaldi’s Doctor had a pair of sonic sunglasses that helped him in difficult situations.
The glasses actually date back to the 5th Doctor who used to wear them to make him seem smarter. David Tennant’s Doctor brought back the look and Matt Smith’s 11th version also had glasses that were actually very similar to that of the 5th Doctor’s.
COLORFUL STRIPES
One of the most beloved Doctor’s of all time is the 4th Doctor, played by Tom Baker. He was colorful, witty and really revived the genre for a new generation. His most famous accessory was the scarf that had a number of bright colors weaved throughout it.
We’ve seen this scarf pop up again throughout Doctor Who, with it usually worn by other characters. However, the current and 13th Doctor also has a homage to the scarf. The Doctor’s T-shirt actually had a band of bright colors through the middle as a nod to that classic look.
LEATHER JACKET
The leather jacket became the look for the 9th Doctor. Since he was trying to blend in with other people on Earth he had quite a simple look. The jeans and the T-shirt were always pretty plain, but that leather jacket was an inspired choice.
When it came to introducing the War Doctor, the costume department decided to make a link between the two characters, played by John Hurt and Christopher Ecclestone respectively. The War Doctor actually had his own, very practical, leather jacket which was brown rather than black. Clearly the Doctor did lose this fashion preference through the regeneration.
HATS
The hat is another accessory that has popped up a few times. The 1st Doctor was actually known for wearing a small hat, which was brought back when that version of the Doctor returned in recent episodes. The 11th Doctor loved a fez and the 5th Doctor had a hat to match his cricket uniform.
Even the 6th Doctor carried on the look of his predecessor. It seems that so many Doctor’s have adopted some kind of head wear and every time they do they are actually paying homage to the man that started off the personality of the Doctor.
BOW TIE
Matt Smith’s Doctor famously said that bow ties are cool. They are indeed and most people associate the bow tie with the 11th Doctor since it became such a big part of his character. But even this wasn’t actually totally original, since others before him had worn one.
The 11th Doctor was once again paying homage to his past and some of the other Doctors that were known for wearing bow ties. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Doctors all wore bow ties and every time the 11th put his on it showcases the evolution of the character. Matt Smith’s bow tie is perhaps the most traditional of them all ironically.
CELERY
The 5th Doctor was oddly known for wearing a piece of celery on his lapel. It didn’t quite match the rest of his cricket related costume and future versions actually made fun of it. When the 5th and 10th Doctors came face to face the latter was not very impressed by the decorative vegetable.
What you may not know is that this common veg actually helped the Doctor from dying. It detected a certain type of gas he was allergic to and he often tried to use its healing abilities. Other Doctors have since asked for some celery when in a bad situation, despite mocking it.
POCKET WATCH
Whether it’s in the books, comics or on the TV show, the pocket watch is a familiar sight for Doctor Who fans. Almost every Doctor has had a pocket watch at some point, although it’s sometimes not the main part of their character.
This all goes back to the very 1st Doctor, who had his own pocket watch that he consulted. Fans never seemed to wonder why this was an ongoing accessory of the character, but it was revealed that a time lord can seal their soul into a pocket watch, essentially becoming human. The Doctor always has one to hand.
FIRST AND SECOND
The 1st and 2nd Doctors really helped to define what the show would be moving forward. Their costumes were also incredibly influential therefore. When the first regeneration took place on screen, everyone was puzzled about what was happening.
While the 2nd Doctor had a drastic personality change to the first, there were a number of similarities. One of these was the fact that their costumes were actually very similar. They were comprised of the same elements to make audiences feel like it was the same character.
SONIC POCKETS
A big pocket is extremely important for the Doctor. He has all sorts of gadgets and gizmos stored in there. In almost every version of the Doctor, the coat that they wear has such deep pockets that you could probably fit a whole umbrella in there.
These pockets have become very useful for one specific thing. The sonic screwdriver. While some versions of the Doctor stored their screwdriver elsewhere, much like the War Doctor had it on a utility belt, for the most part that sonic is stored safely in the jacket.
RED JACKET
Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor went through two different costume changes. The first costume he had included a red silk on the inside of his black coat, which really popped and stood out. His second outfit was a velvety red all over.
Both of these color choices and final jacket that he wore is a nod to his favorite Doctor, the 4th incarnation. During this time period Tom Baker’s Doctor wore a similar red velvety jacket on his adventures. It’s both a character choice and an actor choice therefore to honor that classic costume.
