Swashbuckling or Swishbuckling?
August 29, 2013 7:15 PM Subscribe
When Matt Smith took over the role of The Doctor, he was presented with several costume ideas the Grand Moff had envisioned. Fortunately for us all, Smith had his own ideas and was given carte blanche on costuming The Doctor.
Bow ties and suspenders are "fortunate." Huh.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:20 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:20 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
I kind of like the Adam-y Ant-y looks.
I'd like to see the next Doctor look a bit less fashionable, but I'm not holding my breath. I'd either do him up in something inspired by early 20th-century safari/adventurer/daredevil pilot dear, or make him look like a complete scurfball.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:27 PM on August 29, 2013
I'd like to see the next Doctor look a bit less fashionable, but I'm not holding my breath. I'd either do him up in something inspired by early 20th-century safari/adventurer/daredevil pilot dear, or make him look like a complete scurfball.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:27 PM on August 29, 2013
Pirates are in this year!
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:31 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:31 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
OK, so I have a crush on Lord Flashheart. I'm only human.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:31 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:31 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
The "t-shirt and vest" look is pretty much how he usually appears in public appearances as himself and I don't like it...
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:44 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:44 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
The big twist will be Capaldi turning up in a multicolor clown costume, Colin Baker style.
posted by Artw at 7:50 PM on August 29, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Artw at 7:50 PM on August 29, 2013 [5 favorites]
And in full clown make-up so we won't even know it is Capaldi.
posted by plastic_animals at 7:52 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by plastic_animals at 7:52 PM on August 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
John Wayne Gacy Doctor? Please no.
posted by orrnyereg at 8:05 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by orrnyereg at 8:05 PM on August 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
And in full clown make-up so we won't even know it is Capaldi. Grimaldi
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:05 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:05 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
OK, so I have a crush on Lord Flashheart. I'm only human.
WOOF!
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 8:08 PM on August 29, 2013 [14 favorites]
WOOF!
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 8:08 PM on August 29, 2013 [14 favorites]
A big Bjorky jumper!
posted by Artw at 8:57 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 8:57 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
A lot more Adam Ant than Grand Moff Tarkin. No one will ever inhabit that Imperial uni with more menace. A guy who put Vader in his place. It was obvious on camera, too.
posted by Ironmouth at 9:24 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by Ironmouth at 9:24 PM on August 29, 2013
Aw, hipster Doctor! Seventies lounge lizard Doctor!
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:26 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:26 PM on August 29, 2013
One piece unitard with face mask. It's the only reasonable option.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:35 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by blue_beetle at 9:35 PM on August 29, 2013 [3 favorites]
They call me the Doctor, it's short for Kate.
posted by arcticseal at 10:51 PM on August 29, 2013
posted by arcticseal at 10:51 PM on August 29, 2013
I'm hoping Capaldi will do without gimmicks.
- no recorder or other wind instruments
- no ruffled shirts
- no giant scarf or jelly babies
- no celery
- no amazing coat of many colors
- no riddler cane
- no bow ties or fezzes
Those are affectations, weird for the sake of being weird. Clever the first time you see them, cliche thereafter. Done to excess they detract from characterization.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 11:21 PM on August 29, 2013 [4 favorites]
- no recorder or other wind instruments
- no ruffled shirts
- no giant scarf or jelly babies
- no celery
- no amazing coat of many colors
- no riddler cane
- no bow ties or fezzes
Those are affectations, weird for the sake of being weird. Clever the first time you see them, cliche thereafter. Done to excess they detract from characterization.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 11:21 PM on August 29, 2013 [4 favorites]
Somewhere on the Internet today I read a comment which Moffatt mentions these photos and says "Matt came in, showed how rubbish my costume ideas were, so I'm basically hands off for Capaldi" (I paraphrase, since I can't find the link.
One piece unitard with face mask. It's the only reasonable option.
Been done, basically. Twice.
I'm hoping Capaldi will do without gimmicks.
And I say: BRING BACK THE QUESTION MARK SHIRT.
posted by Mezentian at 12:24 AM on August 30, 2013
One piece unitard with face mask. It's the only reasonable option.
Been done, basically. Twice.
I'm hoping Capaldi will do without gimmicks.
And I say: BRING BACK THE QUESTION MARK SHIRT.
posted by Mezentian at 12:24 AM on August 30, 2013
A big Bjorky jumper!
Björk would make the most enigmatic Doctor....
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:03 AM on August 30, 2013
Björk would make the most enigmatic Doctor....
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:03 AM on August 30, 2013
Unless you could get Björk and Bowie to play the Doctor at the same time.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:05 AM on August 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:05 AM on August 30, 2013 [5 favorites]
Somewhere on the Internet today I read a comment which Moffatt mentions these photos and says "Matt came in, showed how rubbish my costume ideas were, so I'm basically hands off for Capaldi" (I paraphrase, since I can't find the link.)
Moffatt said that in an interview with Doctor Who magazine (which isn't available on the Internet). BBC America's site grabbed that snippet: "Moffat was also asked if the Twelfth Doctor’s costume was under consideration yet. 'Not really. We’ve discussed costume in the lightest terms, but with Matt Smith I discovered myself to be inept at costume discussions, so I tend to step away from that. I think it’s really important that the actor chooses what makes him feel like the Doctor, which is what Matt did in the end.'"
That's probably the most sensible thing Moffatt has said about the Doctor lately.
posted by Doktor Zed at 2:56 AM on August 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
Moffatt said that in an interview with Doctor Who magazine (which isn't available on the Internet). BBC America's site grabbed that snippet: "Moffat was also asked if the Twelfth Doctor’s costume was under consideration yet. 'Not really. We’ve discussed costume in the lightest terms, but with Matt Smith I discovered myself to be inept at costume discussions, so I tend to step away from that. I think it’s really important that the actor chooses what makes him feel like the Doctor, which is what Matt did in the end.'"
That's probably the most sensible thing Moffatt has said about the Doctor lately.
posted by Doktor Zed at 2:56 AM on August 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
Smith had his own ideas
Smith designed the costume for Buckaroo Banzai?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:36 AM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Smith designed the costume for Buckaroo Banzai?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:36 AM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
And this suggests to me the death knell of dapper queer fashion. I mean, the last one with the suspenders? That's, like, what every masculine-spectrum young queer woman wears out on the town, right down to the floppy haircut. Oh well, I never got around to getting a bow tie and now I suppose I won't even bother.
posted by Frowner at 6:25 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Frowner at 6:25 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Somewhere on the Internet today I read a comment which Moffatt mentions these photos and says "Matt came in, showed how rubbish my costume ideas were, so I'm basically hands off for Capaldi" (I paraphrase, since I can't find the link.
Shame Matt didn't say anything about the scripts.
posted by Legomancer at 6:32 AM on August 30, 2013 [10 favorites]
Shame Matt didn't say anything about the scripts.
posted by Legomancer at 6:32 AM on August 30, 2013 [10 favorites]
In a compromise to everyone who wanted a lady Doctor, the new Doctor will adopt a nice blouse, skirt and sensible heels.
posted by Atreides at 7:02 AM on August 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Atreides at 7:02 AM on August 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
In a compromise to everyone who wanted a lady Doctor, the new Doctor will adopt a nice blouse, skirt and sensible heels.
But with big-ass, '80s-style shoulder pads. Shoulder pads are cool.
posted by Navelgazer at 7:45 AM on August 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
But with big-ass, '80s-style shoulder pads. Shoulder pads are cool.
posted by Navelgazer at 7:45 AM on August 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
In a compromise to everyone who wanted a lady Doctor, the new Doctor will adopt a nice blouse, skirt and sensible heels.
There was still that little bit of me deep inside hoping for the full Frank N. Furter treatment, but I guess I can fanfrank that he wears that outfit for pajamas or state occasions.
I think it's a great idea to give the actor a lot of input when the character tends to be so idiosyncratic, whether it's his own personal style, or a look that helps him transform. It's hard to tell a lot about an actor's own style these days; even for personal appearances they tend to be styled or at least coached. That may be less true for men, and it may be less true in the UK, for all I know. In the offscreen pictures I've seen, Capaldi usually seems to be in a sports jacket, either a button-down shirt or T-shirt, and sometimes glasses, not crisp and pressed but not let's-get-you-rumpled-up-for-the-Milan-runway. Or, if it is fake-tousle, he carries it off better than Smith or Tennant did. It's a Doctor look I could get behind if that's what ends up making it to the screen.
I also wouldn't be opposed to the return of the question mark in a subtle way. Maybe a small charm on a necklace we don't see all the time, or some other relatively inconspicuous piece of jewelry.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:57 AM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
There was still that little bit of me deep inside hoping for the full Frank N. Furter treatment, but I guess I can fanfrank that he wears that outfit for pajamas or state occasions.
I think it's a great idea to give the actor a lot of input when the character tends to be so idiosyncratic, whether it's his own personal style, or a look that helps him transform. It's hard to tell a lot about an actor's own style these days; even for personal appearances they tend to be styled or at least coached. That may be less true for men, and it may be less true in the UK, for all I know. In the offscreen pictures I've seen, Capaldi usually seems to be in a sports jacket, either a button-down shirt or T-shirt, and sometimes glasses, not crisp and pressed but not let's-get-you-rumpled-up-for-the-Milan-runway. Or, if it is fake-tousle, he carries it off better than Smith or Tennant did. It's a Doctor look I could get behind if that's what ends up making it to the screen.
I also wouldn't be opposed to the return of the question mark in a subtle way. Maybe a small charm on a necklace we don't see all the time, or some other relatively inconspicuous piece of jewelry.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:57 AM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
In a compromise to everyone who wanted a lady Doctor, the new Doctor will adopt a nice blouse, skirt and sensible heels.
An executive Timelord.
posted by Artw at 8:14 AM on August 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
An executive Timelord.
posted by Artw at 8:14 AM on August 30, 2013 [6 favorites]
Fur loincloth, horned helmet, huge honking axe. Conan the Timelord.
The axe has a sonic screwdriver built into the handle. It's a Sonic Axe, so it can do anything!
Come on, work with me here, people. This will play.
posted by Naberius at 8:28 AM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
The axe has a sonic screwdriver built into the handle. It's a Sonic Axe, so it can do anything!
Come on, work with me here, people. This will play.
posted by Naberius at 8:28 AM on August 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Fur loincloth, horned helmet, huge honking axe.
Nah, the Fourth Doctor already tried, and rejected, the barbarian look.
posted by Doktor Zed at 8:54 AM on August 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
Nah, the Fourth Doctor already tried, and rejected, the barbarian look.
posted by Doktor Zed at 8:54 AM on August 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
New Doctor likes guns, has hubs for arms, has costume made out of guns.
posted by Artw at 9:00 AM on August 30, 2013
posted by Artw at 9:00 AM on August 30, 2013
Let's have the next Doctor in a nice furry sparkledog costume, please.
posted by Wolfdog at 9:13 AM on August 30, 2013
posted by Wolfdog at 9:13 AM on August 30, 2013
I also wouldn't be opposed to the return of the question mark in a subtle way.
As opposed to a "LET'S SLATHER THEM ALL OVER YOUR SWEATER VEST OH HEY AND MAYBE GIVE YOU AN UMBRELLA WITH A QUESTION MARK HANDLE THAT'D BE COOL AND MAYBE YOU COULD LEAVE A CALLING CARD THAT HAS A QUESTION MARK ON IT TOO AND WE'LL BASICALLY JUST MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE THE RIDDLER'S UNCLE" kind of way.
(The Seventh Doctor is one of my very favorites, but his outfit makes me realize I just don't have enough faces or enough palms to really facepalm hard enough.)
posted by webmutant at 11:17 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
As opposed to a "LET'S SLATHER THEM ALL OVER YOUR SWEATER VEST OH HEY AND MAYBE GIVE YOU AN UMBRELLA WITH A QUESTION MARK HANDLE THAT'D BE COOL AND MAYBE YOU COULD LEAVE A CALLING CARD THAT HAS A QUESTION MARK ON IT TOO AND WE'LL BASICALLY JUST MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE THE RIDDLER'S UNCLE" kind of way.
(The Seventh Doctor is one of my very favorites, but his outfit makes me realize I just don't have enough faces or enough palms to really facepalm hard enough.)
posted by webmutant at 11:17 AM on August 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
The Seventh Doctor is one of my very favorites, but his outfit makes me realize I just don't have enough faces or enough palms to really facepalm hard enough
The seventh Doctor's question mark flair and the fifth Doctor's lapel celery actually do serve a purpose. The fifth Doctor is so extremely sensible and normal that he's in danger of being out of character. The seventh Doctor is a cold manipulator and occasional genocidaire. In both cases, a little "aren't I silly" visual cue helps distract the viewer from the fact that both of them are just barely within the tradition of quirky benevolence established by the second Doctor.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 11:49 AM on August 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
The seventh Doctor's question mark flair and the fifth Doctor's lapel celery actually do serve a purpose. The fifth Doctor is so extremely sensible and normal that he's in danger of being out of character. The seventh Doctor is a cold manipulator and occasional genocidaire. In both cases, a little "aren't I silly" visual cue helps distract the viewer from the fact that both of them are just barely within the tradition of quirky benevolence established by the second Doctor.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 11:49 AM on August 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
An executive Timelord.
Been done. Male-wise. Bowler hat, brolly.
Terror of the Autons.
posted by Mezentian at 6:24 PM on August 30, 2013
Been done. Male-wise. Bowler hat, brolly.
Terror of the Autons.
posted by Mezentian at 6:24 PM on August 30, 2013
And then they pull the old switcheroo, and the newest companion will be wearing a rainbow sailor suit, or always naked with clever camera angles and convenient houseplants.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:29 PM on August 30, 2013
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:29 PM on August 30, 2013
Always naked, and levitating. Upside down.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:40 PM on August 30, 2013
posted by blue_beetle at 7:40 PM on August 30, 2013
Is Red Dwarf officially dead now? If so, BBC could recycle an old zebra-skin jacket worn by The Cat, or even something worn by Ace (NOT Arnold) Rimmer.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:41 PM on August 30, 2013
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:41 PM on August 30, 2013
I believe they are threatening to make Red Dwarf XI.
posted by Mezentian at 1:01 AM on August 31, 2013
posted by Mezentian at 1:01 AM on August 31, 2013
What I like about the bowtie look is that it's essentially the antithesis of the hipster-y looks they were sort of forcing him into. Mind you, he's good enough I think he could have pulled any of them off anyway, but it was much better that he got a look that helped suggest the very-old-man-in-a-young-body approach he took to the character.
posted by dhartung at 3:38 AM on August 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by dhartung at 3:38 AM on August 31, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seems like the costume was the second bad choice surrounding Matt Smith as the Doctor.
My humble opinion.
posted by MoxieProxy at 10:13 AM on August 31, 2013
My humble opinion.
posted by MoxieProxy at 10:13 AM on August 31, 2013
The only real beef I had with the Eleventh Doctor's look is that, tie style aside, it was nearly identical to the Tenth's. Sure, I know, a lot of people liked Ten, but come on. I'd rather have just about anything than another rumpled, neutral-colored, neo-retro stylish suit paired with floppy hair at this point. Tuxedo? Nehru jacket? Embroidered smoking jacket or full-length frocked dressing gown? Fox-hunting gear? Sweater with elbow patches? Surgeon's scrubs? The full Beau Brummell? I'm down.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:34 PM on August 31, 2013
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:34 PM on August 31, 2013
Pssssssshhhhhh... Don't matter what he wears. None of them could ever outstyle... The Third Doctor.
posted by Grimmie at 3:25 PM on August 31, 2013
posted by Grimmie at 3:25 PM on August 31, 2013
The big twist will be Capaldi turning up in a multicolor clown costume, Colin Baker style.
I've heard something awful about a fucking bowler hat. Hoping it's just a hateful rumor.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 4:04 PM on August 31, 2013
I've heard something awful about a fucking bowler hat. Hoping it's just a hateful rumor.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 4:04 PM on August 31, 2013
dhartung: "What I like about the bowtie look is that it's essentially the antithesis of the hipster-y looks they were sort of forcing him into. Mind you, he's good enough I think he could have pulled any of them off anyway, but it was much better that he got a look that helped suggest the very-old-man-in-a-young-body approach he took to the character."
Wait, since when is "dressing like your parents or grandparents" not a hipster thing?
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 10:18 PM on August 31, 2013
Wait, since when is "dressing like your parents or grandparents" not a hipster thing?
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 10:18 PM on August 31, 2013
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