Cosplayers and fan artists alike, rejoice! Doctor Who, the iconic, lead-swapping franchise, has just revealed the costume for the 13th actor taking on the moniker of “The Doctor”: Jodie Whittaker. The reveal of a new Who costume—soon to be replicated and worn by convention-goers around the world—is always a cause for celebration. But anyone following the cloud of controversy swirling around Whittaker’s casting will know that, this time, the costumers on the long-running show faced a new challenge when selecting just the right coat and trousers for the time-traveling adventurer.
As any female candidate for president or actress walking a red carpet will be the first to tell you, women always undergo more fashion scrutiny than their male counterparts. And as the first woman ever to take on The Doctor, Whittaker’s outfit was going to be picked over no matter what she was wearing. While we’ve seen female Time Lords before, like Michelle Gomez’s Mary Poppins-inspired Missy, there has never been quite so much pressure regarding what a woman on Doctor Who is wearing.
Twitter looked at the rainbow splashed across Whittaker’s shirt and the suspenders holding up her trousers, then immediately called them out as references to Robin Williams’ memorable style in the 70s alien sitcom Mork & Mindy. But old-school Whovians know you don’t need to look outside the Who franchise to find brightly colored striped fashion. Mork & Mindy ran from 1978-1982, meaning it overlapped with two of the most stylish leads in the long history of Who. You can see elements of both Tom Baker (1974-1981) and Peter Davison (1981-1984) in Whittaker’s bright look.
Viewers also don’t have to go far back at all to find a Doctor fond of suspenders.
The nod to Davison, if intentional, is particularly delicious given that the actor said some less-than-supportive things to the press about Whittaker’s casting. “If I feel any doubts,” hesaid of a woman taking on the role, “it’s the loss of a role model for boys who I think Doctor Who is vitally important for.” Davison’s observation is very gentle compared to some of the nastier responses Whittaker received—but still, total solidarity from the home team would have been nice.
Either way, it’s smart of Doctor Who to reach back, fashion-wise, even as it pushes the needle forward on who The Doctor is allowed to be. The franchise did the same thing last season when costuming Pearl Mackie’s Bill Potts, the show’s first openly gay, full-time companion. Dressed to look like Ace McShane (Sophie Aldred), a companion to the Seventh Doctor who was written to be “a fighter, not a screamer,” Mackie made quite the splash during her one-season arc. Here’s hoping Whittaker lasts even longer and makes an even bigger splash. The good news is, with those high trouser cuffs, she’s dressed for a flood.
