Matt Smith’s original, less considered look was something of an anti-fashion statement when the first images of the then new Time Lord were released.
Featuring a vintage tweed jacket, bow tie, braces, and a punk-ish pairing of big boots with turned up jeans, his look was a mixture of youthful reverence and elderly tradition. What Smith’s incarnation of the Time Lord did for both bow ties and the tweed industry has been well documented and rightly so. The eleventh Doctor almost single-handedly changed the face of men’s fashion (especially in the UK) over night.
The look mixes elements of classic tailoring with modern, slimmer styling. The use of matching elements and heritage fabrics creates the air of consideration and stylishness which often goes hand in hand with a certain degree of fashion-mindedness.
Smith wore two jackets in series five, both of which have proven elusive to replicate so many casual fans and cosplayers alike simply find close-enough weaves in vintage jackets and modify the fit and details accordingly.
This Joules jacket offers a slightly more modern cut than the on-screen jacket, but features a very similar tweed and comes pre-fitted with elbow patches! The price may be slightly dearer than most would be willing to pay, however, tweed is notoriously pricey and £195 for this jacket seems perfectly reasonable for us.
Alternatively, try vintage shops, charity shops (or thrift stores for our American cousins) and eBay – it’s often easy to find a bargain!
The jeans featured are a Topman washed-black stretch skinny jean. Smith’s original jeans looked slightly too big for him, so it might be wise to go for a size up from your usual sizing in order to capture the same slouchy look. It may also work to buy a pair of slim fit jeans if you’re uncomfortable in tighter fitting jeans.
These braces are a wise option for anyone looking for a pair of Doctor-esque braces. They’re by Burton and offer a slightly textured look thanks to the burgundy marl fabric. Alternatively, solid burgundy (or blue, for that matter) can be found on eBay relatively inexpensively.
Smith’s original on-screen boots were by All Saints and featured a two tone effect, whereby the top of the boot was a separate brown panel stitched to the grey uppers. Originally, this style was incredibly illusive to replicate, however, it seems that a lot of similar styles are now readily available! These boots, for instance, are by Clarks and feature a similar (if somewhat busier) styling to Matt’s original boots.
For the perfectionists amongst you, they’re also available in a grey/black colourway which looks even closer to the original boot!
Alternatively, these On Fire brand boots feature a similar styling and are currently on sale at only £34.99!
The shirts favoured by the eleventh Doctor were by Paul Smith and featured a unique scroll design which, as ever, has proven difficult to find elsewhere on the market. Alternative options are to find shirts with light checks or stripes as, from a distance, they give much the same effect as the PS originals.
This shirt is by Chester Barrie and is a pale red gingham check. You could also look for blue variations of this style if you favour the blue version of the Doctor’s look.
Smith’s bow ties in series five were all of the pre-tied variety which fastened with a clasp. He then switched to self-tie from series six onwards. The self-tie option have a more stylish and classic look about them, as pre-tied bow ties always look too rigid and neat to be truly fashionable.
I’d strongly recommend learning how to tie a proper bow tie and buying this burgundy option from Dobell in the self-tie variety. If, however, you really can’t stand the thought of tying your own dickie bow, then feel free to buy the pre-tied option!
Lastly, the watch worn by the eleventh Doctor seems to change from episode to episode, throughout his time on the show. This is probably due to the fact that his watches were all vintage or found pieces as opposed to ones specifically bought or made for Smith. They all looked very similar and feature a gold case with a matching gold expanding bracelet. Smith wore his watch with the face on the inside of his wrist.
This cheap option is by Sekonda and features many of the same details as the on-screen watch. Again, be sure to check local shops as you might be able to bag a bargain!
What do you think of this look? Would you wear something inspired by the eleventh Doctor? Let us know in the comments!
An Adventure With Ties In Space 