Continuing our deep dive into Doctor Who cosplay, following our previous exploration of the Fourteenth Doctor’s style, we now turn our attention to the iconic look of the Tenth Doctor. This guide breaks down every element of the Tenth Doctor’s outfit, offering advice for achieving an authentic cosplay feel at any budget.
Before we begin, it’s important to acknowledge the incredible work of the Doctor Who cosplay community. Many dedicated individuals have meticulously analyzed and documented every detail of this beloved sci-fi costume. This article isn’t intended to replicate their exhaustive efforts, but rather to provide a practical guide for cosplayers of all levels. For those seeking in-depth analyses, we highly recommend exploring resources like Will Brooks’ “Pinstripes and Plimsolls,” which offers a fantastic overview of the Tenth Doctor era costumes, and Alex Beard’s detailed tailor-focused examination of the brown and blue suits. We also must recognize the pioneering contributions of Steve Ricks, whose early blogs ignited widespread interest in the intricacies of these costumes, and Daniel Pawlik, whose ongoing dedication and collaborations with Magnoli Clothiers have provided invaluable resources for Tennant cosplayers worldwide.
However, this guide is designed to be accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned cosplayer or just starting out, with any budget, this post will help you pinpoint the essential elements that make the Tenth Doctor’s look so recognizable and confidently step into your next convention feeling absolutely molto bene!
So, let’s refresh our memories on what David Tennant wore as the Doctor from 2005 to 2010 on BBC One.
Dissecting the Tenth Doctor’s Iconic Costume
David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, showcasing his brown suit, Converse sneakers and signature hairstyle.
Close up of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor in his brown suit, highlighting the pinstripe detail and Converse shoes.
David Tennant wearing the Tenth Doctor's brown overcoat in a promotional shot.
The Tenth Doctor’s style revolves around two core looks, the brown suit and the blue suit, each with subtle variations. To create your own Tenth Doctor cosplay, there are five essential components and five optional elements to enhance authenticity. Let’s break down each piece.
Tenth Doctor Costume Card detailing essential and optional elements.
The Essential Pieces for a Tenth Doctor Cosplay
1. The Suit: The Cornerstone of the Tenth Doctor Look
The suit is undeniably the most crucial and recognizable part of the Tenth Doctor’s attire. David Tennant’s signature look featured a brown suit with a vibrant electric blue pinstripe. Later, from Series 3 onwards, a navy blue suit with a more subtle brown/rust pinstripe was introduced. Both suits were crafted from lightweight cotton shirting material.
Inspired by 1930s tailoring, the suit jacket is a distinctive 4-button design with a notch collar and a pleated patch breast pocket with a curved flap. It also includes hip pockets that appear to be standard flap/welt but ingeniously open from the top. The jacket is tailored for a slim fit, featuring front darts, a sewn-in back waist belt, and a single back vent. The sleeves are plain, without vents, but adorned with three buttons each.
The trousers are modern straight-leg style, fastened with a two-clasp front flap closure and zipper. They have practical slash front pockets and two double welt back pockets secured with a button-and-tab. The trouser hems are blind-stitched (without cuffs or topstitching), and the waistband has five belt loops. Both suit jackets are lined with a color-matched acetate twill.
Close-up swatch of the blue pinstripe fabric of the Tenth Doctor's suit.
Side view of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor in his brown suit, showing the slim fit and jacket details.
Lining swatch of the Tenth Doctor's brown suit jacket.
Close-up of the back vent detail of the Tenth Doctor's brown suit jacket.
Detailed image of the buttons on the Tenth Doctor's brown suit jacket sleeve.
Fabric detail of the blue pinstripe suit, showing the texture and color.
Full shot of David Tennant in the blue pinstripe suit, showcasing the overall look.
Internal lining detail of the brown suit jacket vent.
David Tennant in the blue suit, highlighting the fit and styling.
Close-up of the fabric texture of the Tenth Doctor's blue suit.
Detailed fabric swatch of the blue suit material.
2. The Button-Up Shirt: Casual Yet Distinctive
The classic Tenth Doctor look is completed with a button-up dress shirt. These shirts were often off-the-rack, sourced from popular retailers like UniQlo, Reiss, River Island, and FCUK. The shirts were typically light or dark blue and made from soft cotton or linen. Importantly, these were casual dress shirts, not stiff, formal business shirts, a key detail emphasized by costume designer Louise Page.
While most shirts were solid colors without patterns or prints, some linen options featured heathered textures, such as the medium gray UniQlo shirt seen in “School Reunion.” Others included subtle embellishments like the contrast stitching on his FCUK shirt in “Tooth and Claw.” Although one striped shirt appeared, the general style was plain and solid-colored.
For the brown suit, shirt colors ranged through various shades of light and dark blue, beige, heathered gray, and olive. Blue suit shirts included light blue, maroon, and dark purple options.
Still image of David Tennant in New Earth wearing a light blue button-up shirt.
David Tennant in "The Idiots Lantern" wearing a blue button-up shirt.
David Tennant in "42" wearing a maroon button-up shirt with the blue suit.
Promotional image of David Tennant wearing a dark purple button-up shirt with the blue suit.
David Tennant in a light blue button-up, showcasing the casual style.
David Tennant wearing a darker blue button-up shirt, demonstrating color variation.
Close up of the grey heathered Uniqlo shirt from School Reunion.
David Tennant in a beige shirt, showing another color variation.
David Tennant wearing an olive green shirt, expanding the color palette.
David Tennant in a dark blue shirt, highlighting another shirt option.
3. The Tie: A Cosplay Obsession
While not every Tenth Doctor appearance included a tie, Tennant’s ties have become a beloved and almost legendary aspect of his cosplay. They’re so popular they’ve practically developed their own dedicated fanbase. For a more detailed exploration, check out our comprehensive guide to the Tennant ties.
For the brown suit, Tennant sported brown ties featuring blue geometric, floral, or striped patterns. The blue suit called for maroon ties with navy accents, although his most famous blue suit tie is primarily navy blue with maroon details.
David Tennant wearing a brown tie with blue geometric patterns.
David Tennant in a brown tie with blue floral details.
David Tennant in a maroon tie with navy accents with the blue suit.
Close-up of a brown tie with intricate floral pattern.
David Tennant wearing a patterned tie, showcasing the tie as a key accessory.
Close-up of a brown tie with geometric design.
Detail of a tie with a subtle pattern, suitable for the brown suit.
Close-up of a tie with a geometric and floral mix.
Detailed view of a tie with a striped pattern.
4. The Shoes: Converse All Stars – A Doctor’s Choice
David Tennant famously wore Chuck Taylor All-Star Hi-Tops as the Doctor. In fact, Tennant personally advocated for the Converse, fighting for their inclusion with the costume department. He recounted, “I had these really old, battered, cream-colored Converse shoes that I brought in and I said, ‘I want to wear these.’ And people didn’t like that idea. I had to really fight for them. They were like, ‘No, no, no. I’ve got these wonderful boots.’ They’re beautiful. They’re beautiful boots. But I want to wear these crappy old trainers. That was the only thing I absolutely insisted on, battered old shoes, because that always just felt like that was the right thing to do. I’m glad I did.”
With the brown suit, he wore cream Converse, and with the blue suit, maroon. In almost every instance, they were laced in the same distinctive style. For legal reasons, the Converse logos were whited out on screen. Interestingly, especially in Series 2, black Converse were occasionally worn with the brown suit.
Close-up of David Tennant's cream Converse sneakers with brown suit.
David Tennant wearing maroon Converse sneakers with the blue suit.
Diagram showing the specific lacing style of the Tenth Doctor's Converse sneakers.
Full shot of David Tennant in cream Converse sneakers, showing the complete outfit.
Angle shot of David Tennant's Converse shoes, showcasing the worn and comfortable look.
Close-up of maroon Converse sneakers, highlighting the color and style.
5. The Hair: Tennant’s Iconic Spiky Style
No discussion of the Tenth Doctor’s look is complete without acknowledging David Tennant’s magnificent hair.
While the hairstyle evolved subtly throughout his tenure, the fundamental silhouette remained consistent. It was scissor-cut on the sides and back, with longer fringe on top and in front, styled in a messy, spiky manner. Sometimes it was worn down, but usually lifted, and occasionally aggressively spiked using Bed Head hair products. Tennant also sported sideburns reaching his earlobes, varying in width but often flaring wider at the bottom.
Close-up of David Tennant's hairstyle, showing the scissor cut and spiky styling.
Profile view of David Tennant's hair, highlighting the sideburns and messy top.
Image comparing Tennant's hair to Jodie Whittaker's hair, highlighting the difference in styles.
David Tennant's hair styled in a lifted, spikier fashion.
David Tennant's hair with a messier, less styled appearance.
Still of David Tennant in Doctor Who with his signature spiky hair visible.
Close up on David Tennant’s face, showing the hairstyle and sideburns.
David Tennant's hairstyle with a slightly different texture, demonstrating hair variation.
With these five core elements, your Tenth Doctor cosplay will capture the essential look. However, adding a few more pieces will truly elevate your cosplay to the next level of authenticity.
Optional Pieces for Enhanced Authenticity
6. The Coat: The Tenth Doctor’s Dramatic Outerwear
The Tenth Doctor occasionally wore a long brown overcoat, adding a layer of drama to his silhouette. This double-breasted coat was crafted from Alcantara, an upholstery-grade microfiber, and featured a notch lapel, flap-covered hip pockets, back darts, and a gusset. The sleeves were long and loose-fitting, without vents or cuff buttons. It had eight faux horn buttons on the front and four more in the back vent, allowing it to be closed, although Tennant always wore it open. The coat was lined with a navy acetate self-stripe lining, and the inside pocket welts were made from rust-colored silk dupioni.
Swatch of the silk dupioni fabric for the coat pocket welts.
Close-up of the buttons on the Tenth Doctor's brown overcoat.
David Tennant wearing the long brown overcoat, showcasing its length and style.
Full body shot of David Tennant in the overcoat, highlighting the complete Tenth Doctor silhouette.
David Tennant in the overcoat with a dynamic pose.
David Tennant in the brown overcoat, demonstrating its fit and details.
7. The Undershirt: Layering for Detail
When the Tenth Doctor wasn’t wearing a tie, he often layered his look with a colored t-shirt or Henley underneath his button-up shirt. These undershirts varied widely in color and collar style, and few have been definitively identified. Notably, in “Fear Her,” Tennant wears a Henley shirt without a dress shirt, and in “Journey’s End,” the Metacrisis Doctor wears a t-shirt solo.
David Tennant wearing a dark undershirt in "Midnight".
David Tennant in an undershirt, visible under his button-up.
Close up of David Tennant in "Tooth and Claw" showing a Henley undershirt.
David Tennant wearing a visible undershirt beneath his button-up.
The Metacrisis Doctor in "Journey's End" wearing a simple t-shirt.
David Tennant in a maroon undershirt, showing color variation.
8. The Glasses: Geek Chic Accessory
For a touch of “geek chic,” Tennant occasionally sported custom Alain Mikli glasses in a dark tortoise shell acetate. Only one pair of these frames existed for production, and duplicates couldn’t be found. As a backup, Louise Page acquired similar Alain Mikli frames. This second pair made a single onscreen appearance as sonic screwdriver-created sunglasses in “Planet of the Dead.”
David Tennant wearing the Alain Mikli glasses.
Close up of David Tennant in glasses, highlighting the tortoise shell frames.
David Tennant wearing the glasses, demonstrating their everyday wearability.
David Tennant wearing the glasses, showcasing their style and frame shape.
9. The Socks: Subtle Color Coordination
Tennant wore ribbed socks with his Converse, coordinating the colors with his suit. He wore dark brown socks with the brown suit and maroon socks with the blue suit.
Close-up of David Tennant's cream Converse sneakers with brown suit.
David Tennant wearing maroon socks with maroon Converse sneakers.
10. The Sonic Screwdriver: The Doctor’s Essential Tool
No Doctor cosplay is complete without their sonic screwdriver. While not strictly clothing, it’s an iconic accessory for every Doctor since Troughton, making it worth mentioning.
Originally designed by Dan Walker and crafted by Aztec Modelmakers (later modified and replicated by Nick Robatto), the Tenth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver has a machined aluminum body, a grip with a crackle glaze finish, a black end cap, and a blue light at the tip. The tip extends via a crackle-painted slider, revealing a clear tube with a central spiral of wires connected to the emitter head by a static ball joint. Several variations of this sonic appeared onscreen with minor differences, particularly in the slider details and crackle paint color. For the 50th Anniversary special, “The Day of the Doctor,” Millennium FX replicas were used to protect David Tennant’s personal sonic, featuring a gold-colored crackle glaze instead of the usual gray or cream.
For sonic screwdriver enthusiasts, Brian Terranova’s deep dive into the history of the Russel T. Davies era sonic screwdriver is highly recommended reading.
Gold crackle glaze sonic screwdriver from The Day of the Doctor special.
Close up of the Tenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver with blue light at the tip.
Promotional image of the Tenth Doctor holding his sonic screwdriver.
Bonus: Other Notable Accessories
Beyond the sonic screwdriver, many other recognizable props were used by Tennant on the show. These include psychic paper, a squirt gun, 3-D glasses, a silver fob watch, and various homemade gadgets.
David Tennant holding psychic paper, a signature Doctor Who prop.
David Tennant wearing 3D glasses, a fun prop from the series.
David Tennant holding a silver fob watch, another recognizable accessory.
David Tennant with homemade gadgets, showcasing the Doctor's inventive side.
David Tennant with more homemade gadgets, emphasizing the Doctor's resourcefulness.
Finding Screen-Accurate Tenth Doctor Cosplay Items
1. The Suit: The Quest for Accuracy
Close up of GAP label on trousers, referencing the original trousers source.
The original suits were custom-made for the show, but famously, the brown trousers were off-the-rack GAP. Finding vintage GAP trousers is a legendary quest for cosplayers, incredibly rare and expensive when found. Approximately 4-5 pairs are needed to create a jacket, with at least two larger sizes for panels and a spare in your size for wear. Good luck with that!
Image of Magnoli Clothiers fabric swatches, representing high-quality replicas.
Many attempts have been made to replicate the brown and blue fabrics, with Magnoli Clothiers leading the way. They offer fabric by the yard and finished suits in updated fabrics for around $690. Their patterns are excellent, and the fabrics are rewoven from original swatches, making them the best available option unless you commission a custom reweave. Baron Boutique also offers a great suit using Magnoli fabric, with customization options, at a similar price point.
For DIY cosplayers, Bad Wolf Costumes provides a sewing pattern to create your own suit. Note that this is just the pattern, not a finished suit, requiring tailoring skills. However, they also offer a detailed sewing tutorial to guide you.
Expect to invest between $500-$800 for a serious attempt at a screen-accurate suit.
2. The Button-Up Shirt: Vintage Hunting
Some of Tennant’s original dress shirts are still available from retailers, albeit with minor differences, like the iconic light blue linen UniQlo shirt. eBay occasionally yields sought-after options like the maroon/striped H&M shirt from “42” or the dark purple two-button collar Reiss shirt from “Time Crash,” but these can command high prices in bidding wars. Some shirts remain unidentified, like the pinspotted dark purple shirt from “Silence in the Library” and the medium blue shirt from “Midnight” and “Planet of the Dead.” Vintage Reiss and UniQlo shirts sometimes surface on resale sites like eBay, Vinted, and Poshmark. Rare finds like the FCUK shirt from “Tooth and Claw” and the Hackett shirt from “The Day of the Doctor” are exceptionally difficult to locate.
3. The Tie: Replica or Vintage Chase
Owning a vintage Tennant tie is a dream for many. Competition is fierce, and prices escalate as they become rarer. Fortunately, excellent replicas are available from Time and Space Replicas and Magnoli Clothiers. If you’re set on vintage, eBay, Vinted, and Poshmark are your hunting grounds, but be warned, the search can be intense!
4. The Shoes: Converse Readily Available
Great news! Both styles of Tenth Doctor Converse are still in production without significant changes. For the brown suit, seek Chuck Taylor All Star in Natural Ivory (color code M9162). For the blue suit, find Chuck Taylor All Star in Maroon (color code M9613). The maroon can be slightly harder to find as it’s an earthier red, not bright purple, but still readily available. New Converse should cost around $65-$75 per pair.
5. The Hair: Styling and Products
While some cosplayers use wigs or fake sideburns, many Tenth Doctor cosplayers have experimented with their own hair for years to achieve the perfect cut and style. The production-used products, Bed Head Hard To Get and Bed Head Stick, are still available. Hard To Get is discontinued but can be found on eBay and other online marketplaces.
6. The Coat: A Challenging Find
Fabric swatches for the overcoat: discontinued Alcantara and lining options.
The Tenth Doctor overcoat was also custom-made, with the original fabric reportedly cut from a sofa. The specified fabric, Alcantara “Roan 11,” is long discontinued.
Image of a brown faux suede fabric swatch, representing a substitute for the original Alcantara.
Attempts to replicate the fabric have been unsuccessful, leading to the use of substitutes. Standard faux suede is popular but often gets discontinued. Microfiber and microsuede may be viable alternatives. The original lining was BBC stock, making it difficult to replicate. Steve Ricks offers a rewoven lining replica by the meter, but close substitutes are hard to find.
Excellent coat replicas do exist. Steve Ricks is renowned for his coats and takes commissions. Magnoli Clothiers is another top option, though fabric choices may vary over time. Expect to pay between $700 and $1200 for a high-quality replica coat.
7. The Undershirt: A Mystery
The only identified undershirt is the River Island Henley worn in “Tooth and Claw,” auctioned at Bonhams in 2006. Vintage versions are unlikely to surface. Your best bet is to find a close match at a department store.
8. The Glasses: Replicas Available
The original Alain Mikli frames were custom and difficult to duplicate even for production. However, a near-flawless replica is available from Magnoli Clothiers for $75.
9. The Socks: Easily Sourced
Never identified specifically, ribbed socks in the correct colors are readily available online or in stores with a quick search.
10. The Sonic Screwdriver: Prop Replicas
Image of a Rubbertoe Replicas sonic screwdriver, showcasing high-quality prop replicas.
Nick Robatto, Doctor Who’s propmaker for much of the reboot, sells sonic screwdriver replicas online through Rubbertoe Replicas. The Series 4 Tennant sonic is currently out of stock, but pre-orders are open for the cream version and one with a “wide slider” feature. These replicas are around £650. Little Shop Props, working with Nick Robatto, offers “Aztec” versions (Series 1-2) in gray for £450.
Bonus: Other Notable Accessories – Little Shop Props
Little Shop Props offers Psychic Paper replicas for £62.50. Other accessories like the squirt gun are found items, while others like the Timey-Wimey Detector are custom-built, leaving their acquisition as a fun challenge for cosplayers.
Budget-Friendly Tenth Doctor Cosplay: Achieving the Look Without Breaking the Bank
A cosplayer in a budget-friendly Tenth Doctor cosplay, demonstrating affordability.
Fantastic news! Tenth Doctor cosplay is achievable at every budget level, with impressive results possible even on a tight budget. My own first Tenth Doctor cosplay, thrifted and sourced from budget Chinese sites, cost under $300 and effectively captured the Tenth Doctor vibe.
However, to avoid being mistaken for other similarly dressed characters like Castiel from Supernatural or Rip Hunter from Legends of Tomorrow, keep a few key budget considerations in mind to maintain that unmistakable Tenth Doctor essence.
1. The Suit: Pinstripes are Key, Color Less So
David Tennant in the brown suit, highlighting the pinstripe detail even in standard definition.
While the blue pinstripe is iconic, the pinstripe itself is more crucial than the specific color. Even onscreen, due to standard definition TV in 2005, the stripes often appeared gray or beige. Focus on a strong pinstripe; the color can be gray to blue. Don’t neglect the pinstripe on the brown suit – it’s essential!
David Tennant in the blue suit, showing the subtle pinstripe and solid blue appearance.
For the blue suit, solid blue or a subtle neutral stripe works well, mimicking the low-contrast stripe that often appeared stripeless on screen.
Four-button suits are rare in thrift stores (considered outdated since the 1940s), so a 3-button suit is acceptable. While Tennant’s suits were cotton, thrift stores are unlikely to offer cotton suits. Opt for thin wool or polyester. A slim or tailored fit is ideal, but a longer coat (discussed later) can compensate for a less-than-perfect suit fit. A higher button stance can even enhance the Tenth Doctor silhouette.
For budget replicas, Baron Boutique’s screen-printed fabric suits are more affordable than Magnoli suits. For even lower budgets, Chinese cosplay sites offer suits under $100, suitable for a pinch.
2. The Button-Up Shirt: Thrift Store Treasures
Thrift and department stores are excellent resources for budget-friendly shirts. Look for soft cotton or linen shirts, avoiding stiff, formal styles. The Tenth Doctor’s look is intentionally slightly rumpled. Linen shirts are inexpensive new and readily available. Avoid stripes, prints, or complex weaves. Thrift stores are likely to have affordable options. Light blue is the classic and foolproof shirt color for both suits.
3. The Tie: Pattern over Perfection
If replica ties are out of budget, thrift or department stores offer functional alternatives. For the brown suit, seek brown-based ties with blue details; for the blue suit, maroon ties with blue details. Geometric or floral patterns are most authentic, but stripes are also acceptable.
4. The Shoes: Converse – A Worthwhile Investment
Hi-Top Converse are relatively affordable and significantly enhance the Tenth Doctor cosplay, distinguishing it from similar looks. Natural Ivory Converse for the brown suit dramatically increase authenticity, even for budget outfits. Used pairs on eBay can further reduce costs. For blue suits, standard maroon Converse are perfectly acceptable if screen-accurate maroon is hard to find. Bright red Converse detract from authenticity. While black-and-white Converse are technically seen with the brown suit, color-appropriate Converse significantly elevate the look.
5. The Hair: Optional Budget Consideration
Wigs and fake sideburns enhance accuracy, but for tight budgets, they can be skipped. With a well-executed outfit, the Tenth Doctor will still be recognizable, even with variations in hairstyle.
6. The Coat: Your Budget Cosplay Secret Weapon
Cosplayer in a budget coat, demonstrating how a good coat can elevate the entire look.
The coat is a budget cosplayer’s most powerful tool. A decent coat can mask imperfections in other budget pieces, especially the suit. Most of the suit (front button area, trouser legs) is hidden when wearing a long coat. Even a coat with inaccuracies can create the right silhouette. However, avoid inappropriately styled overcoats that can undermine the aesthetic.
Faux suede or microfiber is ideal, but coat color is more important than fabric. A neutral, olive-y medium brown wool-like coat is preferable to a chocolate brown microsuede coat. While the screen-used coat is darker, its on-camera brightening allows for lighter browns or dark beige without losing the aesthetic. Saturated nutty browns also work well.
Avoid light beige, buckled, strapped, standing-collar “detective-style” trench coats, which resemble Castiel’s coat. Also, avoid no-lapel, big-collar coats that resemble Rip Hunter’s style. Look for coats with proper lapels.
Affordable cosplay shop coats are available online. Seek ankle-length, medium brown, sleek, lapelled faux suede or wool-like coats within your budget. The coat is the most impactful budget piece; prioritize investment here.
7. The Undershirt: Use What You Have
Don’t stress about screen-accurate undershirts on a budget. Use existing t-shirts or Henleys.
8. The Glasses: Tortoise Shell Frames are Sufficient
Tortoise shell frames are key. Avoid overly thick or wrongly shaped frames. Slim, rectangular tortoise shell frames are sufficient.
9. The Socks: Affordable Ribbed Socks
Beyond color, socks are simple. Affordable ribbed socks in appropriate colors are widely available.
10. The Sonic Screwdriver: Toy Versions Work
Toy versions of the Tenth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, especially the Character Options version, are widely accepted for budget cosplay. While oversized and plastic, they are recognizable. For mid-range budgets, The Wand Company replica (discontinued but available on eBay) was previously the best market option before Rubbertoe Replicas.
Happy Tenth Doctor Cosplaying!
Before concluding, remember the Tenth Doctor had non-pinstripe suit looks, including the Tuxedo and orange spacesuit. While great cosplays, the pinstripe suits are more instantly recognizable, especially on a budget. Without meticulous detail, tuxedo or tweed cosplays might be mistaken for generic formal wear or other characters. For maximum “allons-y” impact, stick with the pinstripes!
A group of Tenth Doctor cosplayers, showcasing the variety and popularity of the cosplay.
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