If you saw a guy sprinting down a London street in 2006 wearing a duster coat and sandshoes, you knew exactly who he was. No question. David Tennant didn't just play the Doctor; he wore the role. But here is the thing: the tenth doctor who costume wasn't some high-fashion, bespoke masterpiece handed down from a Savile Row tailor. Honestly? It was mostly made of old trousers from a mall brand.
Most people think costume departments spend months weaving custom fabrics in secret mills. Not for Ten. Louise Page, the genius costume designer for the era, basically walked into a GAP store in the summer of 2005 and bought a bunch of brown pinstripe trousers. That’s it. That is the "iconic" suit.
The GAP Secret and the 1930s Cut
When David Tennant took over the TARDIS, the look needed to be "geek chic." It had to be slim. It had to look like he’d found it in a trunk but somehow made it cool. Because the production team couldn't just keep buying the same pants—GAP eventually stopped selling them, as stores do—they had to get creative.
They actually unpicked the seams of multiple pairs of extra-large GAP trousers.
They took those flat pieces of pinstripe cotton and re-cut them into a slim, four-button jacket. If you look closely at the screen-used jackets, you'll notice more panels than a standard suit has. That isn't a stylistic choice; it's a "we don't have enough fabric" choice. They had to piece the jacket together like a jigsaw puzzle because they were working with the limited width of a trouser leg.
The cut itself was inspired by 1930s tailoring. It’s narrow in the shoulders and long in the body. It makes Tennant look even taller and thinner than he already is. He almost looks like a stick figure drawn in pinstripes.
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Blue vs. Brown: It’s Not Just a Color Swap
By Season 3, the brown suit was getting hammered. Running from Daleks is hard on cotton. To give the wardrobe a break, Louise Page introduced the blue suit.
There's a persistent fan theory that he wears brown for the past and blue for the future. You’ve probably heard it. It’s a nice idea. It’s also totally wrong. He wears the blue suit in Daleks in Manhattan (the 1930s) and the brown suit in The Waters of Mars (the future). There was no "temporal color coding."
The blue suit fabric was actually a lightweight cotton shirting that was originally too light. Page had to dye it to get that specific "TARDIS blue" depth. The pinstripes on the blue suit are "rust" colored, though they often look red or even pink under the studio lights.
The "Sandshoes" Controversy
"What are you wearing on your feet? Sandshoes!"
The War Doctor’s jab in The Day of the Doctor was the ultimate meta-commentary on the Tenth Doctor’s footwear. He wore Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. Specifically, high-tops.
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- Cream/Natural White: Worn most often with the brown suit.
- Maroon/Red: The go-to for the blue suit.
- Black: Used for the tuxedo and occasionally early in Season 2.
There is a huge debate in the cosplay community about whether the shoes were "White" or "Cream." Honestly, they were "Natural White" (color code M9162). They just looked yellow and grimy because David Tennant was literally running through quarries and damp Cardiff streets for years.
That Coat (and Why It’s Not Leather)
The overcoat is the anchor of the whole silhouette. It’s a floor-length duster made of a faux-suede material. Some call it Alcantara; others just call it a heavy moleskin. It was a "find" from a fabric shop in Birmingham.
It’s meant to look like a coat he’s had for a hundred years. It’s got a deep back vent—perfect for billow-factor when he turns a corner—and those weirdly specific triangular reinforcements on the pockets.
It wasn't leather. It wasn't wool. It was a synthetic upholstery-style fabric that caught the light in a way that made it look much more expensive than it was.
Actionable Tips for the Perfectionist Cosplayer
If you’re trying to put together a tenth doctor who costume that doesn't look like a cheap Halloween bag outfit, you have to sweat the small stuff.
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First, stop looking for "blue suits" at the mall. The pinstripe spacing is the killer. On the original brown suit, the cornflower blue pinstripes are about 1mm wide and spaced roughly 13mm apart. Most off-the-rack suits have stripes that are way too close together.
Second, the tie. Don't just grab a brown tie. Tennant wore a rotating collection of high-end designer silk. We’re talking Christian Lacroix, Daniel Hechter, and St George by Duffer. If you find a vintage "Tie Four" (the blue/brown floral pattern), you’ve basically found the Holy Grail.
Finally, the fit. The jacket is a four-button. Not two. Not three. Four. And he never, ever buttons the bottom one. Usually, he only buttons the top two, or leaves it open to let the coat do the heavy lifting.
If you want to get the look right today, search for "Baron Boutique" or "Magnoli Clothiers." These tailors have spent years reverse-engineering the GAP fabric patterns. They are the closest you will get to the real thing without a time machine and a trip to a 2005 shopping center.
Get the hair right—lots of product, pushed forward then up—and you're ready to go. Just remember to look like you're slightly out of breath and very, very sorry about what’s about to happen to the monsters.
Next Steps for Your Costume Build:
- Check the Pinstripe Spacing: Measure the gap between stripes on any fabric you buy; if it’s less than 12mm, it will look crowded on camera.
- Source "Natural White" Converse: Avoid the bleached optic white shoes; the "Natural" or "Off-White" version is the only screen-accurate choice.
- Prioritize the Coat's Drape: Look for a heavy faux-suede or moleskin rather than wool to ensure it billows correctly when you move.