Jodie Whittaker has already broken the mould by being the first woman to play the Doctor, and now her new outfit has been unveiled, does it match up to those of her predecessors?
Unsurprisingly, her new threads, which were unveiled yesterday, are certainly eccentric; combining cropped teal culottes (which are apparently in right now) with yellow braces (which will never be in), a striped jumper (it seems to be reversible too which is handy for those look trips in the fourth dimension) and a long trench coat with a rainbow trim – then there’s the brown boots, blue and turquoise striped socks and some very fetching earrings on her left ear, her new outfit looks like an alien trying to be a woman after spending a very long time as a man and not really getting either of those things right. In other words, it’s gender neutral.

There are obvious nods; the boots and braces recall Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor – both Smith and Whittaker share the same costume designer, Ray Holman, who also put together the Eleventh Doctor’s distinctive look. Other Doctor’s to have snapped the odd brace are Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor which this new outfit owes a clear debt, Colin Baker’s Sixth Doctor (who of course, got to compare braces with the Second Doctor in The Two Doctors) and Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor, who sported a traditional red pair of trouser hoists.

The long coat is reminiscent of the Fifth Doctor’s own long coat (as well as Romana’s too) although the colour is more Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor – and that’s not to mention David Tennant’s ‘hero coat’ too, which as we know is very good at creating dramatic silhouettes.

Then there’s the stripes on the jumper and coat which, when combined with the braces, resemble another famous TV alien in the form of Robin Williams’ Mork from Mork and Mindy – as well as Wesley Crusher’s nifty stripes from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Also the stripes obviously recall Tom Baker’s iconic, improbably long scarf (and to a lesser extent the stripes donning the outfits of Pearl Mackie’s Bill Potts and Ingrid Oliver’s Osgood – which is a reference within a reference within a reference for those keeping count).
Also, it’s been awhile since we’ve seen high-waisted trousers…

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the Doctor’s new look are the earrings – at the top of the ear and at the lobe. They serve to contradict the very costume-y look of her outfit by suggesting a yet unrevealed aspect of the Doctor’s new personality. Or she wants to be a pirate…yargh!
A reassuring reference distribution device wrapped in a stylish coat? A children’s TV presenter? A perfectly attired anti-fashion statement? Whatever your opinion of the Thirteenth Doctor’s outfit, it’s certainly the beginning of her and Doctor Who‘s own very distinct path.
As for the TARDIS though…