Abbyshot 11th Doctor Purple Frock Coat

I received my 11th Doctor purple frock coat from Abbyshot the day after Christmas. Now usually, when choosing from small, medium, large, or extra large clothing, I choose large. So that's what I went with. Though I think this coat a medium would be a better fit. But it might just be that Abbyshot aren't the best at putting together a frock coat. The only man I've seen able to assemble a frock coat in the exact same style as the 11th Doctor's is Steve Ricks. Anyway, the problems I've noticed with the coat are that the sleeves seem a little large, in that they are too roomy. I know the purple coat isn't really a slim fit (at least I don't think it is), but from viewing episodes and pictures, the sleeves on the screen worn garment definitely seem more fitted to the arms than the Abbyshot coat. The lapels are just a tiny bit too big. Is there anything that can even be done about this? Also, as Steve Ricks pointed out, the cuffs aren't vented like they should be. Finally, the worst bit, it's a little wide and doesn't exactly fit like it does on Matt. His is obviously very fitted at the waist. This is something they did not do well on the Abbyshot coat. I assume that I'd just have to get it taken in. I guess many of my complaints span one general idea: the coat definitely needs to feel more fitted. Not too tight, but not to loose as it is now. I'll gather some photo's and post them here in a bit (about to catch an episode of Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson!). If anyone has any suggestions (whether I should sell it and get a smaller size, have it tailored, etc.) please let me know! I'd love to get this coat in working order as it is by far my absolute favourite costume piece I have ever seen! Thanks. -Chris

I've got the same sort of issue with mine. I'm a similar build to Matt Smith and decided to go with the medium (my jacket size is 38L) but unfortunately the frock coat seems more like a large to me. It does not hug the body like a frock coat should and is so big I could easily wear it over a suit. I was thinking of taking it to a tailor to get it adjusted but given that I can make it practically double breasted around my waist I don't think there's much that can be done. I'm tempted to just find one the next size down.

As far as alterations go, as the sleeves are too roomy I imagine that would make it easier for a tailor to overlap the material to make working cuffs. I'm not sure about the lapels but I'm happy with the ones on mine.

Morthwyl said:

I've got the same sort of issue with mine. I'm a similar build to Matt Smith and decided to go with the medium (my jacket size is 38L) but unfortunately the frock coat seems more like a large to me. It does not hug the body like a frock coat should and is so big I could easily wear it over a suit. I was thinking of taking it to a tailor to get it adjusted but given that I can make it practically double breasted around my waist I don't think there's much that can be done. I'm tempted to just find one the next size down.

As far as alterations go, as the sleeves are too roomy I imagine that would make it easier for a tailor to overlap the material to make working cuffs. I'm not sure about the lapels but I'm happy with the ones on mine.

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Very helpful! Thank you! It's good (and bad) to see that I'm not the only one with this sort of problem. Hell, maybe I just ought to buy the small. I don't know. I just wish there was somewhere besides conventions to try them on. "Supposed to hug the body." That's exactly what I was thinking last night. Just couldn't find the right words. It's supposed to be a much more snug fit. Once I'm measured I'll put the measurements up here and try to get some opinions on whether I need the small of medium. I was thinking about taking a lot of screenshots of the way the coat fits and falls and various areas on Matt's body. Not sure if they can do anything just by looking at photos, but it's worth a punt. According to the Abbyshot sizing charts, I fall somewhere between a large and extra large. But now I can see that that's not entirely accurate. So I'll see about that.

And yeah, I can pretty much make it double breasted as well. I'm disappointed that I might have to sell this one and buy a smaller size, but if that's what it takes, I'll do it.

MasterTailor said:

Very helpful! Thank you! It's good (and bad) to see that I'm not the only one with this sort of problem. Hell, maybe I just ought to buy the small. I don't know. I just wish there was somewhere besides conventions to try them on. "Supposed to hug the body." That's exactly what I was thinking last night. Just couldn't find the right words. It's supposed to be a much more snug fit. Once I'm measured I'll put the measurements up here and try to get some opinions on whether I need the small of medium. I was thinking about taking a lot of screenshots of the way the coat fits and falls and various areas on Matt's body. Not sure if they can do anything just by looking at photos, but it's worth a punt. According to the Abbyshot sizing charts, I fall somewhere between a large and extra large. But now I can see that that's not entirely accurate. So I'll see about that.

And yeah, I can pretty much make it double breasted as well. I'm disappointed that I might have to sell this one and buy a smaller size, but if that's what it takes, I'll do it.

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I looked at the size chart for the frock coat compared to the tweed jacket and it seems they upped the waist measurement on the coat by an inch over the jacket which makes little sense to me as it should be a lot more fitted than a lounge jacket, I don't own their tweed jacket though I'm just looking at the charts. I do however own their 11th Doctor green coat in medium and it is definitely more accurate to the charts than the frock coat. All fairness to AbbyShot though when I emailed them with my measurements they were very helpful and suggested a small frock coat would fit me better, too bad I already had the medium at that point.

I've had friends who are 42 and 44 chests try on my medium frock coat and it seemed to fit them a lot better than it did me, based off what you've said a medium would probably be best. If in doubt I would probably email AbbyShot with your problem, give them a fair bit of detail and see what size they suggest. I also asked if they have any plans to do their sizes in intervals of two inches instead of four but it seems the off sizing is here to stay unfortunately.

i had a similar problem with it being to big, i too got the medium and i am a 38" chest, here is my video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUK6wMrEcTc

Abbyshot cut their clothes to fit bigger customers, the sizing has *always* been a problem with their products, even the items that offer more options to fit. Their standard sizing is essentially a childs size (36) then hopping up to a "medium" that fits like a large.

Their purple frock is great for the money but be prepared to have to re-tailor to fit. Their products seem to be getting more and more accurate so I hope they can address the sizing once and for all before their next release.

I have a number of abbyshot coats - Mal Reynolds, Tenth Doctor Coat, Eleventh Doctor Green coat and Eleventh Doctor tweed jacket. I tried on the purple coat at a local covention and I decided I could not buy it. Here's why.

First, its just too expensive at over $400 Canadian. All my other purchases have been around the $300 level and I don't see why the price has shot up so much.

Second, the construction of the shoulders. They are poorly done. I've bought a lot of suits and jackets over the years and even on a cheaper suit jacket, you get a nice crisp and straight shoulder line. But on the Abbyshot purple, the shoulders have no support and fall off giving a rounded and sloppy look. Its simply unacceptable at this price point. Contrast that with my Sherlock Coat I had tailor-made by an ebay vendor in China for only $150 and its shoulders are straight as an arrow. I found the same problem with my Tenth Doctor tweed jacket, although I stupidly bought it anyway. A few months later I bought a much better tweed jacket at a French Connection shop up in Covent Garden while I was in London. The shoulders are very crisp and the material does not have a ballooney feel like the Abbyshot stuff does. ( I wore it to the local Con last year and one of the Abbyshot folks remarked at how great their Eleventh Doctor jacket looked on me. They were not impressed when I told them it was NOT their coat that I was wearing.)

Third, the material has a cheap feel and looks dull, worn and washed out.

All in all, I was thoroughly disappointed with the product.

Hello, I'm considering to buy this coat, but before I do that, I've got some questions for someone who has it. Because the cuffs are not vented.. have you tried to alter them? Is it even possible? And what else you altered if you did so.. And can any of you, please, make some detailed pictures? I haven't been able to find any on the whole internet just those directly from abbyshot. Thank you very much for answers