Kingpin
Active Member
Foreword: This is the completed build log of the project, I'll attempt to annotate references to "yesterday" and "a few days later" with the actual dates that the stages of the project took place on, but there will be some I won't have a date record for.
A little history: Going on three years now, I've been a member of a Ghostbusters costuming group known as the "U.K. Ghostbusters", two of the members of which have also been very active in the Doctor Who costuming community. Last june, a friend of mine named Carl tagged me as the 7th Doctor in one of the photos he'd posted on facebook. I'd made it known to him that the 7th Doctor was my favourite, and following seeing the photo, I began to muse on the idea of what I'd need to go through in order to recreate the costume, and it's signature elements.
On July 21st (as my replica of McCoy's signature questionmark umbrella was being assembled, I also concentrated on assembling the principal elements of the Seventh Doctor's costume, largely charity shop, but accompanied with a few more specialist items:
The trousers and jacket were two of the cheaper items, having been sourced straight from eBay. Due to the jacket being a custom item produced by the BBC (just like Davison's and Colin Baker's before him) I had no basis for a named brand to go from. Although there are commercial replications available, they are too expensive for me to justifiably purchase... if not for anything else, I'd be terrified of mucking them up whilst out in public.
Although there is now a website that owns a genuine pair of trousers from the show (Classic Doctor Who Props]), I have since discovered through my enquiries from them that there is no maker's label present, meaning that any attempt to discover the original manufacturer will be extremely difficult, if not impossible.
The jacket I managed to purchase is Marks & Spencers, or so I'm told (no such markings attributing to the store despite the eBay listing stating so)... a light grey "summer sports jacket" which fits me quite comfortably. Some modification will be required... a flap needs to be added to the pocket containing the watch (and a duplicate added on the opposite breast to fake a pocket) and a belt added to the rear, as well as the possibility of the removal of some of the buttons.
Depending on how easy it would be, and if a similar material can be found, the balloon pockets may also be added, but would be purely cosmetic.
As it stands, I think it's a great alternative to the BB jacket, and with some modifications will be even closer. When photographed the colour comes out quite close in my opinion, which is a relief after having gone through so many eBay auctions and charity shops, hemming and harring over cream coloured jackets.
The trousers are from NEXT, and are really lady's trousers... however I missed that in the auction. Despite that, the pattern's close enough to work (until/unless I'm able to find something closer, or I'm able to get some material made after dissecting the original tartan tweed as seen on the original costume), and they fit me well... and are about as baggy as Bob's (Honorary Doctor, another person to [url=http://community.livejournal.com/dw_cosplay/143161.html]costumes as the Seventh Doctor).
I've also taken it as a sign that I was meant to have these trousers... upon putting them on I discovered a five pound note in one of the pockets!
Speaking of Bob, it was from him that I purchased the paisley-pattern scarf, using the same material as the one he's wearing via the link I've posted above.
The tie is Burton, a misc paisley design I chanced on ebay. Maybe not quite as red as it could be, but I rather like it (like the rest of the costume, if I see something closer, I'll probably replace it). The watch features a low-detail approximation of the hunt-scene pocket watch Sylvester McCoy had in Silver Nemesis, which in due time will be given the multicoloured cover... and resin copy of the interior elements as seen in that episode. The watch chain was acquired from eBay and is the correct "segment" chain, rather than a traditional link chain.
The waistcoat is obviously inaccurate to pre TV Movie Seventh Doctor, but I felt fitting as a temporary placeholder. It was made by Brown's of England, and was originally perchased so I could go as Badger from Firefly with my brothers (who dressed as Mal, Simon Tam and Wash respectively) to see Serenity when it came out here in the United Kingdom.
I'm still to get the shoes, which I need to find a bit more reference on as to how pointy the toes are... the scarf that hangs out of the pocket is in the post... it isn't one of Steve Rick's awesome replicas, but it'll do (I made the concious decision to get a non-accurate one, as I'd hate to lose one of his if it got snagged and pulled out of the pocket at a convention).
But, as you can see, I did go for one of Steve's replicas for the hat. The hat itself was bought from a retailer on eBay, and I'm extremely pleased with it. The brim did need a bit of molding to get to the shape it's currently in, due to the size of the box... but despite being pricier, I'd recommend getting it shipped in the box.
The pullover, noted earlier as being one of the two "make or break" items for the costume will hopefully be provided to me by a friend of mine whose Mum has done a lot of commission clothing in the past.
A little history: Going on three years now, I've been a member of a Ghostbusters costuming group known as the "U.K. Ghostbusters", two of the members of which have also been very active in the Doctor Who costuming community. Last june, a friend of mine named Carl tagged me as the 7th Doctor in one of the photos he'd posted on facebook. I'd made it known to him that the 7th Doctor was my favourite, and following seeing the photo, I began to muse on the idea of what I'd need to go through in order to recreate the costume, and it's signature elements.
On July 21st (as my replica of McCoy's signature questionmark umbrella was being assembled, I also concentrated on assembling the principal elements of the Seventh Doctor's costume, largely charity shop, but accompanied with a few more specialist items:
The trousers and jacket were two of the cheaper items, having been sourced straight from eBay. Due to the jacket being a custom item produced by the BBC (just like Davison's and Colin Baker's before him) I had no basis for a named brand to go from. Although there are commercial replications available, they are too expensive for me to justifiably purchase... if not for anything else, I'd be terrified of mucking them up whilst out in public.
Although there is now a website that owns a genuine pair of trousers from the show (Classic Doctor Who Props]), I have since discovered through my enquiries from them that there is no maker's label present, meaning that any attempt to discover the original manufacturer will be extremely difficult, if not impossible.
The jacket I managed to purchase is Marks & Spencers, or so I'm told (no such markings attributing to the store despite the eBay listing stating so)... a light grey "summer sports jacket" which fits me quite comfortably. Some modification will be required... a flap needs to be added to the pocket containing the watch (and a duplicate added on the opposite breast to fake a pocket) and a belt added to the rear, as well as the possibility of the removal of some of the buttons.
Depending on how easy it would be, and if a similar material can be found, the balloon pockets may also be added, but would be purely cosmetic.
As it stands, I think it's a great alternative to the BB jacket, and with some modifications will be even closer. When photographed the colour comes out quite close in my opinion, which is a relief after having gone through so many eBay auctions and charity shops, hemming and harring over cream coloured jackets.
The trousers are from NEXT, and are really lady's trousers... however I missed that in the auction. Despite that, the pattern's close enough to work (until/unless I'm able to find something closer, or I'm able to get some material made after dissecting the original tartan tweed as seen on the original costume), and they fit me well... and are about as baggy as Bob's (Honorary Doctor, another person to [url=http://community.livejournal.com/dw_cosplay/143161.html]costumes as the Seventh Doctor).
I've also taken it as a sign that I was meant to have these trousers... upon putting them on I discovered a five pound note in one of the pockets!Speaking of Bob, it was from him that I purchased the paisley-pattern scarf, using the same material as the one he's wearing via the link I've posted above.
The tie is Burton, a misc paisley design I chanced on ebay. Maybe not quite as red as it could be, but I rather like it (like the rest of the costume, if I see something closer, I'll probably replace it). The watch features a low-detail approximation of the hunt-scene pocket watch Sylvester McCoy had in Silver Nemesis, which in due time will be given the multicoloured cover... and resin copy of the interior elements as seen in that episode. The watch chain was acquired from eBay and is the correct "segment" chain, rather than a traditional link chain.
The waistcoat is obviously inaccurate to pre TV Movie Seventh Doctor, but I felt fitting as a temporary placeholder. It was made by Brown's of England, and was originally perchased so I could go as Badger from Firefly with my brothers (who dressed as Mal, Simon Tam and Wash respectively) to see Serenity when it came out here in the United Kingdom.
I'm still to get the shoes, which I need to find a bit more reference on as to how pointy the toes are... the scarf that hangs out of the pocket is in the post... it isn't one of Steve Rick's awesome replicas, but it'll do (I made the concious decision to get a non-accurate one, as I'd hate to lose one of his if it got snagged and pulled out of the pocket at a convention).
But, as you can see, I did go for one of Steve's replicas for the hat. The hat itself was bought from a retailer on eBay, and I'm extremely pleased with it. The brim did need a bit of molding to get to the shape it's currently in, due to the size of the box... but despite being pricier, I'd recommend getting it shipped in the box.
The pullover, noted earlier as being one of the two "make or break" items for the costume will hopefully be provided to me by a friend of mine whose Mum has done a lot of commission clothing in the past.
