Dress Like the Doctor by Maria Selke from Maria’s Melange

November 20, 2013 by Karen Jensen, MLS Leave a Comment

Deciding on the perfect Halloween costume is generally a “Big Deal” in my house. My boys often end up picking pre-made costumes, but it’s never an easy process. So when they decreed that this would be the “Year of The Doctor”, I have to admit to getting a wee bit excited. I may have even hollered…

I started my Doctor Who journey just this past January, and I was hooked from the very first episode. Not only would it be fun (and easy) to dress up as Nine, I see Christopher Eccleston as “my Doctor”. I already own the perfect leather jacket, too!

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

No go. My older son called dibs on being Nine. At least it would be easy to get Older his costume, right? He even has the right hair and ears to pull off the perfect Christopher Eccleston look.

With gracious acceptance only a mother can give, I acquiesced and started considering how I could put together an outfit to be Ten. It would be a little more work, but I knew I could handle it.

Nope. Younger is an even more dedicated Whovian than Older, and Tennant is HIS Doctor. He unequivocally decreed that HE would be dressing up as Ten for Halloween. His level of enthusiasm for his costuming choices would make any hard-core cosplayer proud.

Do you have ANY idea how difficult it is to find a reasonably priced pinstripe suit for a nine year old? Thank goodness for eBay! Locating a trench coat was even trickier. No one makes those for elementary school boys. A teacher friend came to the rescue on that one, and let us borrow her coat for his costume. The only item he wouldn’t wear was a tie. I guess I can live with that. He topped off his ensemble with a pair of Converse and 3D glasses. I have to admit, he makes the perfect Ten. He can even cock his eyebrow and muss his hair just right. So cute!

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

That, of course, left me with Eleven. It took a while for me to warm up to his gawky, awkward self… but I learned to love him. How could I resist the challenge to make all his odd sartorial choices look “cool”?

I searched the internet for the perfect inspiration to get my Eleven going. The first thing I noticed (besides the obvious bow ties and fez) was his wonderful black boots. I did some theater in high school, and I still remember the feeling I got when I finally donned the right shoes for the part. Clunky grandma shoes? Cute little heels? Getting the correct footwear was the lynchpin for helping me pull off the part. Thankfully, ‘tis the season for boot shopping!

Rights Maria Selke

A few trips to some local Goodwill stores, and a generous helping of patience, netted me a lovely tweed coat. Would I be satisfied with just this? Absolutely not! I purchased some elbow patches to make the jacket “just right”. A bow tie, a fez, and “braces” rounded out the look.

My sons and I geared up to visit our local Renaissance Faire for one of their Halloween weekends. We got a ton of smiles and grins. One group of ladies even shouted, “It’s the Doctors! Come over here and show us some love!”.

Was all this hard work worth it? You bet! We looked Fan-tastic!

This post is part of TWO marvelous blogging events!

Sci-Fi Month is brought to you by Rinn Reads. Check out the full schedule of Sci-Fi Month posts! There are reviews, discussions, giveaways, and more!

Doctor Who Week is a joint venture between my blog, Maria’s Melange, and Teen Librarian Toolbox. We have a full week of fun posts to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who.

Filed under: Cosplay, Doctor Who

Read or Leave Comments

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

December 2015

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Dress Like the Doctor by Maria Selke from Maria’s Melange

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Related Posts

TPiB: Quick Doctor Who Decorations/Ornaments

Sherlock and the Case of the Diversity Problem (and why representation matters)

Sunday Reflections: The Curious Case of Doctor Who Kissing without Consent, and why it matters

TPiB: On a Stick

Take 5: YA Lit for Rose Tyler fans (Doctor Who), a guest post by Amy Diegelman

SLJ Blog Network

How to Do Just About Everything in 2022

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2022 Picture Book Readalouds

The Librarian of Auschwitz | Preview

Sensing the Setting: Newbery Criteria Deep Dive

Cover Reveal: HALF MOON SUMMER by Elaine Vickers

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

Making Reading Plans with Donalyn Miller

Related Articles on SLJ

More Than Voting: 6 Election-Themed YA Novels Tackle Relationships and Political Engagement

16 YA Novels That Reenvision History | Summer Reading 2020

17 Immersive Graphic Novels for Teens | Summer Reading 2021

4 YA Romances To Warm Your Heart and Make You Think | Summer Reading 2020

18 Novels for Teens That Blow the Dust Off History | Summer Reading 2021

Archives

Dress Like the Doctor by Maria Selke from Maria’s Melange

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Related Posts

SLJ Blog Network

Related Articles on SLJ

Archives

Follow This Blog