By Guest Blogger, Sophie Lee
Bow Ties are Cool.
That is the mantra of the Eleventh Doctor, the titular character of the BBC show “Doctor Who,” and is probably enough to convince you to dress more like this man. The abundance of warm earth tones and the professorial vibe of the doctor’s look lends itself well to autumn. You can mix and match different aspects of the doctor’s ensemble for your own seasonal look.
The Bow Tie: I’m pretty sure the intro said it all. Whenever he can help it, the doctor is wearing a bow tie. His go-to is a narrow red bow tie, although he also wears a blue one on occasion. And for really special occasions he’ll break out the white silk bow tie.
How to incorporate this into your look: For your everyday wear, chose wool or linen bow ties rather than silk ones; in a dark shade, with a narrow bow (batwing or a thinner semi-butterfly). Narrow cloth bow ties are more casual but equally dapper. Or for double the doctor fashion points, opt for a tweed bow tie. For formal affairs, go white silk.
High quality bow ties are hard to find sometimes. Vintage clothing stores are a good place to start, and I love the selections at High Cotton. Pictured above is the Darden Woolie Bow Tie.
(sources: J.Crew, A.P.C. - Elbow Patch Sweat, bintheknow.wordpress.com)
The Jacket: The eleventh doctor wears a well-fitted tweed jacket with elbow patches. Elbow patches are one of those delightful details, effervescent of your old college professor.
How to incorporate this into your look: Tweed jackets are an excellent addition to any fall wardrobe. See the tweed jacket selections of Topman, House of Fraser (men’s), The Outnet, and Modcloth (women’s). Or just go with the elbow patches! Many brands like H&M, Zara, and ASOS, to name a few; sell sweaters, cardigans, and blazers with elbow patches. Or if you like sewing, add patches an old sweater or blazer for a personality revamp! Here’s a DIY elbow patches tutorial.
The Details: The doctor tends to wear slim-fit shirts with button-down collars. But the beauty lies in the details. His shirt is often a muted shade of his bow tie color. And for another nice touch, his suspenders always match his bow tie.
A second really great element of his shirts are the contrasting cuffs. Although the only time they are fully visible is when he gets dressed, you can seeing them peaking out though his sleeves throughout the series. The doctor’s cuffs are a darker shade and ringed, similar to the cuffs on a letterman jacket. It’s a nice little burst of color and a fun detail.
How to incorporate this into your look: The exact shirt the doctor wears was made and sold by UK designer Paul Smith. It was part of a limited edition collection in 2010 and is no longer available. But for a similar style, look for the colors of your accessories in a muted tone. Also for slim fit shirts with cuff or collar contrast details. Try Claudio Lugli, Hugo Boss, Dockers, Brooks Brothers. Finally, don’t underestimate the value of a good pair of suspenders! His are a simple clip on; easily picked up at Topman or American Apparel.
