Change of Character - Captain Jack Harkness/11th Doctor

"I was just saying 'hello'!"

If you include last year, then my first cosplay was technically as James Bond...What with 007's 50th anniversary and all...

However, this year sees the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. I've always been wanting to dress up with something like the Doctor in mind, so there's no better time to start, actually! ^^ (Each year going up to 2017 will have a special anniversary that I will be cosplaying...That's the plan anyway!)

I decided to do a 2-in-1 cosplay, because I realised that to versions of certain character costumes share s few base-items of clothing; particularly in colour. Since then I've created a checklist of the two characters in question; Captain Jack Harkness & the 11th Doctor. Now, I have a more appropriate build for Harkness, but why not...?

Here's the 'chassis', if you will:

Basically depending on which versions of the costume they have, they share; a light blue shirt, burgundy braces, dark trousers, watch, brown boots...Of course in some cases, one character's more different from the other, so I've sort-of met them in the middle (especially the boots). However, I eventually got more modern braces, due to affordability and button-braces are difficult to wear when you have no buttons for 'em!

But when you add a thing or two to it, then you become one or the other. For instance, add a sonic and you're the Doctor searching for his bow-tie:

But roll your sleeves up and add a belt, then Captain Jack Harkness is just waiting for his great-coat:

And there you go! My first sci-fi cosplay! And it's not even finished! The boots, shirt and trousers are from George at ASDA, the tee underneath from F&F at Tesco, the belt was a double-sided belt from Marks & Spencer and the braces were 'Ossi Quality Gents Braces' from eBay! All great value (most expensive thing were the boots, but for two-toned leather, they were a good price)!

Of course, to distinguish each character more I'll need the more important exterior aspects such as the tweed jacket, vortex manipulator and RAF great-coat! But for now, it's certainly a start and I'm quite pleased that I'm able to go around as at least two characters right now. Certain things may not be that accurate (like the watch, which ironically is an 'Accurist'), but as I learnt before I started (from someone who cosplays regularly...Can't remember who), as long as the 'feel' of the character's there. And I agree, as long as it feels right and it has the right look, it doesn't matter so much that the shirt is the wrong shade of pale blue, for instance!

I did a 'trial run' around College on Wednesday (17-1) and at least two people got where it was from. My tutors stated I looked 'smart', but one of them doesn't watch Doctor Who at all! XD Ah well!

Expect more postings later in the year when I have more costume! ^^ Hopefully I'll be taking the full get-ups to conventions such as Thought Bubble and many of the Comic-Cons I can! (London, New York and San Diego, naturally...Eventually...) But I'll be doing something special for my birthday this year too...Like Bond last year, I'll be having a Doctor Who-themed birthday this year! And then with each year, they'll coincide with particular anniversaries of the year, so; 2014: Terminator & Transformers (both 1984), 2015: Back to the Future (1985), 2016: Aliens (1986) and then the mother-load - 2017: Predator (1987), Star Wars (1977) & Star Trek (1967)

So here's to the future and to more cosplay goodness! ^^

AM