Replica 4th Doctor costumes on eBay

This past year I’ve spent a lot of time working on screen accurate replicas of the Tom Baker season 16 Frock Coat, as well as preparing to make a proper replica of the Romana Pink Frock Coat as seen in Destiny Of The Daleks.

I’m by no means the first or last person to have a go at either of these costumes, and if you cast around there are alternative cheaper options out there.

So I thought it timely to take a look at what can be bought for a more modest budget.

 At first glance these coats look pretty good, but at closer inspection there are a few shortfalls worth noting if you are looking for something more screen accurate.

Ecru brown long trench coat

Having worked on this coat extensively this year, I can immediately see a number of serious shortcomings in the cut of this coat. Some are quite picky, but others are more obvious.

• One of the outer pockets is missing! The lower left-hand pocket has been omitted

• The lower pockets have been confused, and large flap-less pockets are added at the back

• The waistline pocket is too big and crashes the buttons. It should be close, but not that close. The buttons could be moved, and should be in a slight diagonal line, converging at the bottom

• The piping around the edges of the lapels and pocket flaps are not the right colour. It needs to be a real dark brown (almost black) rather than a mik chocolate colour

• The buttons on the back are set too far apart, and the back vent is exactly central, where it should overlap and be off centre

Dark red long trench wool coat

Of all the coats I’m looking at here, this is possibly the best, or least worse of the lot.

• The fabric used is too red. Costume designer June Hudson once described this coat as a plum colour

• The lapel buttonholes are poorly sewn and quite rough looking

• The collar appears to be a silk rather than cotton velvet

• The buttons are not a bad match

• Overall the coat is cut too narrow and slim

Long pink trench wool coat

At first glance it's a nice coat. The colour isn't bad, but there are so many errors in the cut it makes it very disappointing.

• The first thing that stands out is it's single breasted, where the original was double breasted! It should have six buttons and buttonholes down the front, not three

• The lapels are all the wrong shape and have angled points instead of a rounded corner

• The piping around the cuff is too far up the sleeve, it just looks out of proportion

• The buttons on the back are set too far apart, and the back vent is exactly central, where it should overlap and be off centre

• The outer pockets are of similar size where they should be smaller at the waist and larger lower down

• One of the outer pockets is missing! The lower left-hand pocket has been omitted