Summary
Warning: Spoilers for Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #1!There is still one piece ofDoctor Whofashion that remains timeless after several decades – asthe Fifteenth Doctor’s inaugural comic book adventure contains a direct nod to the famous multicolor scarf scarf worn by Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor.For longtime fans of the franchise, the scarf’s appearance is a loving callback; for new fans, it is a perfect introduction.
Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor#1 – written by Dan Watters, with art by Kelsey Ramsay –features the eponymous time-traveler and his human companion Ruby Sunday visiting a 29th century shopping mall, leading to an impromptu shopping montage, which ends with the Doctor picking out a familiar scarf, which he proceeds to wear for the remainder of the issue.
“Timeless … still in fashion,“the Fifteenth Doctor calls the scarf, making it a bit of lore that is worth delving into, to understand why Baker’s scarf remains iconic decades – and even centuries – later.
Ever since Ncuti Gatwa became the Fifteenth Doctor, he’s separated himself from other Doctors bynot having a signature attire, instead rotating through a variety of styles on an episode-by-episode basis. Audiences would be hard-pressed to find this Doctor caught dead in an outfit he’s worn more than once. However, there’s one past costume even the new Doctor has to give props to.
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The Fifteenth Doctor Rock’s The Fourth Doctor’s Iconic Scarf
Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor#1 – Written By Dan Watters; Art By Kelsey Ramsay, Valentina Bianconi, & Richard Starkings of Comicraft.
Matt Smith had his bowties, Christopher Eccleston had his leather jacket, Peter Davison had his stalk of celery, and Tom Baker had his scarf.
Tom Baker played the Doctor in its fourth iteration for seven years worth ofDoctor Whoserials between 1974 and 1981. Appearing in 173 episodes, Baker still standsas the longest running Doctor. There’s much to praise about Baker’s performance as the Fourth Doctor, but visually, he’s perhaps best remembered for the scarf wore every episode. Notably, this was a continuation of a tradition that has carried through the majority of the Doctor’s incarnations;,save for Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor, every Doctor had at least one unique quality to their costume that existed to distinguish themselvesfrom earlier versions.
Matt Smith had his bowties, Christopher Eccleston had his leather jacket, Peter Davison had his stalk of celery, andTom Baker had his scarf. More than just distinguishing himself from other Doctors, having a scarf unlike any other character on television helped separate the Fourth Doctor from other characters in pop culture. Whenever another medium – like, for example,The Simpsonsin episodes like “Treehouse of Horror X” and “Mayored to the Mob” –made reference toDoctor Whoduring or even after his era, one look at that scarf ensured audiences worldwide knew that it was Tom Baker’s Doctor instantly.
Most Doctors have an instantly recognizable garb in their wardrobe, but none as unique as a 24-foot-long scarf draped in an array of different colors. No wonder the Fifteenth Doctor still has a soft spot for it.
Tom Baker’s Doctor (And His Scarf) Still Withstand The Test Of Time
Doctor Who’s Longest-Surviving Relic
The factTom Baker’s scarf is so instantly recognizable is an essential part of what makes it so timeless. It helps that Baker was in the role longer than anyone, meaning most audiences likely associate him with the role of the Doctor and, by proxy, associate that scarf with the Doctor. Most Doctors have an instantly recognizable garb in their wardrobe, but none as unique as a 24-foot-long scarf draped in an array of different colors. No wonderthe Fifteenth Doctorstill has a soft spot for it. It instantly became a staple ofDoctor Whofifty years ago, and remains one to this day.
Doctor Who
Cast
Doctor Who: Released on June 13, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
