There has been some debate in social media about the merits and demerits of the Twelfth Doctor's new attire.
Personally, I quite like it - it is not particularly exciting or different, but I think that an understated costume gives the actor more chance to concentrate on performance.
After all, poor old Colin Baker never stood a chance of making an impression with his acting abilities when he was fighting against that costume:
As always fans like to pick up on the details and some people have said that the BBC has got it wrong about his shoes being Doc Martens, when they are actually manufactured by Loake. I'm not sure that the BBC have got it wrong, exactly. Doctor Marten was German and R. Griggs Group Ltd. bought patent rights to manufacture the shoes in the United Kingdom but did not have the technology. So in 1960 Griggs and NPS shoes collaborated to create a boot using a Solovair sole and a Griggs boot, the result was the now iconic Dr. Marten boot. The first pair leaving the NPS factory in 1960. NPS Shoes continued to make Dr. Marten boots and shoes under licence until the mid 90's. They patented the name Solovair in 1995 and now make their own air cushioned boot using the same lasts and leather cutters and machines used to create the first original Dr. Marten suspension soles in the UK. It is likely that Loake are making them using a Solovair sole under some kind of license. In the past, other shoe manufacturers have been licensed to produce shoes using the DM sole. Back in the 70's and 80's manufacturers such as Shelly and Robot made some very unusual designs with the Airwair sole. These were sold in iconic outfitters like Johnsons in Kensington Market - shoes like these might have been a more rock and roll choice for the Doctor !:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gormanghast/6828566731/
I had a pair of Robots back then - but they were murder to wear in !
