The BBC’s long running science fiction television show Doctor Who has a number of different ideas that can be used for costumes, although some may need a bit of work to assemble.
The Doctor
The primary person to dress like from the series is, of course, the Doctor himself (sic). The Doctor has had numerous incarnations over the years and these have often dressed in very distinctive clothing, particularly in the classic series. Although his fashion sense is possibly not suitable for everyday use – and definitely not in the case of the Sixth Doctor – it can still be great for parties, fancy dress and Halloween. This habit of dressing in a unique fashion is less common in the case of the new series, although each Doctor usually wears at least one item of distinctive clothing.
The Companions
The Doctor’s Companions, again particularly in the classic series, also tended to have very distinctive dress, often dressing the same for their entire stint in the TARDIS. Possibly the TARDIS had very good cleaning facilities that were able to wash, clean and iron clothing almost instantly. However, many of these outfits are not easily recognisable as being from the show, unless the person wearing them is accompanied by the relevant Doctor.
For example, Jamie McCrimmon, a companion of the Second Doctor, usually dressed as a Highlander, but that just looks like a Scottish Highlander, not a Companion. Similarly, Tegan Jovanka was a companion (briefly; it was his last serial) of the Fourth Doctor but was mostly Five’s and she tended to dress as a stewardess, which was the job she was going for when she wound up on the TARDIS. Adric, on the other hand, has a far more distinctive getup, probably because wasn’t from Earth at all but from a settlement from a grounded spaceship on another world in a parallel universe.
The classic series Companions are a far better source of costume ideas than the new series, as new series Companions are largely normal 21st century humans who are also easily able to pop home for a change of clothes (unlike in the classic series, where Companions would often be lucky if they ended up on the same planet they left after going off with the Doctor). Of the new series, perhaps Captain Jack Harkness (of Torchwood as well as Doctor Who) has the most distinctive outfit and, it should be noted, was not a 21st century human but a time traveller from the future. However, Captain Jack’s costume, given that the primary item was a World War II-era RAF greatcoat, could easily be mistaken as being that of a WWII RAF pilot.
With these issues with the costume ideas, in most cases the Companions are best suited for accompanying the Doctor in couple and group costumes.
The Foes
The Doctor’s foes often have a very distinctive appearance too. This doesn’t mean that costumes based on them are easy to do, of course. Many are full-body, one way or another; Daleks are very distinctive, even for those not fans of the series, but not that easy to dress up as or even move around in. Stairs can be a definite problem. Cybermen are another recognisable costume, and certainly one that is easier to walk around in than a Dalek’s, as they are a metallic humanoid, but again require a lot of work, even though the appearance of Cybermen has changed over the years.
The Master, as played by Roger Delgardo and by Anthony Ainley in the classic series, tended to have a similar style of dress and appearance, with black, swept back hair and a black goatee beard, both greying for Delgado’s Master. Both tended to dress in black a lot. Delgado usually wore a black Nehru outfit with black gloves, with a white shirt underneath. Ainley’s attire, while similar, tended to have a black outfit that buttoned up the front with a high, decorated collar and without the white shirt. Again, for both, this works better when accompanied by an appropriate Doctor; Three, for Roger Delgado, and late Four and onwards to Seven for Anthony Ainley. The decaying incarnation of the Master, between Delgardo and Ainley, as played by Peter Pratt and Geoffrey Beevers, also had a distinctive appearance.
Of the modern versions of the Master, Missy is perhaps the most distinctive but Derek Jacobi’s brief portrayal had him dressed in old-fashioned garb that was perhaps reminiscent of the Third Doctor. Eric Roberts, from the 1996 TV movie, wore Time Lord garb at one point and had reptilian eyes and John Simm’s portrayal did wear monk’s robes at one point.
The Time Lords
The Time Lords, of which the Doctor is one, are sometimes allies, sometimes foes of the Doctor. This refers to the Time Lords that remained on Gallifrey, rather than those who left such as the Master.
The traditional garb of the Time Lords themselves is itself very distinctive, with a skullcap worn on the head (which really struggled with the Fourth Doctor’s curls), robes and a large, flared and distinctively-shaped piece that went over the robe and behind the head. This was originally a style of formal dress that was only intended to be worn on special and important occasions, but it has since transformed into the attire that Time Lords are usually seen wearing on Gallifrey, however impractical it may be for everyday wear.
Here are some more detailed ideas: