Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Gets New Fashion Connection to Tom Baker's Doctor Who

Summary The Fifteenth Doctor's nod to the iconic multicolor scarf of the Fourth Doctor is a timeless and loving tribute to Doctor Who history.

Every Doctor had a signature attire – except for the Fifteenth Doctor, who has come to be known instead for rotating styles, though in Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #1, he exhibits an enduring fondness for the iconic scarf made famous by Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor.

Baker's Fourth Doctor and his signature scarf remain memorable and instantly recognizable, standing the test of time in Doctor Who lore.

Warning: Spoilers for Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #1!There is still one piece of Doctor Who fashion that remains timeless after several decades – as the 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, in order 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 by not 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.

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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 of Doctor Who serials between 1974 and 1981. Appearing in 173 episodes, Baker still stands as 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 themselves from earlier versions.

Matt Smith had his bowties, Christopher Eccleston had his leather jacket, Peter Davison had his stalk of celery, and Tom 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 Simpsons in episodes like "Treehouse of Horror X" and "Mayored to the Mob" –made reference to Doctor Who during 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 fact Tom 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 wonder the Fifteenth Doctor still has a soft spot for it. It instantly became a staple of Doctor Who fifty years ago, and remains one to this day.

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #1 is available now from Titan Comics.

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #1 (2024) Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Kelsey Ramsay

Colorist: Valentina Bianconi

Letterer: Richard Starkings

Cover Artist: Stanley Lau